Las Ramblas

Las Ramblas is one of the most popular places in the city of Barcelona and it is definitely one of my favorites. Although it is a big tourist attraction, I also feel that it is an important part of the Barcelona culture and the Spanish culture in general. Las Ramblas is a street that extends from the ocean into the middle of Catalunya square (the heart of the city). The street is lined with all kinds of different shops, ranging from sex shops to the Nike Store and H&M. Along with the stores are all different types of restaurants, you can basically get any type of food you want. There are scwarma stands and there are extremely high class restaurants. Las Ramblas is a two lane street with the lanes separated by a wide-stretch of pavement in the middle. It is the middle of the street that really gives the heart to Las Ramblas. The middle of the street is lined with street performers, cartoon artists, painters, souvenier stands, and all kinds of interesting people. Although there are places similar to this in the United States, it is the unique mix of people that gives a visitor a feel for Spanish culture. The first time I went to Las Ramblas, I was overwhelmed with the amount of people and the various types of street performers. Over my time in Barcelona, I have been to Las Ramblas on a weekly basis, shopping or just enjoying the attractions. Every single one of my friends that has visited has loved Las Ramblas. My girlfriend could not get over the fact that the street is lined with outdoor pet stores, selling everything from chickens, to gerbils, to lizards. At every stand we passed, she tried to convince me to buy her a little mouse. I gently had to explain to her that if I brought it back to my apartment with my roommates, it would be killed within the first hour. There is certainly nothing like that in the United States, an interesting Spanish twist. It is just such a unique stretch of the city, there is really nothing else like it.