La Vida Rica - Living at Barceloneta Beach

I woke up to the familiar sounds of the street below my small piso in Barceloneta beach; the steady clang of the oil vendor walking the streets toting propane, a boy learning to play guitar, endlessly playing the same tune, and morning salutations sung out from abuelitas on balconies across from eachother, fanning themselves in the rising heat. Some may find the bustle disturbing so early in the morning, I found the rhythm of the street coming to life comforting and welcoming to a new day in a city I had fallen in love with.

The air hanging in my room was hot and salty, you could feel it stick to your skin and those first few weeks were almost unbearable in the humidity. But the fresh ocean breeze wafted through the street, beckoning us to the beach and carrying smells of Spanish tortillas, empanadas, rich espresso and fresh bread from the bakery below. Climbing out of bed, the floor was still covered in sand from the day before, but the cool tile was welcoming in the heat. I hoped into a cold shower- one of at least four that I would take that day to stay cool- threw on my bikini, and headed out to la playa with a cooler of cold cervezas beading condensation.

We walked a block and rounded a corner to be greeted by the radiant turquoise water of the Mediterranean, small cafes dotting the beach, and the city coming to life with locals, tourists, and street vendors setting up for the day. “Cerveza, agua, cola!” could be heard chanted by peddlers on the beach in the distance with the slow lap of the waves on the shore break. Every time I rounded that corner I got an overwhelming sense of happiness, a reoccurring realization of just how lucky I was to be there, and a renewed love for the city. Often this was followed by a lingering sense of sadness that I would ever have to leave, but this soon faded as I resolved to live each day to its fullest – the future would come later.

Our way of life in Barcelona was relaxing, it flowed with the flamenco music dancing through the air, the pace of the city said ‘slow down, enjoy’ – and that was what we intended to do. I will never forget that atmosphere, and unfortunately I have found it no where else. Waking up in Barcelona was waking up without worries, ready to really live life, soak up the sun, and feel free.