More on Barcelona

After an action packed first night, my time here has quieted down in a really good way.  As I wrote before, I jumped through all of the insurance hoops the morning after I went to the ER, so I have been able to relax a bit and enjoy my time here instead of stress about those details.  The morning I went to the ER to complete paperwork, I treated myself to an extensive walking tour of the city (okay, I may have just gotten lost).  Man, did I see a lot.  I´m a really big fan of wandering, and though I did have a map, I was content to just follow my fancy and walk until I found something interesting.  It seems again and again I am learning that the best way to get to know a city is to get lost in it.  After a morning filling out paperwork in a hospital, I was just happy to be alive and healthy and able to walk and enjoy a beautiful day in an amazing city.

I literally, randomly, stumbled upon the famous Sagrada Familia, a cathedral designed by Barcelona´s treasured architect, Gaudi. While it is under construction, it was still a sight to see.  It is huge, and the architecture is unlike any other cathedral or churches we have seen.  As much is in Barcelona, it´s an entirely different style.

After wandering and enjoying the morning, I met up with Nick and Ericka for some lunch at a market just off of La Rambla, the pedestrian path and tourist trap.  The market, La Boqueria, was a blast and to my delight many stands sold fresh juice for only 1 euro.  We wandered the meat and fruit stands, bought empanadas, and enjoyed the busy, buzzing energy. We wandered a few different districts of the city that day, up to El Born Barrio, a district with lots of shops and restaurants and people milling about.

I was tempted so many times to buy spices and cheese- neither are practical purchases when backpacking though.

Obviously.

While so many of the other cities we´ve been in have pedestrian districts, it seems like almost all of Barcelona is a pedestrian district.  Sure, there are main thoroughfares and lots and lots of cars, but there are also always lots of people out walking around, and lots of alleys to get lost in.  Not the dark, scary, danky alleys but open, colorful alleys packed with cafes and bars and people.  It´s a really neat place, and is really conducive to exploring on foot, which is absolutely the way I prefer to explore.

For dinner, the three of us headed to a tapas bar, which was highly rated on TripAdvisor.  Granted those ratings can at times be sketchy, but this one was spot on.  The tapas were delicious AND filling.  An amazing combination.  I love the tapas concept- you order multiple small plates to share, and the prices are incredibly reasonable.  The three of us ordered 7 plates total, and Nick and Ericka each had two cocktails for around €40 (I refrained from the cocktails at dinner, my previous evening still looming a little too large in my memory to even chance it.  Although, I will reiterate here, I did not faint because I had drank too much, as I didn´t drink nearly enough to even make me tipsy). Anyways, dinner was delicious.  We then ventured to a gin bar, which was equally impressive.  This tiny little hole in the wall place handcrafts their own gin, and infuses them with impressively creative flavors.  I did surrender at the gin bar, and didn´t regret it at all.  I ordered a chili and cucumber G&T, and it was interesting.  Super spicy, not exactly good, but interesting. It was "complex" as my classier friends would say. 

We learned that this was their original location, but that they had another one down the street with way more gin flavors.  We made our way down, and were rewarded with everything from roast lamb and roquefore infused gin, to lemongrass and strawberry mint gin.  I ordered a mate (as in the South American tea) G&T, while Ericka and Nick ordered different concoctions.  If you´re ever in Barcelona, I´d highly recommend Rubi or the Lime House, they were our best bar experiences in Europe (but, of course, my booze of choice is gin.  So I may be biased).

We turned in early (for Barcelona standards) in anticipation for the Picasso Museum in the morning.  When we arrived at the Picasso Museum this morning, the line was out the door and around the corner.  No matter, I was set on seeing it, so I waited it out alone while Nick and Ericka went on to explore more of the city.  I was definately happy I waited. The original Picasso artwork was fascinating to see, as I don't think I ever realized he was classically trained.  Many of his early works don't resemble the Cubanist Picasso I've come to recognize.  The museum also had a temporary display with photographs of the artist at work throughout his later life. This was probably my favorite part, as lame as that may sound.  But he was whimsical and playful in the photos, exactly the Picasso one may expect through his paintings and drawings.  Oh yeah, and I walked in his footsteps and didn't even know it!

That's Picasso and his wife walking along the promenade in Cannes, the same promenade we traversed multiple times while there. Kinda neat to see and recognize these places.

After the museum, I hit up the Apple store with the hope they'd be able to fix my IPad. No luck, but let's not dwell there. I had another delicious lunch at the market, this time an organic chicken wrap and salad.  And another two juices :)  I meandered back to the hostel, and snapped this shot of the Cathedral on my way.

Off to Valencia tomorrow, and then on to Granada. Can't wait! Love you all.