9 Tourist Mistakes to Avoid in Barcelona

If you've read my latest blog post, you'll know that my friends and I spent a week in Barcelona in July. I'm still upset that I had to leave this breathtaking, bustling city behind to fly home - compared to my hometown, which isn't that small at all, Barcelona seems so full of life and endless possibilities.

I've got to admit that we went into our trip without all too much preparation. We thought of a few places we wanted to go and things we wanted to do, but we didn't go as far as purchasing a travel guide or read up too much on tips on travelling around Barcelona.

So, as quite a few of you commented on my photo diary how you also want to visit Barcelona, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the typical tourist mistakes you shouldn't make in Barcelona in order to have a smooth trip!

Barcelona Photo Diary

Way before our final exams even started, three of my friends and I decided that we deserved some time away from all of the stress the year leading up to our graduation had brought us - and what better place to visit than the city where you can combine both beach days and some intense sightseeing?

I was getting more and more excited in the lead-up to our vacation, but I never could've imagined all the incredible things I'd get to see and do during my time in Barcelona. As the city has so much to offer, I was constantly snapping away with my camera - I took over one and a half thousand photos, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite pictures from the past week!

I've Graduated!

  

It's been a while - again, I know. After finishing my exams, the lead-up to a very important event had been consuming all my time and attention - my graduation! 

I've been a student all throughout the journey this blog has taken me on during the past two and a half years, so I felt like it was only right to share this big milestone with you guys as well.

5 Excerpts from a Novel I'll Never Write

Writing has been my way to escape and to process my thoughts and emotions, it has been for as long as I can remember. I've always been writing short stories or experimenting with poems, and for over two years, I've been writing for this blog.

However, while I've been writing short and sweet pieces for what feels like my entire life, it has always been my dream to write a novel. A full-blown book, from start to finish - not like all the stories I started writing and then just kind of stopped because my motivation fizzed out.
Now that I'm just four weeks away from graduation, I have a lot more time on my hands, though, so I'm one step closer to actually start working on it!

Even though I have an acutal concept and even a few characters in my head that I'd love to play around with, I have not written out anything at all yet, probably because I've spent the past two months studying 24/7. However, now and then, sentences or short passages pop into my head that I'd love to incorporate into my novel, if I was to ever write it.
Because of that, I thought that I'd share five extracts from the novel I might never write with you guys today!

Where Have I Been: Meltdowns, Graduation and New Beginnings

It's been really long, I know. I thought about my blog a lot during the past few months, and I really missed having a spare hour or two to sit down and write a post. I was so incredibly busy ever since the beginning of the year that I managed to publish exactly a handful of posts, and it made me feel awful.

There is, however, a reason why I haven't been able to find time for my small space on the internet since January - the past five months have been leading up to my Abitur, which could be described as the German equivalent of British A-Levels, and ultimately, my graduation.
The closer I got to my first exam, which was on May 3rd, the more I felt like all I did was revising. My butt was pretty much glued to my desk for hours on end - I didn't go out, I didn't get to spend quality time with my family or even read. I literally have a pile of 12 books that I've accumulated since Christmas and haven't touched since.

Exams were one hell of a ride. I think everyone who has graduated will be able to recall the stress and both the physical and psychological exhaution they bring with them. I was glad when I had the chance to creep into bed at night, so there was no way I was going to produce enjoyable content for you guys - and if I myself don't feel like my heart is in my writing, then I really do not want to share it with you.