Barcelona: Bare Beaches and Beautiful Buildings

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Back in Barcelona

Barcelona is the perfect place to get away for a nice holiday. I spent four days in this beautiful city amongst hilarious friends who showed me a great time. To get there I had to travel by train. Atoussa drove me to Ales where I took an afternoon train to Montpelier. I wandered the station for 45 minutes, bought a sandwich, water and watched the display boards for indication of where my train would be coming in. The boards in train stations here do not list the trains departing place until 20 minutes before arrival.
I soon found that my train to Barcelona was leaving from platform B. I fell into step along with a crowd and we moved downstairs to await the train. Once it had arrived I found car number 11 and my seat number 32. I always like to double check to make sure that I am on the right train (no matter how many times I stare at my ticket or look at the board I still get paranoid that I will get on the wrong train) so I turned to the first person on car 11. “Pour Barcelona?” He looked at me, startled, and pointed at himself saying, “American.” I laughed and told him I was too. He seemed relieved and said my accent sounded good. We chatted about where we were from and then sat down as more people arrived.
Soon the train was taking off and I was antsy. I was ready to have a little fun after a month and a half of work and slow days. The person I had spoken to earlier wound up having to sit next to me as we stopped at more stops. It wasn’t crowded and there was plenty of room but he had sat in the wrong seat and kept having to move. I introduced myself and he said his name was Mark, from Philly. He was a butler for a hotel and had taken a few weeks off to travel Europe by himself. It was the first time he had ever been to Europe. I was delighted and told him a few traveling tips he had not known about. I decided it was time to go find the bar car and asked if he wanted to go. He said sure so we left our seats behind and found the bar.
There the bartender, S. Ruiz, who was missing some teeth but not lacking in the smiles department, served us beer and Rioja. Rioja is a type of red wine from the area I was traveling to and on my last trip to Spain and I had enjoyed it immensely. What better way to start off a trip to Barcelona than drinking its wine?
Mark and I talked about our travels and where we wanted to go. We soon made friends with the people around us and wound my meeting two Canadians and two Americans from California. Soon we had taken over the bar area, drinking, laughing and being noisy. The bartender eventually enjoyed our company after he figured out that we were not going back to our seats and the 4 hour train ride flew by. I told my new friends that I was meeting friends at Sants station. They then told me that we were arriving at Franca not Sants. I had known that something was going to go awry but I was not worried. They told me I could phone my friends, Nela and Yoli, when I arrived. I agreed that that would be a good idea but had a better one.
I turned to a man in the bar car who had been hanging around for some time and started a conversation with him. He was French but lived in Spain and his name was Nico. I told him my predicament and showed him my friend’s number. He smiled and texted Nela, telling her the correct train station. He told me to enjoy my travels and wished me the best of luck!
When I arrived I was escorted by my 5 new friends off the train and into the waiting arms of Nela, Yoli, and their friend Mercedes. They had gotten the message and were delighted to meet all the new friends. I bid them all fare well and wished them happy travels.
Nela, Yoli and Mercedes led me to the bus and we boarded talking and laughing. Within minutes we were at Nela’s apartment and I changed quickly so that we could set off for an evening of catching up, drinking Rioja, and wandering! We revisited a bar I had been to the previous year and enjoyed our beverages. The night was coming on slowly and we became famished as it grew darker. The four of us wound up in a trendy restaurant where we shared nachos and good conversation until our entrees arrived. I had ordered a pasta dish which I enjoyed immensely. Soon dinner was finished and we moved on to an Irish pub. Mercedes had to return home so we told her good bye and went on our way.
At the Irish pub I inquired about the best way to get jobs and Barcelona. The bar tenders were Irish and told me that I had to have papers because otherwise I could get kicked out of the country or arrested. Not wanting to risk such a thing I decided that if I were going to work in Barcelona I would indeed get the proper papers first.
Inside the pub was a bike covered in colorful flowers and decorations. The owner of this bike was a black man no taller than my shoulder. He was dressed in gold with elaborately trimmed beard and a friendly smile. I took pictures with him and he danced me back to my seat to the delight of Nela and Yoli. I found out later that he was a local TV celebrity there to promote the pub.
The evening was drawing to a close, or so I thought, and we walked back toward Nela’s apartment. Just when I figured my night was over there were my 4 friends from the train right across the street from Nela’s place! Turns out that they had found a hostel to stay in on the same street to both our surprise! Neither of us had known where the other was staying and yet we had run into each other again. They said they were heading out to get drinks. Nela and Yoli gave me the keys and told me to go have fun. Mark had not come along because he had not felt well but luckily the remaining 4 had taken him under their wing and were going to show him how to do some traveling.
We wound up at a crowded bar where I opted to have a bottle of water. After about forty five minutes of catching up I grew tired of the noise, lights and crowd and decided to go home. After a late night in Barcelona I was exhausted and promptly fell to sleep only to wake up the next morning to face a day of walking.
Once we had gotten up, ready, and dressed we went for coffee and to meet Yoli’s friend from work. After coffee Nela and Yoli took me shopping and we wandered the streets for several hours. I took many pictures and even purchased a lovely black dress at a shop. The three of us went to lunch at La Fonda, a restaurant I had been to when I was here last year. The two sisters loved this place because it was cheap and had excellent food.
In Spain you do not eat lunch until around 2:00 sometimes 4:00. We had lunch at 1:00 which was very early for them. The restaurant was nearly empty and wouldn’t be full until 2:00 when the lunch rush would begin.
For our entrees we chose from the prix fix menu. I decided on a garbanzo bean salad followed up with turkey and roasted potatoes and finished with a hazelnut cake with light banana cream sauce. The sisters both got a cheesy seafood crepe, Ahi tuna with veggies and the same cake. At the end of the meal we were all full and decided that another walk would do us good before we went home for our siesta.
We walked around for a few more hours and went home to rest. After about two hours we were all up again and preparing to meet with Nela’s friends. I wore my new dress and the three of us set off down the street to Ambar to start off with some drinks. I stuck with my usual, red wine. We sat outside and I people watched as the sisters talked. Soon Mercedes arrived and we all decided to go inside to sit down. More drinks were ordered and then we were joined by Alberto, Nela’s friend.
After Ambar we went to a Middle Eastern restaurant where the kebabs are very popular. The group was joined by Fernando who was from Peru. We all chatted and enjoyed the good food. After dinner we all had an after dinner drink at a bar whose walls were painted with sad clowns. Everyone was tired and there was a big day on the beach ahead of us. The group said good night and we all parted ways.
Yoli was leaving early in the morning so we said our fare wells and went to sleep. The next day Nela had an appointment and then German lessons and would not be home until 2:00. I decided to do some work on the computer and then much exploring of the city by myself. I remembered a lot from the year before and wound up wandering around the market where the merchants have piles and piles of the most exotic fruits, vegetables, spices, meant and cheeses. The colors are dazzling and would make a painter weep, the crowds are enormous and I was wading through a maze of human bodies, snapping pictures whenever I saw something worth while. I bought a fresh mango orange juice from a fruit vendor and went back out onto the street to wander some more.
The street performers were out and the tourists were gathering. I passed and kept on my way, people watching and enjoying the pleasant weather. I soon arrived at a store and bought a bathing suite for that afternoon. I didn’t have one with me in Europe and figured since a day at the beach was in order I might need the swim wear. I walked back down the way I had come and visited an open square dominated by palm trees and a fountain. I kept an eye on the wrists of passing strangers, reading the times on their watches until it was time to go back to Nela’s.
Nela returned promptly at 2:15 and we changed and headed to the beach. We were met by Alberto, then Fernando and Mercedes. The five of us walked towards the beach and soon were joined by Oscar, Denise and Nico. The beach was covered in sunbathing bodies in various stages of dress and even undress. The Mediterranean was aquamarine and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was a beautiful day to spend on the beach.
The group headed to a restaurant and sat outside. We ordered sangria and paella splitting the huge dishes of rice and seafood amongst ourselves. Last year I had not enjoyed paella but this year I was open to anything and loved the flavor. The rice was reddish orange with peas and chock full of prawns, squid, clams, mussels, and who knows what other sea creatures. I ate as much as I could but never managed to finish what was on my plate.
Our spirits were high and the table was lively. Everyone was enjoying themselves and all these new people loved to use the word “hilarious”. Nela had picked it up from my mother and there was no equivalent in the Spanish language so they would all use it to describe each other. These fine people knew how to enjoy themselves and didn’t feel the least bit concerned about the volume they maintained. I found myself laughing and joking with everyone as I sipped Sangria and listened to stories in both Spanish and English.
Paella was consumed, aperitifs were downed and we all moved on for coffee, tea or wine by the beach. We relocated to a restaurant closer to the sand and relaxed for an hour or so. Oscar left soon followed by Nico and Denise. Fernando and Mercedes departed but promised to return so Nela, Alberto and I went and lay on the beach for an hour.
Wandering vendors came by selling beer, jewelry, coconuts, flowers, and water. We bought some coconut slices and beers and watched the people who dared to brave the chilly water. The day was growing late and I knew that there would not be another night out on the town. I was leaving tomorrow early in the morning and was making the best of my last day in Spain.
The three of us got up and found Fernando and Mercedes again. Alberto hugged us all goodbye and those of us left decided to get a coffee before parting ways. Mercedes and Nela decided to walk together to the bar and Fernando offered me a ride on his scooter. I had not had a chance to ride around the city and excitedly agreed. Clinging to the back of the speedy machine I watched Barcelona fly by. There is not a better way to see the city than in the windy rush of a scooter. We arrived shortly and waited in the bar for Nela and Mercedes. We enjoyed a coffee and chatted about Peru and Barcelona.
Soon Nela and Mercedes joined us but after one drink we were all ready to call it a day. I told them it had been wonderful to meet them and that I had had a great time. We all embraced and they told me to come back and visit.
Nela and I walked home and were too exhausted to do much but fall asleep watching a movie. The next morning we woke up early, had breakfast and went to the train station. Nela wished me well and told me she had had a wonderful time. I thanked her for her kindness and for being such a great friend. I really had enjoyed my few days in Barcelona. I boarded the train with little worry and watched Spain and France pass by my window as a finished reading a good book.

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