It’s 10:30. I’ve just arrived home after a busy day around the city. I take my shoes off, I pour myself a glass of white wine, then I sit down on my couch. It’s been a perfect day, actually it’s Friday and the icing on the cake would be this cold, fruity and just a little bit alcoholic juice. Ups! My cell is ringing so I dig in my purse to find it. Let’s see… I have a cactus… a ring… no sign of my cell (although I can hear the music)… a chocolate bar… a red and white bandana… finally my cell!

After my weekly conversation with my mother, I look at all the stuff I had in my purse. Those are just fantastic memories of my great day rediscovering Barcelona. Why rediscovering? Because this is my hometown where I work as a tour guide showing this exciting city to visitors. What do I do when I’m not working? I search for new charming spots, new delicious restaurants as well as new original shops. As a matter of fact, that’s what I have done today.

I’ve woken up at 7:30am, after a quick shower (quick in my standards, I am a very slow person in the morning) and a coffee I was on my way towards the Poblenou neighbourhood.

District 22@, Poblenou

Nowadays this is a constantly changing area, which houses the technological district: the 22@. Modern buildings coexist with façades of old factories and the neighbourhood life that tries to keep a traditional and family spirit. As a result, this is the trendiest area in Barcelona where you can still appreciate the different periods just by looking at its buildings. Read the rest of this article…

I shared this article on the Facebook page but thought it would be good to reproduce it here for those that missed it. The author visits some of the squats in and around Barcelona and asks what’s happened to the 15M movement since 2011.

Catalan Nationalist Flags in Barcelona

In 2011 a storm of protest swept Spain. In cities like Madrid and Barcelona squares were occupied by the 15M movement in protest against the austerity mandated by the EU in response to the grinding economic crisis. This movement inspired Occupy Wall Street, and gave birth to Podemos, the radical left party that controls city councils across Spain and Catalonia.

Before coming to Barcelona to document the remains of this revolution, and to visit the network of squats and occupations that form the principal sites of resistance here, I got in touch with a squat just outside the city. I’m sitting in their library as I write. Read the rest of this article…

“Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings I thought I thought of everything
No navigator to guide my way home
Unladened, empty and turned to stone”
— Pink Floyd —

An unusual calmness reigns at El Prat Airport at midnight. A few people staring at you make you understand that you should leave the premises soon so everyone can make it back home to enjoy the Barcelona sunrise, accompanied by a good cup of coffee and xuixos.

El Prat Airport at midnight

I make my way back home as fast as I can. The taxi driver brings me up to date with the latest weekly developments in the City of Counts. This is still Barcelona, part of Spain. Quietly I open my apartment’s door as the two ladies are asleep. I check that the plants have enough water to survive next day, and I jump into bed. It’s already: Friday I am in love! Read the rest of this article…

Yoga in Parc de La Ciutadella

With just a week or so since one of my favourite yoga festivals in Europe, I took a moment to dedicate my morning meditation practise to reflect on my journey to Barcelona. And what a bumpy unexpected ride it was!

After years of travelling, I had been to Spain many times. The funny thing was I never really had any interest or curiosity in visiting Barcelona – even after all the good reviews and photos that my friends would share with me. The unexpected thing was that it wasn’t the sunshine, the good food or the beaches that finally brought me here (although I adore them too!), it was the wonderful yoga community that sparked my inspiration to finally come. Read the rest of this article…

My perfect day in Barcelona, assuming it’s a weekend, as I am lucky in that I love my job, inevitably begins with an early morning wake-up call from my apricot Shar Pei, Coco, whose mission in life is to make sure that I never sleep in. She is efficient in achieving her goal, due mainly to an irresistible combination of a very sweet, yet persuasive personality and an adorable, smushy little face.

Coco, Charlotte’s Shar Pei, with her ‘smushy little face’

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