Barceloneta 1.0

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Hopefully I’ll be posting this in a timely manner but my connection stinks and I really don’t want to go in search of a better location.

Ok, first things first. My hostel is literally on the shore. It rocks. Yellow Nest was definitely a nicer hostel and more spacious, but this one is ok. I have six girls…I think all from the UK…in my room and I have the loft (just for the record, I am totally ok with that). The downside is up in this loft, I can see across all three rooms on this side of the floor. I don’t care, however. I have earplugs and I’m wicked exhausted from everything I’ve been doing, so I’ll sleep fine. I wanted to get up for sunrise, but I’m not so sure I’ll make it tomorrow. Perhaps one of the next two days (or both) will be better options. We’ll see in the am! I definitely can’t miss it while I’m here since it’s one of, if not THE favorite thing of mine in all of the world.
This am started with a hearty breakfast full of starch. I don’t really miss anything from home, but one thing I won’t miss when I get home is the bread. The bread. And the bread. And more bread. I seriously can’t eat that much of it!!! Although I’ve made breakfast fun. After eating cereal for a month that “chocolates” the milk (yes, it is a verb in Spanish…just look on the box!), I have grown accustomed to having chocolate in my cereal. SO, our hostel had Nesquik. Yep. I definitely put chocolate milk in my corn flakes. It was lovely. Super duper. Then I had two (yesterday, three) pieces of toast with this lovely jam that they have here…membrania…I think it’s pulp of the fruit. Also, took a chocolate filled croissaint and sweet bread muffin. I was surprised that I liked the croissants.

After breakfast, I packed up and left for hostel #2 and planned my route out on the metro. I think it took me probably 45mins to get there from start to finish…walking to the metro, changing trains 3x, then walking to the shore. All with a backpack and tote bag. (Where is the nearest Correos??) I got to the hostel a little early to check in so I put my stuff in the luggage room and left to go meet Bethan (the girl from England I met yesterday) and her friend to go explore down the Ramblas, etc. (On my way there I was ambushed by a host working at a restaurant and asked me—while I was trying to walk by—where I was from, why I was here, how long I was here and if he could have my number. Umm, let me thing about that for a nanosec. NO.) I met Bethan and Emma at Travel Bar and proceeded to find the market in that square that was full of delicious things, including fruit that we definitely bought an ate (donut peaches for me!). I want to go back and get these homemade chocolates…they looked delicioso.

We found a Mexican restaurant to eat at that was 9E for a three-course meal. We were so full afterward, but it was really good! I can’t remember the name of what I had but I’ll post pics. After food, we walked the Ramblas to Plaza Catalunya. I ALMOST went with them back to Parque Güell, but I just didn’t know what to do since there was so much to see so I decided to start with Café Zürich instead. When I walked by the metro stop, there were some men shouting something, some police (a lot, actually) saying something back and a slew of confused people who looked like potential metro crawlers who were kind of stuck for the time being. I don’t know what happened, but the area was cleared after I came out of the café and went to sit down outside. Quite the hot-spot for gathering. I decided to go find the bar that had information on this snorkeling trip to Costa Brava. I REALLY wanted to get up there but I didn’t want to do it on my own so perfect! I found a way! Then I found an Orange store and THEN I decided to head back (while encountering a few other stores on the way). I eventually made it back to the hostel and settled my stuff in the room before heading out to walk along the beach. I found a bite to eat—croquetas de jamon, and after I FINALLY got my check, walked back. I am barely functioning to write this now. I’m crazy wiped out. Random: I don’t know what for, but there were fireworks tonight too…I caught a bit of them.

Tomorrow am I may or may not make it up for sunrise, but I’ll take a stroll along the beach, eat a free breakfast (I think), then head to Sagrada Familia to meet the girls again. From there I’m planning on checking out the Catedral, then posiblemente the museo de Picasso…and THEN the beach. Rumor has it that there is a lot of free music going on throughout the city tomorrow so my plans may alter accordingly. Regardless, I need to get in some beach time. I miss siestas already.

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