Barcelona - Part I

There is nothing more Parisian than le minibreak, a weekend getaway from the city, usually to the beach to enjoy good food, delicious wine and some new surroundings. I was so excited to spend a few days in Barcelona, it is a city that I have been wanting to visit in forever. YA and I packed our bags and took an early flight which meant we arrived in Barca in time to spend the day exploring. First stop, our incredible hotel roof-top pool. It was lovely to overlook rooftops with a view of the surrounding mountains while freshening off from the blistering city heat. We soon slipped into holiday mood with the help of some sunbathing, a good book and a glass of Sangria! 

Fully relaxed we heading out into the town to look for some tapas and take in the sights and sounds of the city. The architecture is unlike anything I have even seen before with plenty of examples of Gaudi style design with elaborate balconies and sculpting in soft, pastel colours. Pretty fountains sparkled in the sunlight as we hit La Rambla and heading into the action. We quickly discovered the most fabulously bright and colourful market selling french fruit smoothies, hot peppers and all the spices you could possibly imagine. Just wandering around the streets we came across pretty little squares, little fountains and stunning buildings. 

We followed recommendations to go to Cuidad Condal for dinner with the promise of the best tapas in town. We were not disappointed and left full of the freshest seafood and sangria. The surroundings were incredible, with a magnificent chandelier and a buzzing hum of chitter chatter. A fantastic first day in Barcelona. 

Mood - Relaxed

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La Fete Nationale/ Bastille Day/ 14th July

The fete nationale is a big deal here in France and the whole population stops working and celebrates their country, focussing on their military and armed forces. I was very excited to be able to be here to take part and see the celebrations and I decided to adopt French nationality for the day. I am very proud to be British but this past year I have been living and working in France and I do feel a huge sense of pride for the French and their beautiful country. I also fully support a day that honours the military and all their sacrifices in order to keep their citizens safe. 

I woke up very early to get a front row position for the military parade. I had a fantastic spot and was surrounded by some very friendly merrymakers who made the atmosphere festive. The parade is started by the president inspecting the troops and Francois Hollande was driven by, surrounded by horses and mounted soldiers. It was all very impressive. Thousands of soldiers and troops then march their way down the Champs Elysees, billowing French flats lining the trees either side and with clouds clapping and shouting their support. 

After the parade SP, M and I packed up a feast of a picnic and heading to the Champs de Mars along with what seemed the whole population of France. I made fresh, homemade lemonade and chunky guacamole and we picked up an armful of baguettes and patisseries. The next six hours were spent relaxing, reading, painting, chatting, eating, drinking, people watching, dozing, and gossiping underneath the Eiffel tower listening to a full orchestra in the background. Nothing could be more perfect. the atmosphere was so electric and it was so easy to just like back and think 'this is the life'. 

As if it couldn't get any better, the night was rounded off with the most impressive firework and light show I have ever seen. With the iron lady as a backgroup, backdrops just don't get more exciting and the fireworks were just endless, each burst more incredible than the last. Vive la France!!!

Mood - Very French

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Bubbly Tea

The sun has been out and about in Paris for the last week or so and I have been in the holiday mood that heat and sunshine seems to create. With highs of 32c the city has come to a lethargic standstill. No more rushing and dashing. Half of the Parisians have left for their annual month-long holiday (the other half leave for August) and everybody else makes the most of this quietness to relax in the parks, sip rose in cafes and visit the many ice cream shops that Paris has to offer. I could not be more on board with this mentality and have been embracing French summers like a native, not even a moment of cultural adjustment needed! Its lovely to wander the calm streets with no sense of purpose, being guided by your senses and taking time to breathe in the summer-infused air. It was one hot summer evening that IS and I were reunited in the hazy heat on the steps of Opera for a bubble-tea rendez-vous. Doesn't the idea of a "rendez-vous" seem so much more exciting and romantic than a "date" or "meet-up"? 

We bought out chilled, iced bubble-teas and made our way to the steps to lap-up the evening sunshine and to soak in the atmosphere of buskers, shoppers, tourists and fashionistas.

A bubble tea is a wonderful blend of iced tea, infused with fruit juices and sugar syrup and is served with tapioca balls in the bottom that you suck up through a chunk, slurpy straw. For me they are absolutely perfect, a hint of fruitiness, a little sprinkling of sugar and a big burst of refreshment. 

People watching and catching up. There is no better way to spend the evening. 

Mood - Bubbly 

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Solidays 2013

Those who know me will know that I am not really a festival girl. They include too much mud, rain and sleepless nights for my liking. However, when I heard about Solidays, Paris's big summer festival, my mind was changed due to the simple fact that festival-goers were bused back and forward from the city centre every night. This was the perfect solution for me, I could still enjoy the atmosphere, music and all round merriment of a festival without having to freeze to death and suffer blocked up smelly toilets. Sounds dreamy doesn't it? Well it was. 

Beautiful sunshine, incredible music, great crowd and a worthy cause. Solidays is all about showing solidarity towards finding a cure and help for those with AIDS. Something I could not be more supportive of. The weekend campaigns to raise awareness and to prompt government action into providing those afflicted with medicine. Des medicaments pour tous! During the weekend we took part in a "die-in", a sort of flash mob when festival goers all lie on the ground creating a human graveyard and in doing so create a powerful message for the world. 

Raising out hands to providing medicine for all AIDS victims! 

We also saw some incredible music over the weekend, and hopped, well walked, between the five stages to see as many bands as possible. Including Soma, Balthazar, Django Django and my new French favourite Tété. The highlight for me was being front row seeing the Hives, I have never been to a rock concert and for some bizarre reason being crushed against the barrier by a music-worshipping mob was my idea of heaven for an hour or so. Definitely ticked that one off the life-to-do list. 

The festival continued deep into the night and we spend hours dancing in the Desperado's bar, watching break dancers and drinking warm beer from eco-friendly cups. Bravo France bravo! 

On that point, the French have no idea generally how to organise anything, it usually includes months of endless amounts of complex paperwork. However, the French certainly know how to do a festival. No queues to get in, no queues for the toilets, good festival food, eco-friendly cups for all and the holy grail of all festival highlights.....toilet paper in the toilets!!! Very bizarre considering most French toilets are a positively inhumane experience. Enough about toilets, I apologise. 

We found some cool storage containers that had been packed out with bars and fun, including one painted entirely in chalk paint so we could write fun messages in florescent pens. 

JC and I very much appreciated the French attitude of "just because you are at a festival, it doesn't mean you should eat badly." Another point to France. We munched our happy way through gourmet burgers, italian gelato, nougat, pulled-pork baguettes and moroccan patisseries. 

We rounded off the incredible weekend dancing the night away to David Guetta's incredible set, complete with fireworks, lasers and a rain-storm of glitter. I can't imagine a better weekend spent in Paris and it was the perfect way to bid farewell to the wonderful JC, a girl who has added a generous sprinkling of fun to my year in Paris. You will be missed. 

Mood- tempted to go to Glasto! 

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