Barcelona | Gaudiu

When thinking back on Barcelona, Spain, I was trying to think of one word that synopsized my time there. That word was 'indulge'. ”To allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of". That is exactly what the city encourages you to do, as it greets you with open arms.
To my surprise, when I looked up the Catalonian word for indulge, I found that it was 'Gaudiu', which is curiously close to the spelling of the city's most influential artist: 'Gaudi'. Coincidence? Or am I just reaching? In either case, I found it fitting because my experience with Barcelona did reflect the flowy, organic, vibrant, mosaic nature of Gaudi's artwork. From the atmosphere and architecture to the art, food and entertainment. Hell, even the city planning leaves you wanting to walk, ride your bike, and explore.
One night, I found myself following the sound of music to a nearby skatepark block party, sponsored by a local cultural center: Centre Cultural Albareda, where kids played futból against the pounding bass of the dj and the hum of city life. They would run up and encourage me to watch, while their families sat nearby; a very communal atmosphere. The next night I stumbled across a re-purposed church, where a fine-dining social event brought the city's best chefs together with local musicians and a young, diverse crowd. I traversed the spiderweb of cobblestone alleys in the Barrio Gothic where I happened upon (many) a random bar with delicious affordable tapas and bar-goers that whisk you out of your seat to dance.
But besides the casual, inclusive nature of the city, the people also display a deep passion and set of values, which they aren't afraid to vocalize.
I spoke with a local girl at a coffee shop who marched the streets with her friends in solidarity of reclaiming Catalunya's independence. I sat next to a woman who shed a tear in the pews of La Sagrada Familia. I felt the energy, pain and redemption of an exhilarating futbol match. I met a gracious bartender who was absolutely certain their food was the best in Barcelona. I felt the heartbeat of the city in each person I met. Love, gratitude and passion run deep in the veins of Barcelona, and I found it hard to say goodbye.
Contact
Instagram: @Ryan.Sulak
Gear
Camera | Sony A7sii | amzn.to/2A4HcYU
Lens| Sony 18-135 | amzn.to/2A64FZA
Gimbal | Ronin-S | amzn.to/2LJ8g5l
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Backpack | Lowepro Whistler: amzn.to/2A9osaA
Music
'Lacrimosa' | Composer: Richie Kohan | ShipwreckMusicandCo.com
'Untitled' | Artist: Eduardo Velz
'Fear the Bull' | Composer | Jose Barrios | EpidemicSound.com