Excerpts from Barcelona - 10
A weekly glimpse into my Catalan adventures
My week started off on a great note with an incredible trail run in Vallvidrera, which you can read more about below because it was also my highlight of the week!
Saturday also consisted of another great run. I joined the RCB Social Run, starting off in El Born and then making our way to the beach and back. The weather was incredible, making it super enjoyable! I think I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. The running scene in Barcelona is on another level. It feels like everyone in the city is a runner and the energy they bring makes it feel like you’re at a party.
I also tried a lot of good coffee this week. Primarily because I (finally) purchased the notebook of my dreams, a Traveler’s Notebook. For those who may not know, Traveler’s Notebooks are notebooks by the Japanese company, Traveler’s Company. They are entirely customizable and well-known for being “everyday carry” notebooks. Meaning, you can use it as an agenda, passport holder, wallet, journal, and more. All in one!
What does this notebook have to do with me and drinking a lot of coffee? Well, I decided to dedicate one notebook to coffee. I always make notes in my phone, and I much prefer writing things down. I also think that sitting with my coffee and writing about it makes the experience more intentional, enjoyable, and special.
Naturally, I was very excited by the idea of assembling my new notebook and dedicating one book to coffee ratings and notes, so I visited quite a few coffee shops!
I won’t review them here (you’ll have to wait for my next Coffee Diaries) but I started off by visiting Coffee Hackers. I also visited Nomad Frutas Selectas, which was by far the best experience this week. I had already visited their other location, Nomad Coffee Bar, but this was a beautiful spot which I think really enhanced my experience. Two other coffee shops I visited included Bricks and El Noa Noa.
Highlights of the week
Trail running in Vallvidrera
I went for my longest trail run this week - 16 km! It was wet, and rainy, and muddy, and HARD but it was so much fun. The route started off on my usual Carretera de les Aigües and up to Tibidabo before heading into some more technical terrain. Despite being challenging it was also relaxing and I can’t wait for more runs like this!
A glimpse at next week…
I’ll be running the Cursa El Corte Inglés, a 10 km run in the centre of Barcelona! The race is free to join and is sold out with 40,000 attendees. I think it’s going to be pretty crazy but also have an incredible energy - as I’ve mentioned, the running scene in Barcelona is very intense compared to at home!
I plan on going to the Design Museum of Barcelona on Sunday for their free admission afternoon! I’m excited to see what it’s all about!
I’m halfway through my au pairing in Barcelona! That feels very strange to write. I feel like I waited for this opportunity for so long (living abroad, living in Spain!) and now I’m closer to the end than the beginning.