Spain | Barcelona: Ending on a Surprise (Part 11)

At last, it was the final day of our vacation. We decided to explore a town just south of Barcelona. We’d meant to go to Sitges, but somehow ended up in Vilanova i la Geltrú instead, hahaha.

After getting off the vehicle, we picked a random restaurant on the map. Little did we know it would turn out to be the most satisfying meal of our entire trip. The prices were half what they were in Barcelona, but the food was top-notch. The fried calamari rings in particular were absolutely incredible (a little teaser: we later came back because of those calamari rings). The chicken cutlet in orange sauce had a really unusual flavor, too. Best of all, the owner was super nice, and even the portraits on the restaurant’s menu were Ghibli-style. So cool. We took a photo with the owner before leaving. This happy accident was totally worth it.

Freshly fried calamari rings. Ridiculously good.

Pan-fried sea bream

Chicken cutlet in orange sauce

Thinly sliced beef

After that feast, we wandered over to the nearby beach. We happened upon a group of people fishing beside a sculpture. When they saw us coming over, they eagerly showed off their spoils—the fish they’d just caught. Honestly, watching the locals enjoy life in their own way was pretty infectious.

While walking along the beach, we spotted a marker made from branches, with what looked like a jellyfish lying beside it. I’m guessing it was there to keep people from accidentally touching it and getting hurt. It was such a small gesture, but in that moment, it made their respect for nature and consideration for others feel very tangible. Details like this made the town feel not just scenic, but warm and welcoming, too.

There was a huge bull sculpture on the beach. I looked it up and discovered that this was actually the origin story of Taurus. The story goes something like this: Zeus wanted to woo Princess Europa, so he turned into a bull and carried her off to Crete… Reading that suddenly reminded me of an animated series about Greek mythology I’d watched as a kid. There really was a scene just like that. Well, look at that—a childhood memory coming full circle, hahaha.

After one last wander around town, we got ready to head back to Barcelona. Honestly, this unplanned trip to a place we’d picked blindly ended up being the biggest surprise of the whole vacation. With that sense of satisfaction, we started the journey back—a lovely way to round off the holiday.

When we got back to Barcelona, it was still early, so we went for another stroll along the beach. Even after ten at night, there were still plenty of people paddling back on their surfboards, some with their dogs along for the ride. The water was pretty cold at the time—these people were seriously brave. But watching them come out of the sea one after another, what I felt most, honestly, was envy: envy of that freedom to do whatever they felt like, and that ease that seemed to run right down to their bones.

One last look at the iconic building on Barcelona’s beachfront, and with that, our trip to Spain was officially over. We began our journey back to Beijing. There had been plenty of mix-ups along the way, but even more pleasant surprises. That relaxed pace really does leave you wanting to savor it a little longer.