Bar-the-lona

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This is how they say Barcelona in Spain. I arrived after 8:00pm at Gaudi Hostel in the Barri Gothic area. I went to the super-market down the street and then made a bit of food and decided to go to bed. I really didn't have the energy to make friends and I figured sleep would be a better way to go.

I got up in the morning and went off to explore on my own. I first went to the Cathedral which was unbelievable. It was very very Gothic but great. The stonework was incredible. There was a service going on and so I watched from afar. I took time to look at the individual sanctuaries around the inside of the cathedral.

Afterwards I headed for the Picasso Museum. I had to stand in line for over an hour but I spent 2 hours inside once I got in. I don't know much about art but I felt like I had to take advantage of this museum while I was in Barcelona. I took in a espesso at a cafe down the street and then headed back to the hostel for a nap.

I walked down La Rambla to the Mercat de la Boqueria to pick up some fresh vegtables and cheese for dinner. This market was wonderful but I learned quickly that you don't touch the produce. Instead they select what you are going to get (whether it is bruised or not) and you happily hand over you money.

I met a couple of people in the hostel while preparing dinner and from there the ball got rolling. I met a guy named Haze (yes that is his real name) who was originally from New York but had just graduated from school in California. Him and a group of British girls were heading out to a pub crawl and I quickly pulled myself together (euro-style) and joined them. We started out at a pub called the Travel Bar and the pub crawl was organized by a couple of crazy Irish guys. We went to 4 bars and then ended the night at a dance club. It was a great night (out til 6) but an early morning because Michelle was arriving.

I got up and showered, ate and figured out the bus system to get me to the airport in Barcelona to pick up Michelle. I arrived an hour early just to make sure I was there on time but Michelle came out an hour after her plane had arrived. I was really nervous that she had missed a connection or had arrived early and was wondering around the airport alone, or even worse Barcelona. But just as I was about to leave our meeting point she stubbled out with a huge smile on my face and I was very relieved that our plans had worked out.

We took a bus back to the hostel and I showed Michelle around. We opted to purchase our train tickets for the following day because reservations could be hard to come by and difficult process as I had learned along the way. I took her back through the market and we made dinner with some more fresh produce. After dinner we strolled down La Ramblas and looked as the night life and street performers. We grabbed some ice cream and a drink at a bar but really couldn't figure out what to do next, so we went home to bed.

The next day was a travel day but we were taking a night train so we had a whole day in Barcelona. We revisited the Cathedral and then went down to the beach. We took a gondola across the port to the beach and layed out in the sun for a couple of hours. We took the bus back to pick up our packed bags at the hostel and then headed off the the train station for our train to Nice.

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