Barcelona. Spain. The two words alone seem to me and most fellow Americans like a fairy tale destination. Like an exotic land of Old World. That being said prior to my visit I had my reservations. Would it be overrun with tourists and high prices? How could all these magical experiences live up to my magical expectations?

On a warm humid July day my flight landed from Morocco. I was the very first passenger for the

immigration clerk who stamped my passport with bright black authority. Bienvenido Espana!

Welcome to Spain. First thing I noticed was that the signs were in English, the universal language, lucky for me and Spanish, the great national tongue and then there was this weird writing in Catalan. The region of Spain where the mystical city of Barcelona rules is known as Catalonia. For many years they have considered themselves autonomous from Spain and the true natives and locals only speak their tongue. I was in love with the style already.

It was six or so in the morning when the airport bus dropped me off in the centre square and I got my first glimpse of the old city. There were young men and women dressed up and some still very awake, walking around and maybe going to a final nightclub. The morning exercisers were coming out. Fresh baked bread. There was a smell of freedom and rebelliousness in the air. And love. I found my hostel and went to sleep. I awoke to bright blue skies and left my dorm room for fresh life.

First stop for me was Guell Park on the hill. I took the great public city subway uptown so I could get a survey of the amazing city. A famous Catalan architect named Gaudi designed this park atop a hill which overlooks the ocean and much of the town. There are tunnels and groves and benches. Musicians play under vines and folks wander in recreation and wonder. In the centre there is a home and museum which is one of the attractions of the park because it’s where Gaudi used to live.

There is a magnetism to being in Barcelona like being at the pot of gold at the rainbows end. I visited the Olympic stadium where they held the 1992 Olympic Games. It was vast and amazing. Just down the street I walked into a world of bustling financial districts and corner shops where tapas were on sale.

Montjuic was a phenomenal experience. It is a castle turned into a military stronghold from World War II that faces the Mediterranean sea. It sits high above the old city. As I was roaming the hills, I gazed down

on the industrial district of the seaport part of the city and thought to myself how well the Catalans were able to blend the new world with the tradition and values of the old. I let my hand touch an ancient castle stone and wondered how many other people’s hands had been there as I saw the modern boats chug steam.

By far the most amazing of all experiences and sites was the old town. The old town lies right on the ocean near the beach. It is ornamented by a huge statue of Christopher Columbus that seems to be standing guard on this the adventurer’s favourite place. He looks west. The infamous La Rambla runs through the centre of the old city and it is spacious and tree lined and classic. The history is amazing.

I took a walking tour and dis-covered there are shells and blown out areas but the stonework is

hundreds of years old and still standing strong. The great painter Pablo Picasso went to college and was inspired here. There are musicians around every corner playing instruments of all types. There is a vibe of love and brilliance. I met a woman who has been singing there for 40 years. She simply smiles and sings opera beautifully. For the love!

Of all the areas in all my travels Barcelona was the place I always returned to and even to this day I could always see myself returning to with great passion to match the hearts of the energy of the town. The aura is uplifting and the Catalan people are warm and genuine. The people are always the ones to make a city what it is and they have a festive and lively spirit that permeates a history of rebellion, freedom and passion.

The author is a world traveller by passion and actor, director and writer by profession. Born in Kathmandu, he currently resides in Honolulu, Hawaii and is a travel writer.