VIOKO: Home of Designer Ice Cream

VIOKO, located in Barceloneta, " Makes the most irresistible ice cream, with the Western tradition of artisan ice cream enriched with the vision and the prospect of other worlds. Mezclando creatividad con los mejores ingredientes naturales. Mixing creativity with the finest natural ingredients."

VIOKO is Argentinian owned with a Nordic-inspired interior. They offer the creamiest ice cream and the most beautiful chocolates and macarons,as well as flavored marshmellows and sugars. 

Their chocolate tablets, truffles and globes are not only thick and rich, but also whimsical in appearance.

Delicate flavors of ice cream include violet and rose, while more exotic flavors such grapefruit and jasmin with ginger are more robust.

 Their signature flavor,VIOKO Chocolate, blends the bitter cocoa with plump raisins and sliced orange peel. They also offer the creamiest ducle de leche, dulce de leche with brownie, sambayon, and stracciatella.

Cranberry, mandarin, strawberry cream, ginger, and yogurt with honey are a few of the gourmet offerings for those who prefer gelato with fresh fruit or a romantic touch.

This is one of my favorite places!! Hope you enjoy as well :)

  

Park Guell

Park Guell, a 10 min walk away from my apartment, is a garden complex with architectual elements situated on the hill of el Carmel in the Gracia district of Barcelona. It was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Guadi and built in the years 1900-1914.

The park was owned and named after Eusebi Guell, a good friend of Gaudi, who entrusted him with building this estate, designed for the upper classes. The Barcelona City Council acquired the land in 1918 and transformed it into a public park in 1923.

The Entrance of Park Guell

Gaudi's multicolored mosaic dragon fountain at the main entrance

View from the park's high-point offers the most complete view of Barcelona

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View from across the park: the large cross

On top of the Large Cross

Colonnaded Footpath



Sagrada Familia and Barceloneta Beach in distance



The focal point of the park is the main terrace surrounded by a long bench in the form of a sea serpent

Buildings at the entrance have fantastically shaped roofs

La Playa

There are plenty of things to do on Barceloneta Beach. You can sunbathe, take a dip in The Mediterranean ("The Sea"), windsurf, kite surf, play volleyball, and even work out at the open air gym that is free to the public. The beach starts at the Olympic Port, where Frank Gehry's glittering gold fish is located, and is lined with , shops, cafes, charinguitos "beach bars" and restaurants which become night clubs in the evenings. In addition to the topless women, you will also find interesting architecture on the beach, such as the Homenatge a la Barceloneta.

One of my favorite qualities of Barceloneta Beach are the many hawkers who will try to sell you just about anything.

These vibrant characters include...

• Oriental women offering you a massage ,  "ma-sa-hay, ma-sa-hay" 
• Middle eastern men offering you  refreshments "cola, agua, cerveza-beer, cold beer? fanta, agua, cerveza, beer?", henna tatoos "Don't-Cha-Wanna-Henna?",  fresh coconut "Durda Durda Durda Durda Durda Coconut?", and beach towels.
• and The Mojito Guys (personal fav) "MOJITO! MOJITO! MOJITO! MOJIIITTTOOO!!!!"

After the first week of laying on the beach and observing all of these things, I decided that I should really experience Barceloneta Beach and all it's offerings. And so, one Sunday afternoon, I did.

Cerveza beer cold beer

Don'tChaWannaHenna?

Yes. A Catalan Donkey Please

Mojiiiitttooooo!!!!

Durda Coconut

Coconut and Mojito, check

Ma-sa-hay

Gaudi and I soakin' up some rays after a dip in the Sea

Barceloneta Beach

Sailing Classes

Coronita at a Chiringuito

Homenatge a la Barceloneta

Olympic Port

And then there was this :)

LA BOQUERIA

I'll let the pics speak for themselves........