Sabado: Barça vs. Villarreal - ¡Voot Hoo!

Yesterday's Barça vs. Villarreal game was a whirlwind of fast plays, furious runs and several switch out hits that kept fans seat side-clutching right up until the final minute. Villarreal, affectionately known as “El Submarino Amarillo," played a great game at Camp Nou, but in the end proved no match for Alcantara, Fabregras, Sanchez, and current favorite, Player of the Year Messi. Thiago Alcantara received the ball from Fabregas just past midfield, and scored a goal in the lower-right corner of the box. Cesc Fabregras brought business back to the field doubling the lead inside the box after a through ball from Lionel Messi.

Arms up in victory...otra vez! Photo courtesy of TotalBarca.com

Mid-game, the dynamic Chilean Alexis Sanchez added a third goal and was also yellow carded for quitarse la camiseta. Photos of the cuerpo caliente that Sanchez packs under his jersey proved the card (for most fans mujeres) to be Well. Worth. It.

One yellow card for conduct... coming up. (con suspiros enormes)

I enjoyed watching the game with a tasty taco vegetariano and piña agua fresca at Taqueria Garibaldi on Howe Avenue near Arden Way. The friendly staff and other customers indulged my wide-eyed fascination of plays long after I finished my loncha. Gracias, amigos! :)

Comida delicioso y mas emocionantes desportes

My sabado wrapped up with a fantastic fiesta celebrating the 33rd cumpleaño di mi amiga buena, Amy Cluck a.k.a. Amyistheparty.

Just a peek at the adorableness in Amy's apartment. See more here

Sitting around a beautiful, vintage-modern Midtown apartment talking about crafts, cocktails and computer apps may not sound exciting to many people, but I was in great company - including Lauren Brandy of Two Shoes Studio and Lorrain Garcia of Rain's Embellishments. With tasty appetizers, cream-covered cupcakes and a delicious concoction called Vootbeer, the creative, inspiring conversation went on for hours, showing that the proof is in the candy dish: Amy really is the party.

Voo hoo for Vootbeer! Tasty cherry-topped treat

Goooooal de mi Corazón

Buena sonrisa en el dia bonita de Camp Nou, Barcelona Spain

As noted in an earlier post, my December visit to Spain was a culturally-enriching, amazing experience. In addition to being immersed in all things Catalan, enamored by the stylish people and charmed by the art and architecture, I was intrigued and entertained by the extreme love of futbol (Americans call it soccer). The players, the gear, the grass - futbol is everywhere: billboards, magazine covers, even candy wrappers boast information referring to "the game." It is an intoxicating fever that stirs energy and emotion. Sure, I have been to a few San Jose Quakes games in California, but futbol españa is a madness like I've never seen.

1966 Trofeu Gamper inside the Museu at Camp Nou, Barcelona Spain

My first day in Barcelona, I headed straight to Camp Nou and spent 2 hours wandering through the museu and touring the stadium. I saw incredible copas, vintage gear, retired jerseys and historic photos. I sampled Barça potato chips and listened to hundreds of fans, ages 2 to 92, sing the beloved victory song on a huge screen. Souvenirs of red, blue and yellow weighed down mi bolsa, and I learned to correctly spell Messi, Fabregras and Busquets before the end of the day. At last, I understood why their slogan is "Mas Que un Club," More Than a Club. ¡Claro que si!

Evening sunset on the massive Santiago Bernabéu stadium, Madrid Spain

After Barcelona I headed to Madrid, a city with an equally-impressive futbol team, aptly named Real Madrid. The stadium - Santiago Bernabéu - is just as impressive as Camp Nou, and the Adidas-sponsored campaign, "Real Madrid is All In" universally applies to the players, the game, the gear and the lifestyle. I ogled posters of Iker Casillas, Cristano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos, sweaty and smiling large as life. I savored and embraced the experience, wrapping my neck in a cozy "Hala Madrid" bufanda and leaving the tienda with large bags of crown-embossed swag (Real Madrid's regal logo).

Real Madrid is ALL IN. Poster from Santiago Bernabéu stadium, Madrid Spain

Fast-forward to now, a mere month later: I have futbol apps on my phone, schedules printed in my datebook and sporty chaquetas I never want to take off. Yesterday, the match - and my heart - ¡destrozado por el deporte! (torn by the sport) - the curse of rival teams. Streaming the game (I don't own a TV), I found myself jumping back and forth during plays. Lionel Messi, with the moves like Jagger (perhaps even better) proved why he was voted Player of the Year for the third year in a row.

Cheeky smile and velvet suit, who's Messi now, folks?!

Ronaldo and Ramos openly expressed frustration and, everywhere, emotions were high. In the end, the Barça-favored score made it obvious this will be a season of excitement. As for me, I am thrilled to learn more about futbol: the game, the rules, the fanatic rituals. But first the question I need an answer for is - "who's your team!?"

Perhaps only (the) team will tell (me).

Viure i somiar a Espanya*

(*Living and Dreaming in Spain)

Ever since I attended art college and studied the vibrant, inspirational art of Antonio Gaudi, I have wanted to visit Spain. Culturally-enriched, historically-embedded and just beautiful, with great food, vibrant people and the distinct sounds of Castillian words and Flamenco guitar, Spain is a feast for all of the senses.

Hey! This isn't Mexico! El Chapulín Colorado in Madrid

Several years after college and two years after I started studying Spanish, I made my dream come true, visiting Barcelona and Madrid in December with a loose itinerary and a few solid goals: Antonio Gaudí's Parc Güell and Sagrada Familia, Picasso's Guernica at Reina Sofia, and both stadiums: Futbol Club Barcelona and Real Madrid. (Solid goooooals, indeed!)

Making a dream come true on the famous bench in Parc Güell, Barcelona

Parc Güell is incredible, with colorful, curving mosaics that seem to go on forever around an open park. Nestled on a grassy hill with a beautiful view of Barcelona, the Parc draws hundreds of people who seem to lose all angst when they see the curvy gingerbread roofs of the tiny buildings and are greeted by the tile-covered gecko at the entrance. I loved it so much I visited twice, the second day meeting an Italian guitarist performing for a small audience, earning his keep in Euros tossed into his case. Liberating!

Mi novio nuevo de Italiano en Parc Güell "thank you, baby!"

Sagrada Familia is a monumental, breathtaking effigy, as incredible inside as it is out. Outside, strong stone men hold up the foundation and huge doors bear carved names and scripture. Inside, color dances from light through stained glass windows and Gaudí's lifelong dream towers above the visitor. Although there are final plan drawings viewable in the basement, one may wonder if it will ever stop being built, or if Barcelona would love to see it go on forever.

Up and up and up... Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

In both Barcelona and Madrid, I took the METRO everywhere, which was a huge plus. Not only is it fast, efficient and very inexpensive (get the unlimited 3-day Tourista pass for €13), but you get to see how the locals live, where they shop (El Corte Ingles - one place I learned from a bag!) and what everyday life is like in the cities: my favorite part of traveling anywhere.

SOL: The center of Spain, marker point zero. Great shopping, too!

Reina Sofia, a huge art gallery housed in an old hospital, is home to Pablo Picasso's famous piece, Guernica, a black-and-white mural created in response to the bombing of Guernica in the Basque Country. Having only seen this painting in books, I was moved by the beauty and awe of seeing it in person, as I believe was true of most of the viewers. The room was very quiet and people stayed for a long time, taking it all in. No photography is allowed, so "you have to see it in person to understand", as one art history teacher used to say to me. So true!

Beautiful day for a museum visit in Madrid

No visit to Spain would be complete without a visit to a futbol stadium, or in my case, the top two in the country: Camp Nou, home to Futbol Club Barcelona and Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. The museum at Camp Nou is incredible; I enjoyed hours of viewing historical items, including trophies from 1910, the Gamper cup, Copa Macaya, trading cards, shoes and sweaters.

"More than a Club" Gorgeous greens at Club Nou, Barcelona

Also included with the museum ticket is a full tour of the stadium (inside, outside, behind the stands), a visit to the locker room, press box and tiny players' chapel. The fantastic gift shop offers just about everything in red and blue at reasonable prices.

Massive, monumental Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid

Rivaling FCB as usual, Santiago Bernabéu was just as spectacular, a regal stadium with massive 2-story gift shop, novelty interactive games and merchandise for fans of any age and size (onesies and mini-goalkeeper shirts!). I found myself perusing for hours before finally deciding on regalos para mi amigos. The only question now is which team to pull for - I love both places and my heart is torn: Real Madrid players are mas chulo, but Barça has más rápido mueve. What's a girl to do?!

Noche de luces: Christmas Eve on La Rambla in Barcelona

Since returning, people have asked which city I prefer, and honestly I adore them both. While Barcelona is curvier and more artsy, and Madrid is metropolitan and fast-paced, both provide endless opportunities for sightseeing, museum-going, historical monument-spotting, dining, dancing and just enjoying life, mingling among Catalonians who clearly love where they live.

Madridlanos know how to have fun! gràcies als meus nous amics

Check out my reviews under my TripAdvisor profile, Chula_Cabrita: earning "contributor badges" while having fun writing about hotels, restaurants, sights and more. Making my dreams come true + guiding others on their way to theirs = win/win.