el regalo de barcelona

Originally we headed to Barcelona because it was the place where we knew we could get to from Nice, and from which we could take a train to Ponferrada, our first stop in Spain. We figured that while we are there it would be great to leave some things behind, instead of dragging them around on our backs for 6 weeks, and we knew we wanted to spend time in Barcelona so we figured we would just end our Spanish tour there and pick up our stuff before heading onwards to England. Just the day after we figured out how to reach Barcelona from Nice, i read an email from a friend who said he has a friend in Barcelona we could stay with if we needed to. Perfect! So we had a place to leave this crap and to rest in between trains. We were scheduled to arrive late night and we planned on leaving the next morning. We were told we didn’t have to buy tix in advance, but when we reached Barcelona the train we wanted was booked for the whole next day. So the universe saw it fit to provide us with a full day in Barcelona. We accepted the offer and lived a life time in that day!

We headed out at 10am on what would be the first real day of sightseeing for Nisarga and I. So far in Nice we lounged around in bed, got food together slowly, then around 3 or 4 wandered over to the beach, a 3 minute walk away, and then we’d come back home around 7, shower, hang out with the family, have more food and wine, go to bed late and repeat the next day. Well that’s what you are supposed to do when you haven’t seen each other in weeks, and you are in front of the beach. But this is Spain! I’ve been dreaming of this vacation for the past 8 years, since i was last in Spain; 1-2 months dedicated to just traveling around spain! So when Nisarga suggests getting on one of those tour buses that takes you around town, or getting into the metro to get to where we are going, i cringe. I try everything to convince him that the best way to do this is to walk. He resists, he feels it’s better to take transport to where we are going and then walk around where we will be. I insist. We agree that we will try walking and then if it’s too much we’ll get on the metro. Because really, we aren’t going to any one particular place. We are walking and getting to know the city through the walk, and we are heading to areas, no particular places, no maps marked. This was after all a last minute surprise, present, so there was no plan.

So we start walking. And it’s ohhhhh so lovely. Really! The city that i fell in love with 8 years ago is still enchanting for me. We wander through different parts of Barcelona, slowly, lazily, enjoying the atmosphere. Neither one of us has walked this much in who knows how long! It ends up to be a 12 hour walk! Yes, we reach home at 10pm, not once having gotten on the metro. We end up in parks, see the Olympic games area of town, sit in a couple of churches, stare at the port from a hill above, check out a sex shop with a peep show, wander around the gothic part of town and the old town admiring the architecture. We aren’t ever really lost because we aren’t headed to anywhere specifically, just headed in a direction.

I'm amazed as we walk and go into and out of shops and places, how many immigrants from spain's former colonies in latin america are in the service sector. we almost run into no spaniards behind any counters. wow!

For lunch we stop at a menu, and Nisarga is amazed at how this restaurant can make any money. For 9 euro we get large portions of what we order: a starter, a main dish, a desert, and a whole bottle of house wine to split between the two of us; we pass on the coffee. By now we are tired and a bit drunk. And full to the rim... bursting at the seams in fact!!! We walk some more. We get ice-cream hoping the sugar helps. It works for a very short while. We sit on a bench in a plaza off of the ramblas. We then find another refuge, a plaza with a guitar player, and a nice little corner for us on the pavement. We need our siesta big time! that mid day bottle of red needs to come with a bed!

When we end up home our feet and legs have had it with us. We crash with smiles on our faces. Thank you Barcelona for a wonderful first day in Spain! Thank you universe for this lovely surprise!