Friday, August 2, 2013

Barcelona


It is so bright here, and so hot. Apparently even London was in the high 80s yesterday, so we're not alone, but walking on La Rambla with all the zillions of other tourists in the afternoon was definitely an exercise in perseverance. Sangria helped -- as well as the light, which makes for great shadows and great photos!


So, yes, Barcelona! We haven't seen much yet, aside from the central business district right around La Rambla, which is a large pedestrian thoroughfare that runs down to the water. It is apparently the place to promenade, though as Dave and I walked it yesterday afternoon we noted that many of the people who were out at that time did not appear to be Spanish. (Maybe the Spaniards were taking a siesta?)


We had lunch in the open-air food market -- clams for me, a seafood assortment for Dave. I tried to order something I wouldn't normally eat, just to be experimental. I am still not a huge fan of clams, but somehow they added to the feeling that I really was in a different place.


Our flight was uneventful -- we passed over the Pyrenees, the mountains that form the border between France and Spain, which were snowy on top even at this time of year. I had considered trying to go to Andorra, a tiny country up in the mountains that sparked my curiosity because of my affinity for remote places -- but apparently it's basically a haven for low-tax shopping with skiing in winter. We're not into shopping or skiing, so we decided to skip Andorra.


Last night we had tapas for dinner, of course. Then we came back to the hotel and watched an episode of "Green Acres" on YouTube. It's admittedly ridiculous to spend an evening in Barcelona watching events unfold in Hooterville, but what can I say? It's the TV equivalent of comfort food! (We did also watch some Spanish television, including a newscast about the heat and 20 surreal minutes of "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" dubbed in Spanish.)

8 comments:

e said...

I see the beginnings of another Blurb book here...

Whatever possessed you to watch Green Acres?

Lynne said...

I was always under the impression that most locals take a siesta during the heat of the day. Certainly makes sense to me! Enjoy the sun and heat!

The Bug said...

Baby I love you but give me Park Avenue... Ha! I never did get her - I much prefered the farm to NYC :)

I think there's some kind of swimming thing going on there - Missy Franklin is hoping to win a bunch of gold medals. Ordinarily I wouldn't know this, but I just read the sports headlines.

ellen abbott said...

the only foreign country I've ever been to is Mexico. It must be nice to live in a place where going to another country is the same effort as going to another state over here.

Reya Mellicker said...

Great pictures!

Yes it must seem weird to be back in a place with bright sunshine and dark shadows. How fun.

Sangria helps almost everything. Cheers!

Secret Agent Woman said...

Clams. And Sangria. Yes.

I definitely want to go to Spain, but first I need to knock South America off my list.

Steve Reed said...

E: All the episodes are on YouTube, and it's become a new silly ritual for us!

Lynne: Yes, a siesta makes sense here!

Bug: See, I always identified with that Park Avenue line. :) There is a swimming competition here -- we've seen a lot of posters and advertisements for it.

Ellen: It IS nice. I mean, we still have all the customs and passport hassles, but being so close is a huge plus.

Reya: I love the bright sun. So great for photos.

Secret Agent: I would LOVE to see South America too. It's on my agenda. I haven't been anywhere down there yet.

Ana Balka said...

Every memory I have of Barcelona is wrapped in recall of the incredible heat. And that you could dry laundry in like 10 minutes by just hanging it over a chair (or on the line out the window like they do). Sounds like you're having a blast!! Great photos as always.