Hello everyone! For this week’s Where in Spain Wednesday, I’ve got a picture from chilly Barcelona. Yes, chilly! It’s been awfully cold in the Catalan capital for a California girl lately. You can see the proof below. Does that look like typical sunny Spain to you? No, it does not, and I’ll tell you why – it is NOT sunny or warm.

 

Barcelona-winter-Rambla-Catalunya

February in general is just the worst month. OK, I’m a bit very spoiled when it comes to sunshine, but this week has been bitingly cold with a harsh wind. My whole face is painfully dry from the wind, which has given me an extra-intense glow of guiri lobster red after spin class. (I  suspect the instructor was worried I was going to pass out and crash off the back of the bike mid-session).

Luckily, this winter I’m a little better prepared for the cold. I finally splashed out a bit of cash on a few things that really help with the winter. First off, I bought a sensible coat. Although it looks pretty ridiculous to anybody from an actual cold country, it was definitely a wise investment. Those pretty wool coats are stunning, but they didn’t do anything to keep me warm. The furry puffy coat is also way more comfortable than adding layers and layers of clothes, as it has the fringe benefit of actually allowing my arms to move (always a plus).

And then I’ve gotten some things for my room that help too. I bought a cheap second-hand radiator, which I keep within six inches of me at all times. I’ve also got a big rug to cover the freezing tiled floor, and my mum made me a lovely draft stopper to keep some of the chill out.

Of course, my room still isn’t as warm as I’d like it to be. Spanish houses are designed to keep them cool in the hot summers, so they can get very cold in the winter. Before all my new warm additions, my room was very often actually colder than it was outside. When the temperatures are hovering around freezing, that’s not very nice at all.

Barcelona-winter-Eixample

Although my room is better now,  the rest of my flat is still cold. I’ve become a bit of a hermit, spending all my time huddled under multiple quilts with my radiator within reaching distance. Either that or in the gym, which IS heated, and there’s a rather nice jacuzzi and steam room that are toasty warm. This also gives me the power to truthfully say, “Oh yes, I spent three hours at the gym today.” (It’s not worth mentioning that two of those were lying around rather than doing any of that nasty exercise business).

Winter in Barcelona makes think wistfully of California, where you might need a jacket to go out on a really bad cold day. Will this finally be the last winter I put up with in Barcelona? I don’t know, but I do know that there’s nothing that makes me miss California more than endless grey February days.

What do you do to stay nice and warm in the cold months? Is there anything you like about winter?  

Besos!

-Jess