Joey goes to Barcelona

I love Barcelona. My second time in this wonderful city and I'm once again convinced I could live there. Happily. If not forever, almost forever.

As a Portuguese person living in the UK, visiting Barcelona in January means one thing and one thing only - an obsession with its AMAZING bright blue sky! I spent so much time looking up my neck hurts, but hey my soul is filled with happiness and light. Gotta agree that's a good trade-off!

The good thing about second visits is that you don't have to do the touristy things and instead you can get lost in the city. You can wander around; oh the joys of just wandering around under a bright blue sky. You can absorb the city's atmosphere, people's grumpiness and all and think it's endearing. You can fall upon a certain fabric shop (yep, it's Nunoya) which you can still remember how to reach and indulge in a small adorable purchase. You can people watch and appreciate the little things. You can be happy. And you're even happier if you can enjoy a fantastic hidrotub in your hotel room at the end of a long day of wandering.

I ate ever so well in Barcelona. Always. Everything is fresh and full of flavour. Tapas are a current favourite and I have a few recipes in my book to make us go back to Cataluyna without leaving the sofa; even if I would much rather leave my sofa and go there frequently. 

The trip wasn't all perfect. Sadly, I've realised my photography has really gone backwards. I mean, really! Whilst I still think I have my eye, I don't feel creative about it nor able to achieve what I have in my head when I do. So glad it's an aim for the year to go back to photography and let my camera capture what my eyes see.*

I saved the absolute best of this trip for last and will largely save most of it for myself. I met up with a very dear Portuguese friend and her adorable Cataluynian family. We went for one dinner and one lunch by ourselves, so much catching up to do, you know? It never ceases to amaze me how things work between good friends, that feeling you met up yesterday whilst you enjoy every minute you have with them now knowing how much you'll miss again when you leave. And as much as our time together as two was wonderful and precious, my absolute favourite was going for dinner at her home, her family of three and my family of two, and knowing life can be this good. Yep, it really can. 

*This is what explains the lack of variety of photos in this post.