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'You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave' In Barcelona we rented a room for two months in an old farmhouse. In Spanish it is called a 'masia'. This one is standing about 30 minutes by train from the center of Barcelona in the affluent neighborhood of Bellaterra, close to the Barcelona Autonomous University and is mainly inhabited by students and Argentinians fleeing the economic devastation back home. The masia itself is very basic, with the top floor slowly collapsing, no heating and communal showers. The water comes from a well on the property and contains too much calcium to drink. But with a fast internet connection and the largest movie and music collection I have ever seen it does offer a bit of electronic luxery. Adrian at Halloween The longest inhabitant is our good friend Adrian Buriks, who has been there on and off for about seven years. After working as a computer programmer for many years in large corporations he realized it was much more fun living in Spain, visiting parties, doing occasional computer-related research and generally having a good time and so it was only natural he moved into the Masia. And immediately he started organizing some of the best parties in Barcelona. The yearly Masia Halloween Party has become a tradition and after having missed it the last years this year I was finally able to make it this year. After Halloween it starts to get colder and the Masia goes into hibernation. Time for us to move on to warmer places. Halloween Party The Masia The band at Halloween Adrian Eric and Marjoleyne Neus is also a masia-resident The kitchen is basic The Masia Amparo and Me