Keeping fit in Barcelona

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Up early to go for a run (well not as early as I run at home, but still). We ran 5k down to the port, over the bridges to the cruise ships and back, stumbling across a new shopping mall we hadn’t seen before, noted that down for later.

Lots of activity down by the port with dozens of men dressed as women in crazy drag costumes, men and women in leather ‘gimp’ suits proudly displaying their butt cheeks and hundreds of multi coloured balloons.

It appeared they were filming an LBGT movie, set around the Barcelona Pride day. The American tourists certainly looked bemused, with lots of comments like “these crazy Europeans” being bandied around.

Back to the hotel to shower, then, following the fitness theme, we rented two city bikes and embarked on a 20k bike ride along the beachfront, back down to the port and parked at the mall where we had a snack and a wander round the shops.

The city is amazing, the beach area was buzzing with life and despite nearly wearing out the bell on my bike trying to get the tourists out of my way, had a really fun time.

Had a quick Arabic tea and pastry near the hotel before heading back.

We had tickets booked to visit the Gaudi basilica, Sagrada Familia at 17.45 so we dropped of the bikes and took a (very fast) cab, talk about drive it like you stole it!! Think he was late for his coffee and brandy!

A group of school children had set up a stall opposite the basilica offering snack, cakes and were roasting chestnuts (kind of dangerous I thought!) we bought a bag of chestnuts as the smelled so good, told the nice young lad to keep the change and was rewarded with a glass of muscatel!

14 year old kids, with open flame, roasting chestnuts and giving strangers alcohol…only in Spain!

Anyway I tucked into a chestnut, not realising you have to peel them first, is was kind of crunchy not in a good way and so damn hot I was fanning my mouth and puffing like some kind of demented red indian…cue young Spanish girl running over to tell me I had to peel it first!! Really!!!!

Anyway, after I had cooled my mouth with the muscatel and rinsed the black bits of shell out of my front teeth, it was time to go inside the Gaudi masterpiece.

Alex is more of the history and culture buff than me but this place totally blew my mind, the detail you can barely describe, whatever was in that guy’s mind to create that, I can’t imagine. It is stunning and so well worth a visit if you are ever in the city.

We had aimed to meet up with our American friend, Jon’s niece who we met in Mojacar and is studying in Madrid, she was in Barcelona for the long weekend but got hold of her too late and kept missing each other.

After showering and squeezing everything back in the cases ready for the morning we wandered over the road to a bar we had been in a couple of years ago and enjoyed a couple of pre-dinner cocktails to get in the vacation mood!

To keep it simple and not walk too far after our active day we went back to the same restaurant and were instantly recognised by the owner and staff (probably the pink hair!) and ordered exactly the same as we had the night before.

As ‘regulars’ we were given a free glass of cava with strawberry (which neither of us drink!) and with the absence dof any handy plant pot we had to grit our teeth and down it!



Saturday night (much like Friday) is noisy and busy in the city but I love city noises as a change from the usual cicada noises that send me to sleep in Mojacar, but it was Halloween and Barcelona were playing at home, so it was a fitful sleep to say the least.

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