Day 11, Barcelona
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| Eating paellas at Barceloneta |
Had a bunch of firsts today:
1. In the morning, went to see Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia. As you come out of the Metro, there it is in all its glory. Dumbfounding and magnificent basilica. I can’t even imagine working on this since 1882. Some touches added over the years are just a little over the top, like colored fruit and words etched in color.
2. Real-deal Spanish paella at Toc de Mar along the Barcelona harbor for lunch. Our fisherman’s plate had squid, lobster, shrimp, and sausage. Yummy, but my brother-in-law Don makes it better! 🙂
3. Went to La Boquerria on Las Ramblas. La Boquerria is a market that delights the senses. Cups of cut-up papaya, watermelon, pineapple; bright-hued fresh squeezed juices; exotic stuff like a red and green spiked dragon fruit; an array of hams, fish, and strange meat cuts (goat heads, tripe, tongue and I don’t even want to hazard a guess); nuts, candy, dried fruit.
4. Had tapas at a cafe near the Ramblas, We had shrimp torpedoes, cuttlefish, and peanut chicken. Just the right amount of food between Sierra and me (Joy set off on a separate adventure at a museum.)
5. Almost got pick pocketed at the Metro station on the way to our overnight train. I thought I was free and clear from theft in Barcelona, notorious for pickpockets, after La Boquerria. In fact, I had been thinking how all the warnings seemed overkill. So there we were, making our way to the overnight train connection at the Metro, expressing relief that we had escalators going the direction in our favor, when the escalator shuts down. I start laughing at the irony of the situation while a man behind me starts grabbing my suitcase, as though to assist me. I am laughing too hard, and wave him and his companion on. They go on up the dead escalator and two minutes later, watching the “Good Samaritans” walk at a fast clip with jacket over shoulder, it occurs to me that they very well could have been pickpockets! I may be wrong, but the giveaways: escalator “shutting down,” a jacket in very warm weather, my camera bag loosely tethered on my left side. It was a bit of an alarming experience but very relieved and grateful that nothing came of it!
6. We are riding an overnight train (the RENFE from Barcelona to Madrid). Thankfully, Joy had booked us in a “family” car on a great deal. Three of us sharing one with six beds for not much more than the regular price. Very nice considering three passengers and corresponding luggage makes for a tight fit. Plus not having to share a car with strangers who may or may not be trustworthy. Not luxury beds by any means, but it sure will be nice to stretch out and sleep.
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