The Travel Medley

People have been asking about our hostel, so I wanted to show you guys our digs. Sorry for not doing it by video interview, MTV Cribs style. This place has served us well, but isn’t quite exciting enough for that.

Our home for the week is called Fabrizzio’s Terrace Hostel, located in the Eixample neighborhood, and about a 15 minute walk to the main drag in Barcelona.

This means we’re close to all the attractions, but not close enough to hear discotecas pumping their sick beats and spitting out drunken revelers until sunrise each day. This neighborhood is also juuuust far enough away from tourists to have legit cafes, restaurants, and bakeries, with the local flavor and prices to match. Always a win.

This is the front door to the building. One day, if we actually settle down and own a house, I can guarantee that I will spend my days longing for a beautiful front door like this. It’s gorg.

(Although I can’t help but see giant, ornate dog bones when I look at it.)

Plus we get to use fun keys to open the doors! And let’s be real. Doors this beautiful deserve fun keys.

Here’s the lobby area. Not pictured is another entire shelf of maps and restaurants and recommended activities.

(Totally pictured is the bag of extra toilet paper to re-stock the bathrooms.)

There’s also an area with couches, a TV, computers, and video games. And a clock wall! I love clock walls.

There’s a shared kitchen, complete with all the kitchen-y stuff you could want or need. And a washer/dryer for laundry.

Two blocks away, there’s a grocery store. We buy simple staples and enjoy feeling super European strolling down the street with a baguette tucked nonchalantly under our arm.

We’ve been able to make some simple meals and eat them at the hostel. Gotta save those euros, y’all! We’re serious about this whole traveling for nine months thing.

The hostel also hosted dinner one night, which was not only a free meal, but also an opportunity for the guests to mingle and chat and get to know each other better over pasta, cerveza, and vino.

I loved the mix of languages at the table, including Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, and English. (I also loved that these languages got more intermingled, and eventually completely incoherent, as more alcohol was consumed.)

Outside there’s a terrace, with several tables and couches and laundry lines to hang wet clothes. (Unfortunately, this is also where people smoke. So maybe don’t actually hang your laundry out there.)

Inside, there’s a dining area with tables and chairs.

Along the wall is a shelf with breakfast items, available (fo’ free) all day long. Here’s Michael grabbing something out of the fridge.

And here’s my breakfast that I ate while typing this up. Pineapple juice, a muffin, vanilla yogurt, and toast with strawberry marmalade.

(If you stare at it long enough, it kind of looks like a demented face with an eye patch, crying a single spoon-shaped tear.)

There are several shared bathrooms in the hallways. Some with toilets and showers. Some with just toilets.

This has been my favorite toilet so far, because the tank is so high! And you literally have to pull a cord to flush! Which is only a thing you see in old movies and not actually in real life.

And even though I’ve used this bathroom a few times now, I still look around for the regular ol’ handle on the back of the toilet to flush and it’s nowhere to be found. And there’s a half second of panic! But don’t worry. It’s just hanging from the ceiling. Way above eye level. Where I would never even think to look for it.

And last but not least… this is me and Michael’s room. (Bunk buddies!)

We got a private room. Most are dormitory style rooms that you share with fellow travelers, with anywhere from 6-12 bunk beds lining the walls. But this room only cost a little bit more dinero, so we went for it to have some privacy and space to ourselves, particularly as we’re getting the hang of this whole backpacking thing.

(Sorry for the mess! It didn’t take us long to get settled in.)

So all in all, Fabrizzio’s gets a gold star from us! (Yay fake internet points!) It’s been a good location for walking to the main attractions and having great local restaurants nearby. We also like the availability of groceries and the occasional free meal.

Plus, when you accidentally leave your phone in the shared kitchen, it doesn’t get stolen! You just get a sweet selfie of your hostel mates.

And even though it’s a slightly intimidating picture, and they definitely know where you sleep at night, it’s better than having your phone stolen on Day 2 of your trip.