Espana: land of Flamenco, wine, fiestas, tapas, Picasso, Miro, and bull fighting.
I am in love.
So much so that when I am married, I am forcing my husband to spend our honeymoon in Spain. It’s that beautiful. Most people say that Paris is the city of love and romance, but there’s something about Spain - the flirty tapas bars, the intimate Flamenco clubs, the hidden cafes in elegant gardens perfect for all kinds of romantic things, and the wine vineyards fit for any foodie or vino connoisseur.
And of course, the food and experiences in Barcelona started it all.
Around the Fundacion Juan Miro Museum in Montjuic, we discovered a beautiful garden where we located La Font del Gat, a cafe known for its set lunches. Only open a few days a week during lunch hours, I was so glad we were there at the right time and the right place to discover such a gem. It was meant to be.
I ordered the set lunch as recommended, which was a three-course lunch including wine for only twelve euros. I fainted on the inside a little when I tasted my rose. And no, that is not an over-dramatization.
For my starter, I selected smoked salmon and egg on toast 
and grilled lamb for my main course.
The roasted tomato was probably the best tomato I have ever had. One could definitely tell that it was extremely fresh, and it had been roasting for longer than two hours. The lamb had a strong chargrilled flavor, but it was a bit much for my tastes. I rounded out my meal with coconut pudding, which was a coconut flan. 
As the first meal in Spain, it set the bar extremely high, and I was looking forward to much more.
Spain is also known for paella, and for dinner, Jules Verne, a local restaurant near our hostel on La Rambla, tempted us with its mouth-watering paella photos. We started our meal with a few basic tapas 
and some amazing seafood paella afterwards. 
Dessert was horribly disappointing. The waiter told us they were chocolate brownies, but in my opinion, they were Hostess Ho Hos. Judge for yourself: 
Ho Hos in Spain? What a laugh. But at least I really enjoyed my pint of sangria that set me off on a speech about my views on femininity. That conversation is for another time…
To round out the Spanish food circle for some REAL tapas, we went to the highly recommended Bar Pinotxo in the La Boqueria, Barcelona’s large food market. 
The tapas dishes were to die for. 
Since we didn’t understand Catalan on the menu, we asked our waiter to bring the best of the day. The dishes included a beef stew with potatoes, pinto beans with squid, and spinach puree with potatoes in olive oil. And to continue the trend, another glass of wine, this time white, to go with the meal.
The La Boqueria was something else, as well. There was everything you could think of! Ostrich eggs and green emu eggs…
chocolates…
and wonderful fresh meats and produce. 
After some sight-seeing, we tackled the afternoon lull with some coffee and treats. I opted for a nice latte and some chocolate cake. 
Once we were energized and ready to party the night away, we experienced some traditional Flamenco dancing at Tarantos where we enjoyed some more sangria with the lively movement and music. 
And naturally, being in Barcelona, we had to hit up the original Ice Bar.
Let’s just say the night ended splendidly, and I realized how salty the Mediterranean Sea was, happy face.
Like I said, Spain has captivated me, and I love the fact that each city in the country has its own personality and regional differences. Gaudi and Miro were amazing in Barcelona, and I can’t wait to see the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the churches in Seville, and taste heavenly tapas again.