A Sunday morning in the Catalonian capitol - Barçelona

19th January, 2020.

It’s mid January, 19th to be precise - UFC 246 is on early morning here in Barcelona, McGregor has just beaten Cowboy Cerrone in just 40 seconds.

Half a year of anticipation to have 40 seconds of head slapping, kidney kicking, eye gouging wrestling. 40 seconds that leads to the lads at the Irish Pub down the street to carry on their all nighter rage, more than likely on a lock in.

I woke about 6am, procrastinating about it.. shall I do it.. could do with more sleep.. “I’m on holiday”, bugger it. I’ll lace up and head out. A bit more exploring.

The lads we could hear from our apartment were quite the distance away, but their Irish chants sending rockets of echo’s through the Catalonian streets, signs of being proud of where they are from and why oh why not continue drinking pints of Dublin’s finest beer whilst abroad.

First time I’d ever been offered a pint whilst out on a morning run I have you! 

Up Carrer de Girona I go, with it marginally up hill, running past stumbling Irishmen on their way down. I hit a left at the Avinguda and head in a 5km straight towards the world famous football ground, and home of Barcelona FC - Camp Nou. 

A perfect spot to stretch under the drizzling Spanish skies, pearing through the fences to what grandstands I can see along with the 89,000 fans about to pack the stadium out later that day to see their locals take on Granada.

I remember my partner Laura is at our Airbnb with no electricity as I have the room card so I swiftly head down through Hostafrancs, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes then home.

This is our last day of the weekend away, having flown in Friday, spent the day sightseeing and eating the Saturday, it is Sunday AM - with all the food spots we have tried we decided to leave one of the best spots till last.

Laura is a mastermind when it comes to finding the best brunch spots in foreign city’s, and this place didn’t let us down. Come to think of it.. we were actually staying within half a mile of said spot, plant based friends a must, I bring you - “Bol”.

They do everything from a Greek Parfait (Granola with fruits, cacao, goji’s with coconut yoghurt), to super toasts - tonnes of avocados, to fresh vegetable heavy burgers, Azteca, Buddha and Mexi-Poké bowls.. I am just going to throw in here, that this place is a MUST.

Before long, it is time to head to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat to await our late afternoon flight back to London. With both working in the morning, it was a perfect weekend away, and Laura couldn’t have picked a better birthday destination for myself.

There isn’t too much of a morale to this Sunday morning write up, well - not that I can currently think of.

Perhaps.. say without sounding cliche - travel and running has taught me a lot. I go for at least one run in every destination we visit, you can travel the roads unknown, if you give yourself an hour, even half an hour and head in aimless directions.. it is amazing what you can endeavor.

I guess that is what travel is, right?

Morale perhaps being, make the most of every moment in new destinations you end up - more importantly, make the most of every day! You just never know, all the work you put in, all the time sacrificed.. it could simply be over in a heart beat.. or let’s be more fitting with the journal and say a few head kicks and punches and it could be done in 40 seconds.

All I wish from this morning, is that the Irish lads had a couple more pints and got “safe home”, and that the city of Barçelona keeps on thriving, and being as welcoming as it did to us.

Thank you mi amor for the birthday gift x

And love to anybody that reads this, remember that you are significant, you have a purpose and you are a beautiful human being.

SBG