Never In my life I had thought that I will be going to foreign land again after Japan in 2009. So when I left my motherland for Spain on December 24th, 2011, I was in a 100% happy mood after 2 years.
We arrived in Spain on 25th December 2011. Yes, we came in on Christmas.My dad was there to pick us up.
The airport was not hustling and bustling since it was evening. Most of the passengers were there to greet their friends and relatives. There were no new international arrivals at the airport.
We were in Barcelona, where there are very few Indians. In the seven months I stayed, I came to know very few Indians. I didn't know this until I went there, naturally.
The drive from the airport was long Even though there is a lot to see on the coastline,it was evening. The taxi had no radio. All I remember is that I was sleeping. Since there are several modes of transportation in and around Barcelona, my dad (who had been living there since September) hadn't bought any car or any other vehicle.
In about half an hour, we reached our new home. It was a little new for my dad too since before we came, he was living in somebody else's house, with the owner.
Our house had multiple modes of transportation. There was a subway station about 10-15 blocks away. A railway station from where trains went everywhere in Spain, was on a fifteen-minute walk. There was a bus-stop right below the apartment we lived in. The bus from which I went to school after a few weeks later, had it's stop a few blocks away.
If you are ever going to Barcelona to stay for a long term, remember this crucial fact that you don't need to buy a car.
The very next morning after our arrival, me and my mother went out for a walk. Since Spain is on a latitude south of Illinois, it was a little warm there even in late December. We were in normal clothes as we would wear in India in winter (It is always warm there. 24/7). We lived in a town of Barcelona called Les Corts. Les Corts took up nearly one-third of Barcelona's area.
Barcelona is a beautiful city, with lots of sights. There are always scents of pizza and spanish foods, some open space, many flower shops etc. You have Liceu, La Rambla, the harbor of Drassanes, fort Montjuic with the Olympic Stadium. The last one mentioned was my favorite. Even if you stay there for two years, you are always going to find something new to visit.
At the sea facing side, you can see the entire port of Barcelona plus the landings of planes on El Prat international Airport. the whole view is just breathtaking, with the smell of salt and fish, the whistles of cruises and transport ships. It feels like you have been stuck over there with glue. It is impossible to take your eyes off the coast.
Anyway, I spent seven months in Spain. I was learning more about the country and Europe day-by-day. I visited Madrid, Andorra la Vella, Vilanova and Costa Brava. Outside the country, I visited France, Switzerland, the Alps and Germany. And by the time I came back to India on 3rd July 2012, I had been to one of the most different places on Earth
We arrived in Spain on 25th December 2011. Yes, we came in on Christmas.My dad was there to pick us up.
The airport was not hustling and bustling since it was evening. Most of the passengers were there to greet their friends and relatives. There were no new international arrivals at the airport.
We were in Barcelona, where there are very few Indians. In the seven months I stayed, I came to know very few Indians. I didn't know this until I went there, naturally.
The drive from the airport was long Even though there is a lot to see on the coastline,it was evening. The taxi had no radio. All I remember is that I was sleeping. Since there are several modes of transportation in and around Barcelona, my dad (who had been living there since September) hadn't bought any car or any other vehicle.
In about half an hour, we reached our new home. It was a little new for my dad too since before we came, he was living in somebody else's house, with the owner.
Our house had multiple modes of transportation. There was a subway station about 10-15 blocks away. A railway station from where trains went everywhere in Spain, was on a fifteen-minute walk. There was a bus-stop right below the apartment we lived in. The bus from which I went to school after a few weeks later, had it's stop a few blocks away.
If you are ever going to Barcelona to stay for a long term, remember this crucial fact that you don't need to buy a car.
The very next morning after our arrival, me and my mother went out for a walk. Since Spain is on a latitude south of Illinois, it was a little warm there even in late December. We were in normal clothes as we would wear in India in winter (It is always warm there. 24/7). We lived in a town of Barcelona called Les Corts. Les Corts took up nearly one-third of Barcelona's area.
Barcelona is a beautiful city, with lots of sights. There are always scents of pizza and spanish foods, some open space, many flower shops etc. You have Liceu, La Rambla, the harbor of Drassanes, fort Montjuic with the Olympic Stadium. The last one mentioned was my favorite. Even if you stay there for two years, you are always going to find something new to visit.
At the sea facing side, you can see the entire port of Barcelona plus the landings of planes on El Prat international Airport. the whole view is just breathtaking, with the smell of salt and fish, the whistles of cruises and transport ships. It feels like you have been stuck over there with glue. It is impossible to take your eyes off the coast.
Anyway, I spent seven months in Spain. I was learning more about the country and Europe day-by-day. I visited Madrid, Andorra la Vella, Vilanova and Costa Brava. Outside the country, I visited France, Switzerland, the Alps and Germany. And by the time I came back to India on 3rd July 2012, I had been to one of the most different places on Earth