That's what I was thinking when I woke this morning to the bells of the nearby church through my window.
I.
Am.
Tired.
I am content. I am excited. But I am also very tired. Averaging six or seven miles a day at least can wear on you!
Today I made the trek to La Sagrada Familia, one of Gaudi's most famous masterpieces. During my 25 minute walk, I could see Gaudi influenced the architecture city-wide. Interestingly, I didn't notice it as much by the second day. This reminded me of how when I visited Florida, I noticed that clear delineation between neighborhoods, but once I lived there, it wasn't so obvious to me anymore.
Similarly, fifty percent of the city's smell consists of toilet water and pot. By the second day I must have gotten used to it. Either that or I arrived in time for city-wide Toilet Water Pot Day.
Fun fact, if you try and dictate "La Sagrada Familia" into your phone to text a friend and let them know where you are, Siri thinks you're saying ""looks so good I love amelia"
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| detour to Spain's Arc du Triumph |
Above is a little side-by-side comparison of the front of La Sagrada Familia, and it's back. One looks sci-fi to me, the other looks like a highly evolved six years olds dribbled sand castle. Fascinating!
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| and here are the figures compared! |
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| door detail |
I was back to my AirBnB by 5 and looked into getting tickets to visit Palau Guel (Guel Palace). I was happy to find tickets for 7PM that same night. I double checked the date (there they list dates dd/mm/year), and was content with 17/10/16, but when I arrived at the palace to find it closed up tight. Monday. It wasn't even open today. I pulled out my phone to look up my ticket. I'd bought it for the following night. I don't know how it happened, but there you go. I wouldn't be seeing Palau Gruel this visit because tomorrow night I have a cooking class and tour of the market to attend during the allotting time slot for the palace. I would just have to eat the cost.
Now dejected and wondering what to do with the rest of my evening, I did a ton of wandering. I discovered Las Ramblas and walked it's full length to the water then back again.
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| the lobby of my AirBnBs apartment building. IDK what was going on but it wasn't there long. |
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| Street Performer along Las Ramblas |
I searched for a place to eat for quite a long time. I had found Placa Reial, the main plaza of the city, but really didn't want to eat at it's tourist-heavy options. I found a place called Mi Carmela. It is a tiny place that seats no more than eight people. The chef and two servers scramble behind a bar to serve everyone. Outside, a pair of newlyweds from IL waited to be seated. Soon after they were seated, I was seated at the bar where I could watch the chef.
They offered me a sangria which I happily accepted and while I sat there, they took the orders of the couple. Drinks and tapas. I asked the chef if I could take pictures. He didn't mind at all, and I shot while I watched them work and decided on what I'd like to eat. Fifteen minutes passed and the couple was served their tapas, and other couples at the counter were served additional tapas courses.
The chef looked at me and said "Would you like some mushrooms?" as he pointed at a wooden bowl of assorted wild mushrooms sitting in front of me.
Well, I'm gonna get hammered on this sangria if I don't eat something, "Sure" I said.
The couple with their toddler were seated, and their orders too, were taken immediately. I tried to keep a pleasant look on my face while gazing around, but sensed the chef glancing up at me from time to time, assessing my expression. When we would make eye contact, he would smile or wink at me. Don't smile, just ask me if I WOULD LIKE SOME FOOD, DUDE.
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| Preparing food for everyone but me. Womp womp. |
My expression is one of annoyance. Why have 30 minutes gone by before you have asked what I want to eat?!
Eventually, something of the "how are you doing" nature came out of him, and I struggled to hide my annoyance when I asked "Can I order some food?"
He sort of jumped with a Oh, she wants food! realization. And he called one of the servers over to take my order, and thanked me for my patience. Compared to how quickly others were served, they moved at a snail's pace for me. The chef was clearly the boss, because he would tell the servers what to do. Five minutes or more passed and others around me were served. Again. The chef sort of absently noticed I hadn't been served yet and told to servers to get a move on.
It was so totally weird. I still have no idea what they were thinking. It's not a matter of the customer needing to wave them over to put and order in, because the staff asked customers what they wanted throughout the evening. I had looked over the menu and placed it next to me, I hadn't rejected the menu or even handed it back to them (not that they came to me to ask for it back) so as to imply I was just there to drink. When I sat, I said it was just me, and there was no seat next to me, so clearly I was not waiting for another person.
So, while I have no clue at all what the hell happened, the food was really delicious once I got it, and having it lifted my spirits.
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| Food! delightful! |
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| Croquets and Iberian Ham |
From there I wandered my neighborhood of El Gotic some more. It was only Monday night but the streets were alive for sure. I followed the sound of operatic singing. A large crowd had surrounded a small area and in the middle of the circle, a man performed. Soon, another man came from the crowd dressed in street clothes, and he too sang. I lingered for a long while with the wrapped crowd who sat on nearby steps and railings while this performance took place, before wandering off for more late-nigh exploring.
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| Street opera |
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| the audience |
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| don't mind us! |
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| A required late-might gelato |
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| This guy's Flamenco playing was awesome too |
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