After dinner we went to Travel Bar for one last night of Trivia together. Unfortunately it was probably our worst score ever, but we were in a festive mood nonetheless. I got to meet my friends Jess and Emily's families who were in town. (They were all super nice! And Emily's parents hosted cocktails at their apartment and took us all out to really good Mexican on Thursday, so special thanks are extended to them!) I ended up getting free drinks from my friends and from Colin, a guy who works at Travel Bar who we have seen every week. It was an awesome night.
On Friday a group of amigos and I went to Malalts de Festa, a discoteca with a more Spanish clientele than the usual clubs we frequent. It was really far away, so we took the red line on the Metro to get there. Very sadly, my wallet was stolen out of my purse. I still have my passport and drivers license, and I had emergency money stashed in my room so I will make it until Friday when Liz and everyone arrives. But still, what a huge bummer!
The club was tropical beach party themed, with all the bartenders (male and female) dressed in thong bikinis and tiny shorts. There were two rooms, one playing house and one playing Spanish language music. I actually liked the Spanish music a lot, and the place had a fun vibe. The only drawback was how far away it was.
When we left the club at about 5 a.m. we went to the beach to watch the sunrise. I think we were all a little delirious in our sleep-deprived states, but it was still a cool experience and a lovely view.
On Saturday I went with another group of amigos to watch a light and water and music show at the giant fountain in Plaça de Espanya. It was really amazing. The music ranges from classical to pop hits over the ages to a Disney song mix in Spanish.
After the fountain I ended up meeting up with the rest of the crew and going to a bar called Ovella Negra. It was a bit out of the way, but really big and quite fun and cheap. We went from there to Razzmatazz, a very famous large disco. It has 5 rooms with different kinds of music. (Although when I was there it seemed like more than 1 room played techno. And we never made it to the hip hop room.) We spent most of our time in the lower floor, which played lots of rock that I recognized--Fratellis, the Strokes, White Stripes, R.E.M., etc. I had an absolutely great time at Razzmatazz and felt the price (15 euro plus a drink) was totally justified.
Tipped off by Caryn, I went today with mi amigo Austin to what I think was an Earth Day food and crafts festival at Arc de Triumf. There were tons of stalls devoted to artisan cheeses and spreads and sausages and jewelry and clothes and bags and art and falafel and vegetarian food and children's clothes and lots of other things. There was a stall where you could get your hair put in dreadlocks (amusingly called rastas in Spanish). There were also lots of organizations represented like PETA type groups, Falun Gong, lots of mystic energy spiritual stuff, lots of massage places, and--disturbingly--one advocating natural gynecology with large photos mid-birth. It was really hippie-ish and I had a lot of fun.
I also went to a bullfight that evening at the Monumental stadium. While interesting and cultural, I found it pretty disturbing. The bull comes into the stadium already wound up from having a knife with a ribbon stabbed into his back. Then a few of the fighters wave around yellow and pink cloths. The matador comes out and stabs the bull in the back with these sort of hard tassel things (six or so of them). Then the bull is really tired out and the matador stabs him, mortally wounding him. The bull collapses and one of the lesser fighters comes over and stabs him in the brain, finishing the job.
The costumes were cool. I think that might be the only positive commentary I can give. The second bull started violently spewing blood from its mouth after being stabbed, which was particularly unpleasant.
I can't believe it's already my last week! Tuesday is my last final, then Wednesday is the farewell dinner, and most of my buddies go home Friday. I am sad to see things ending. But I will make the most of my remaining days, and make a point to keep in touch with everyone.
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