Hello lovely followers! This is just an update to let you know that I have moved to a self-hosted site….AND I have changed the name. If you are looking for the blog formerly known as Hola Yessica, let me direct you to the new site: Barcelona Blonde It was time for a new name, much … Continue reading
Author Archives: Jessica (Barcelona Blonde)
WISW: The Guggenheim in Bilbao
OK, I’m finally getting around to going through my photos and notes from my trip to the Basque Country back in June, so here’s a picture of one of my favorite things in Bilbao – the Guggenheim Museum! The Guggenheim Bilbao sits almost right on the river and has a few very cool outdoor art … Continue reading
How to Unlock a Smartphone in Spain
BIG news everyone – I finally have a smartphone! I feel like I am the last 20-something on the face of the planet to finally join the 21st century, but I bit the bullet and did it. Why did I take so long? Well, I didn’t want to be one of those smartphone zombies. But … Continue reading
WISW: Correfocs in Barcelona
Today is the last day of Barcelona’s Festa Major de Gràcia! To celebrate, here’s a picture of one of the highlights of the festival – the correfocs (literally “fire runs”). The name pretty much tells you all you need to know; a correfoc involves both running and fire. Teams dress up in demon costumes and march … Continue reading
The Most Surprising Place I’ve Ever Been in Spain
Sometimes, traveling to a new place is exactly what you expected. My uncle came back from a trip to San Francisco grinning that it was “exactly like it is on the telly.” Sometimes they’re extremely disappointing (am I the only one who didn’t really like Paris?) But the best kind of travel is when it … Continue reading
Where in Spain Wednesday – Barcelona’s Festa Major de Gràcia
We’ve officially hit mid-August (how scary is that??), so that means one of my favorite Barcelona events is here – the Festa Major de Gràcia! The Festa Major is a huge street party that takes place during the third week of August every year in the Gràcia district (my new neighborhood!). And it’s not just … Continue reading
Kissing Weird Things in Girona
Girona is famous for lots of things – its extensive Jewish quarter, the cathedral’s medieval cloister, the lovely spring flower festival and the colorful houses lining the river. But one thing it doesn’t get enough credit for is all the kissing you can do there. Yep, Girona: the city where snogging gets strange. Kiss Your … Continue reading
WISW – Córdoba’s Roman Temple
One of the first big surprises I got when I initially came to Spain to study abroad was in Córdoba. We were walking around, having a tour of the pretty little city, when bam! This appeared around the corner: It’s the ruins of a Roman temple. I guess I shouldn’t have been too shocked; after … Continue reading
My Apartment Crisis: Why You Should Never Rent a Room Like This in Barcelona
“Aprovechar”. Ask any foreigner living in Spain, and they probably know exactly what that means. Spanish has a rather nice way of expressing getting taken advantage of. I got used to this word early on in my stay here. Not that there’s anything wrong about Spain or Spanish people; it’s just that here my obvious … Continue reading
Where to Stay in Barcelona
OK, I promised things would be getting back on track soon around here, didn’t I? 🙂 Well, I’m back with an article I hope you’ll find useful – where to stay in Barcelona. There are so many choices that it’s tough to sort through them and figure out what’s good and what’s not. Lately, I’ve had … Continue reading