I moved to Spain because I traveled to Europe frequently while living in LA.
I was surprised by some of the holiday traditions in Barcelona.
I was not expecting sandwiches for breakfast and 9 pm dinners.
The Catalonia region has its own language and culture.
I left LA in the middle of the year and moved abroad. I settled in Barcelona, Spain, in February 2020 after spending a few months in France.
Lockdown made adjusting to a new city more difficult, but I am still here.
Catalonia is a northeastern region of Spain. When I first moved, I thought Spanish would be the language of choice.
Menus and signs are in Catalan when you walk into a store or restaurant. Although everyone speaks Spanish, it is still good to know a few Catalan words and phrases to be polite.
Some of my favorites are "ad", "goodbye", "si", "please", and "molt"
I had to learn a few holiday traditions when I moved.
In late April, they celebrate Sant Jordi, a celebration of love in which women are supposed to give a man a book in exchange for a rose.
On the Monday after Easter, many people celebrate LaMona. The godchildren are given an egg-shaped cake by their parents.
Catalonian traditions come at Christmas.
Children leave food and water out for the whole month of December, which means pooping log. They hit the log with a stick on Christmas Eve.
The streets of Barcelona are decorated with a pooping log, and every store has one in its window.
Caganers are a Christmas tradition in Catalonia. The pooping figurine is placed in nativity scenes to represent fertilization and hope for the new year.
There are shops for tourists in Barcelona. From Freddy Mercury to SpongeBob SquarePants, nearly every celebrity has been transformed into a caganer.
There is a way of life here.
I have found that staples are very popular in restaurants across Barcelona.
You get a taste of everything in this way of dining. I usually order between three and six to share with friends.
The croquetas are like meatballs, and are served with patatas bravas, pimientos del pard, and small fried green peppers.
I learned about the traditional way to eat them.
It is quite the experience to be in Calçots season from late winter into early spring.
It was the first time I had ever eaten calçots. They are part of the onion family, similar to scallions, and they are grilled and served with a romesco sauce made from tomatoes, garlic, and almonds.
You are given a bib and gloves to dive into the onion dish. The gloves allow you to remove the outer layer of the onion before you eat it, and the bib is to keep you from making a mess of yourself.
Then you eat it in one big gulp by dipping it in the sauce and tilt your head back.
Breakfast sandwiches are the norm.
A typical Spanish breakfast is a sandwich called a Bocadillo.
The bread is rubbed with fresh tomatoes to get the perfect amount of flavor and texture. The sandwich is usually filled with ham, but sometimes there is cheese or a potato omelet inside.
The affordable dish is usually served with a coffee.
I have found it easy to have a balanced lifestyle here.
Barcelona has a variety of nightclubs that stay open until the wee hours of the morning. It also has more relaxed activities.
There are many outdoor fitness and yoga classes in the parks and on the beaches because of the great weather. I've seen a lot of sports.
After a wild night of drinking and dancing, I can always balance it out with a long stroll on the beach and an afternoon yoga class.
You can visit both the mountains and the beaches in a single day.
It only takes 30 minutes to reach the foothills from the west, thanks to public transportation.
You can either hike up to Tibidabo, a famous amusement park, or walk through the trails.
You can easily go for a swim after working up a sweat.
Weekend trips are beautiful.
Costa Brava is accessible by car or bus from Barcelona.
The coast runs between Spain and France. The turquoise waters and sandy beaches hypnotize me.
There are pop-up restaurants on the beaches in the summer.
The coastline has a lot of history. You have to walk through an old castle door to get to the beach in the town of Tossa de Mar, and you can also visit the house where the artist lived.
Costa Brava can be expensive, but there are ways to do it on a budget. Cheap cabins and affordable hotels can be found at many campgrounds.
You have to plan for the afternoon siesta.
Spanish naps are a way of life here.
If you are trying to run an errand in Spain, be prepared to plan around afternoon and weekend closings.
Smaller mom-and-pop shops close at about 2 to 4 p.m. every day, even though larger shops like H&M, and big supermarkets stay open during regular working hours.
Employees can either go home and rest, have lunch, or take a nap.
The big shops are closed on Sundays.
I have never eaten dinner so late.
If I was working late, I ate dinner at 7 or 8 pm.
I had to get used to a new schedule in Spain. Dinner is usually served between 9 and 10 p.m.
People really take their time to eat and socialize with each other, so by the time you finish dessert, it could easily be midnight.
The architecture is beautiful.
Barcelona has a lot of history and beautiful architecture.
The amazing and intricate designs of Antoni Gaudí can be seen all around the city.
I find myself walking in amazement on a daily basis, and I can't believe I get to take in these incredible sights on my morning commute.
His most famous work is the Sagrada Familia church.
The project is yet to be finished despite the death of the man. People are still working to reach the completion date.
The original article can be found on Insider.
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