The Perfection of Drinking a Sex on the Beach, on the Beach
“I expected some sort of mystical animal to come prancing through the palms every time I looked into the thick forrest of green plants…”
With everyone frantically planning trips for their first weekend of traveling, I was feeling unimaginable elevated levels of anxiety.
I had absolutely no idea where I was going to travel, let alone where I wanted to go, and who I wanted to go with.
At first, I had wanted to make my first trip to Paris, a city that has been very special to me since I was little. The idea of starting the semester off in Paris just seemed magical. The bright lights, french food, french accents, the Eiffel Tour. Unfortunately, no one else seemed to be on the same page, and there was no way I wanted to travel by myself the first weekend.
Before I started my semester in The Netherlands, I dreamt about the countries and cities that I would be able to visit. Not once, however, did I think about Barcelona.
It just sounded out of reach, too far away, too expensive.
All of these reasons seemed stupid, of course, as I found myself purchasing tickets for that upcoming weekend, and then even more absurd as I booked a three day stay at The Generator Hostel.
Suddenly, I couldn’t wait to go.
I was, and still am, pretty much fluent in spanish. The idea of finally getting to actually use it outside of a classroom really excited me.
Yes, I know, people in Barcelona speak both Catalan AND Spanish, but at least I knew one well enough to get around while I was there with my friends.
After I booked the tickets, the week sped by. I honestly just couldn’t wait. Classes went by faster, and homework was suddenly so much easier to do. When Friday finally hit, I still felt like it was Monday.
Arriving in Girona Airport set visiting Barcelona into a reality. It wasn’t directly near the city (more like 45 minutes away), but it was just one more step closer to seeing it.
After about an hour on the bus (we ran into traffic), we made it just in time to see the last bit of the sunset. Figuring out the transportation system was easy. Not because I knew the language (because it’s all in Catalan), but because it was just so similar to the T in Boston which, as a college student, I take frequently.
As we made our way to Generator Hostel, me and my friends began making plans for the night. One girl had heard of the exciting nightlife in Barcelona, and wanted to check out a club named Razzmatazz.
The mere idea of going to that club began one of the best nights in Europe. Not because we made it to Razzmatazz, but because of what we found on the way.
That night, we ended up finding our way into a party for a college in Barcelona. Unlike the ones in the States, it was organized by the school. It had sangria and an array of colorful shots for no more than three euro: a big drop from the ten euro cocktails they sell at bars.
While I have no pictures of the night to share, I have plenty of memories. We made new friends and found out the best places to go: ones that we would visit and others that we will dream about until we are able to visit again.
The next day we visited Parc de güell. For those who don’t know, the park was designed by Antoni Gaudí for entrepenour Eusebi Güell. The Güell family actually lived on the park in a large house, which is now a school.
The park, of course, was beautiful. When one thinks of Barcelona, this is what you imagine. It’s hard to believe that someone once lived on the property. Vast palm trees planted in sand decorated by smooth grey rocks. Hills and terraces that seem never ending. The whole park was magical. I expected some sort of mystical animal to come prancing through the palms every time I looked into the thick forrest of green plants.
Buying a ticket online bought you a free pass through the lines of people, and an unforgettable experience of architecture and beauty.
The park, itself, is mostly open to the public. Only the Monumental Zone needs a ticket for entry. Therefore, you don’t even have to pay money to explore the area around that specific zone (even though I highly recommend exploring both the ticketed and non-ticketed areas).
For inspiration and fun, here are a few more photos from the park.
And if you still aren’t willing to pay the ticket price: buying online is only seven euro per general ticket.
Being able to visit on our first travel weekend in early September meant just enough warm weather and sun to jump into the blue water. After walking so much, a beach day was much needed.
This was on the top of our list the whole weekend, and after finishing up at Parc de güell, another adventure was just about to begin.
Arriving at the beach, we were immediately entranced by the blue water and deep orange sand. Of course, we had all been to a beach before, but this one was like no other. It just seemed to stretch for miles, and sparkled as the sun hit it.
Placing our towels and other items down on the sand, we all looked at each other with excitement. Within five minutes we were sprinting towards the water, smiling as we dove in and experienced the warm water as it soaked our skin. Looking into it, we saw little silver fish swimming around our legs. They shimmered as the sun hit their scales, creating a beam of light as they raced away from us due to the movement of our legs.
Like any beach, the sun only seemed to get hotter and hotter as the day progressed. Needing something to quench our thirst, we walked towards a small hut selling drinks and snacks. It looked like something you would see in the Carribbean. I half expected them to be selling coconuts with straws (a treat that you definitely need to try if you haven’t already). But instead, we were faced with an array of cocktails: Bloody Marys, Sangria, Mojitos, and of course, Sex on a Beach.
Coming from the States where you have to be 21 to drink, to Europe where you only have to be 18 is a huge deal for college students. It gives them a chance to get drunk legally and pay outrageous bills for drinks at bars.
I guess I’m a bit unusual in that way. I didn’t want to get drunk every weekend, or spend all of my money. I wanted to try different drinks though. You know- the ones you hear about in movies that you always think your going to order when the faithful day comes for your 21st birthday? That’s my way of thinking anyway. At least while in Europe. So I ordered a Sex on the Beach along with my friends. The fruity slush was perfect for an after swim and sunbathing cool-down, but we mostly bought it for the name.
Who else can say they drank a Sex on the Beach while on the beach?
Having the drink was only a small pleasure during my stay in Barcelona. The food was wonderful, and the people were so nice and welcoming. The city was magical, and definitely worth staying longer to explore. To spend days in the Parc Güell drawing shadows hitting the architecture, reading under palm trees, eating churros and paella with fresh seafood, thats how I want to spend every vacation. To just be in a place that manages to be calm and busy all at the same time, a place that truly sleeps during the day and awakens as the moon becomes visible and the sky turns black.
