Let's Get Real

Okay, so our past couple posts have just talked about how awesome the city is and how much fun we're having. While all of that is true, it has been a rough first week. The hostel room we were staying in for the first three nights was smaller than a fourth of the size of an average house room. It had a mini double bed, a built in the wall desk no wider than a book, and a sink. So picture that room with four giant suitcases, a roll up size carry on bag, and two giant stuffed backpacks. To get out of our "room" you literally had to climb over the bed to the door. And no bathroom, that was down the hall with the shower. The shower is another story. There was nothing to hold the shower head so I guess we were supposed to take military showers? (military shower is when you turn the water on, get wet, turn the water off, wash, turn water on, rinse, off, repeat.) Takes forever and SO cold! No complaints because we were just so happy to be here, but we didn't sleep at night at all. We would get tired around 9-10 PM and pass out for about 3 hours (2 PM in the states) so basically took a long power nap. Then we would be up from 1-7 AM. Then of course when we needed to get up at 7 AM, we were ready for bed considering it would be midnight at home. We are still getting used to the time change. So we've really had like no sleep since we've been here and surprisingly no coffee. Their coffee (café) is straight caffeine. It is really thick and tastes like Starbucks on crack cocaine. (Rob likes it. Although the one time he did have it, he could not stop talking or moving.) On top of all of the amazing walks and culture absorption, we've been really stressed out about finding an apartment and getting those things called jobs.

Finding an apartment here has been difficult. Every ad is in Spanish or Catalan and many postings are scams. We have contacted over 25 people and agencies, and heard back from a few scams and agents. We almost fell for a few scams of renter's renting their place "out of the country for work." There really isn't such a thing as renting straight from an owner. Here, they have agents that show the apartment and go through the details of renting the apartment. They charge an agency fee of one month's rent! (Around $1,000-$1,200 USD) We don't mind being confused ordering and asking questions to get around and what not, but we thought signing an apartment lease is something a little more important to speak with someone fluent in English. I guess we got kind of lucky and found an agent from Britain who spoke perfect English :) She showed us a flat in Barceloneta (a neighborhood within Barcelona). She showed us two different flats, one slightly bigger than the second and up two more floors. We had a really good feeling about the second place, and after thinking and talking about it for a day, we both decided it was an awesome location and good place for the cost. For those of you who don't know where Barceloneta is, google search it... we're beach side :) Right on the Mediterranean Sea :P It's awesome! There is a really nice bike/running path for us, obviously the beach, fresh seafood, and Barcelona is such a compact city that we still can get up to the top of Barcelona in 20 minutes by bus or train. Their metro and bus system is super advanced and goes all through out Barca. There are literally like a million different stops and buses; it's crazy to even try and figure out.

There is a fresh market two blocks away where you buy your groceries daily (fresh meat, fish, ham (really popular here), eggs, bread, fruit, vegetables, nuts, spices, ect.) Everything is in its own section so that the smells don't mix. The fresh markets are so cool- it is only fresh products and whatever is not sold daily gets thrown out at night or given to the homeless (haven't seen too many of them). La Boqueria is the most famous market on La Rambla.  Here are some pictures offline of La Boqueria to give you an idea. We'll take pictures when we go there tomorrow. The first shows the fresh seafood/fish side. The second shows the fresh meat side (a bit scary for us still) and the last shows the fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, spices. The eggs and bread are in its own section as well.

They also have sections of fresh candies, chocolates, ect. We will start grocery shopping tomorrow! Since we are on the top floor, we get the rooftop terrace, which will be awesome in the summer time! All buildings are around the same size height wise here which is really cool because the view from our apartment and especially rooftop terrace, you can see the whole city in both directions! The only down side to our apartment is the tiny stairway going up, up, and upppp. We are on the fourth floor. The Spanish think they are clever or funny and really it means the fifth floor. (There are a flight of stairs on the first floor just to get to the first floor apartments.) So, we get to walk up 98 stairs everyday. Erin counted as we (Rob) were lugging up four giant suitcases, a roll carry on, and two giant stuffed backpacks (Erin). But, we don't mind... it will keep us in shape...says Erin for Rob ;).


So we officially have a place to live!! We will post pictures as soon as we're done packing!