Barcelona

I had been feeling really ambivalent about coming to Barcelona. On the one hand, it is a really important part of Spain and supposedly a fabulous city, while on the other it is rumoured to have a huge criminal population. I had visions of walking down the street and having someone whipping past on a bike and flogging my handbag on the way. So, I arrived here about mid afternoon yesterday and immediately emptied my more important personal belongings (credit cards, drivers licence, car keys, passport etc) into the room safe. Then I decided that I needed a swim so I spent an hour lounging around in the pool, cooling down a bit, although it is a bit cooler here - only 29degrees and great air conditioning!

Taking only the bare minimum with me, I went for a stroll up Gran Via Corts Catalanes up to the Placa d'Espagna which was not too far away and a very pleasant stroll. On the way back, I stopped at a sidewalk cafe for a G & T and something to eat (I've taken quite a liking to the Tortilla des patatas and anchovies in vinegar) As I was ordering, (in pidgin Spanglish) a solo father from Leeds at the next table realised I also spoke English so we had a drink and dinner together with his 10year old son before each going our own ways. I am relieved to advise that no random cyclists raced past me trying to pinch my bag.

Today, I spent the morning doing more washing - with all this heat, I find I am changing 2 or 3 times a day. Fortunately this hotel has a self service laundromat so I only had to go along the hall this time. Having done that, I spent another hour in the pool before heading off to catch the Bus Turistica. I made the mistake of sitting on the top deck (get the best views up there) and despite a large sunhat and many layers of sunscreen, I managed to OD on sun. These buses are great for getting a sense of the lay out of a city so after going round once, I went halfway round again to La Rambla - a huge open air promenade/market sort of place. There were all sorts there - check out the photos. I stopped in at the fruit/vegetable/meat & fish markets and was completely stunned to see such variety in all of these things - lots of stuff I had no idea how to identify (my phrase book being somewhat lacking in a complete foodstuffs dictionary!) Nevertheless I tried many of the odd looking fruits and didn't find one that I didn't like. Obviously some were tastier than others but all were acceptable while some were truly divine and I will never know what they were!

I had an early dinner on La Rambla and then walked back to the hotel. Looking on the map, it didn't look too far but it turned out to be miles away and I was just becoming worried that I had turned the wrong way up Gran Via (which as it's name suggests, is grand (read LONG) when I came upon Placa d'Espagna from a different angle and all of a sudden I knew where I was. It was quite a relief because my feet were beginning to protest and I was just thinking I might have to stop for another refreshment stop in order to re-investigate the map. So, in the end I made it without the need for this and am now sitting with my poor sore feet up, giving them the rest they so richly deserve.
I have changed my mind about Barcelona - it is a fabulous city and I have enjoyed my brief time here. What's more, I am still in possession of everything I arrived with. I am a bit disappointed that I haven't got a little more time here but tomorrow it is off to Limoges whose main saving graces are that it is in France (so I will be able to understand more and be understood more) and it is more than half way to Paris where I meet up with Lyss and Joe on Saturday morning. I'll be in touch soon.