Bunkers del Carmel
One of the popular free activities that study abroad students and locals recommend is going to the Spanish civil war bunkers located on the Turó de la Rovina overlooking the Barcelona. On a clear day there is a beautiful panoramic view of the sea, la Sagrada Familia, Montjuic, Tibidabo, and beautiful spread of Barcelona and its barrios.
My two friends, Otilia and Audrey, and I took the metro to el barrio del Carmel to watch the sunset from the Bunkers. We walked up steep streets of the barrio to the back side of the bunkers. On our way up we purchased cheap wine, manchego cheese, and fresh bread. The bread that we bought was called "pa sin sal" or bread without salt. I don't usually enjoy salty things and I did not know that bread is traditionally made with salt so I purchased this bread thinking that it would taste like normal bread. Unfortunately, I was mistaken and the bread was very flavorless and tasted like cardboard. Luckily the cured cheese was salty and the bread with the cheese was a tasty combination with our cheap bottle of wine.
The sunset was a beautiful fire that lit up the sky between the clouds and the view was breath taking. Afterwards we walked down the front side of the hill and explored the surrounding barrio. I hope to return to the bunkers at the end of the semester with Otilia and Audrey to reflect and celebrate our time in the city that brought us together and share wine, cheese, and pa CON sal.
