(Field Trip 1) Vamos a ir al Museu d'Història de Barcelona

Today we ventured into the Gothic Barrio of Barcelona to explore the Roman Remains in the Roman Barcino Museum. There the guide took us underneath the busy city streets to show us the remains of the community that once made up Barcelona. 

 The community of Barcelona at that time lived in a barricaded city so that they were protected at all times. Barbarians and Germanic tribes were known to try to invade the Roman city of Barcino, but the huge walls stopped them for the most part from entering. 

Typical houses were small and geometric. The "houses" tended to have a common area, a fire place/oven area, and a laundry area. Other parts of the remains showed the remains of large rooms where they would salt fish to preserve it and rooms for dying clothing. They were advanced in the way that each house had a water system for sewage and dirty water from the laundry. 

For fun, people living during this time period played the game commonly known in the United States as Tic-Tac-Toe. The game was made in the tiles of the flooring - how convenient!

Vino vino vino! These vats were designed to hold copious quantities of wine until the wine was fully distilled and ready to be drank. Wine was a huge part of culture back then, and the tradition has stuck with Spain. Wine is a common drink during lunch, dinner, and when you're out at night. Typically wine is cheaper then water in restaurants as well so why not get a glass and fit in with the locals?

(Traditional Food 1) Traditional Food Courtesy of Tarragona

Tarragona was full of surprises and one of the biggest surprises was the scrumptious food. I tried a bunch of different food that I would've never thought to try if it wasn't for IES. On the second day we were in Tarragona, we all went to a restaurant where we tried a traditional Spanish dish: charred onions known as calcots. THEY WERE AMAZING!!!!! 

Not to mention that the onions were only the first course to the meal. They were merely the starter. On top of that we feasted on homemade bread, fresh tomatoes with olive oil, potatoes, lamb chops, sausage, chicken, and flan for dessert. After I finished everything on my plate, since the waitress wouldn't let us leave without finishing every single thing on our table, I thought I was going to burst. I was stuffed to brim with amazing food. And to top it all off, they had these really cool wine vases. People were just pouring the wine straight into their mouths from it too!

Whether it's the food I have had from my host mom, restaurants around the city, or traveling I have always been satisfied with the food I've tried. I have yet to try pallela (which I am super sad about), but I am determined to try it before I leave!

My host mom makes this amazing dish with baked eggplant, meat, and cheese and I fell in love with it. My host mom also makes this lightly breaded fish which is to die for - it's breaded fish with a light lemon sauce to top it off and it's usually served over rice. I cant complain about the food just yet. 

(Life in Catalunya 2) Well, That Was Unfortunate

Saturday Feb 18th. 4:47 am. Calle de Caspe. Sienna Glavin and Shaena Singer walk home from Opium to save money. Man comes out of no where and asks where his girlfriend is.

Obviously we have no idea so we say we don't know and attempt to start walking again. Before either one of us can react the man is grabbing at my purse. HELL NO! I pull back until the strap is broken. He sprints off, but I wasn't having any of that so instinctively I chased after him. Before I knew it he had unzipped my purse mid sprint, stolen my phone, 3 month metro pass, and 30 euros and threw my purse to the side. Thankfully my house keys flew out along with the purse so I didn't have to worry my host mom.

After I realized there was no way in hell I was going to catch this guy I stopped running. I grabbed my broken purse and started walking to the main road which was only one street up. Shaena was freaking out and immediately called the emergency number. As we were talking to the police, these three older men came up and asked what was wrong. We explained the story and they got us a cab and gave us money to take the cab to the police station.

Still Saturday. 5:26 am. Arrive at the Police Station.

I thank whatever God there is for letting me have Shaena accompany me because the police spoke no English at all, and my Spanish happens to be sub par. Anyways, Shaena tells them the details while I reenact what happened with charades so they can understand the story to the fullest. Looking back at it now, I can only laugh because I can only imagine how silly we looked: Shaena speaking broken Spanish and then there's me who was trying to act out the mugging.

After an hour and a half with the police, we finally were ready to go home. Now back in the U.S. if this was to occur the police would drive us back to our houses; here that is not the case. They directed us to the closet metro and after getting everything taken I had to take the metro home...comical.

Still Saturday. 7:11 am. Alright now fast forward to me getting off my metro station. Background info: I have approximately a 7 minute walk according to Google to get home from the metro. So I start walking home and about 3 blocks from home I realize that someone's following me. Obviously I start walking fast and rush to my apartment. I put the key in, get in, and shut the door behind me quickly. As soon as I start walking to the elevator I hear the guy banging on the door. Are you kidding me?!?! So now he's trying to explain that his girlfriend lives upstairs and he doesn't want to wake her so I should let him in. HAHA not a chance. I've heard the girlfriend line and I wasn't falling for it again. I ignore him, get in the elevator, get to my bed, and pass out. Goodnight.