I am startled awake by the phone ringing.."hola" front desk wants to know what time I am checking out-ok what time is check out? noon-ok Ill leave at 11, it's 12:20 miss....nooooooo, I was trying to reset my clock...went to bed at 4am this morning, set alarm for 9, must have slept through it..damn
cruise out to Cafe Zurich for a little outside cafe sight seeing on placa de Catalunya, the main squre in Barcelona, it is packed already. I head down the Ramblas, a big street filled with vendors and charm. The first part of the street is called avenue of little birds, which makes me feel a little better as I was starting to think it really odd the streets were lined with bird kiosks....all kinds of birds and mice and guinea pigs, I mean like pigeons in cages and roosters,vultures..wierd. a bit further down are the live sculptures, then the flower vendors, a whoile section of them, then the artists. I met a lovely old woman who was so beautiful in her eyes, she was a painter and I was drawn to her work and decided I will collecting pieces of art from fun people I meet on my trip, she was the first. She looked with me and showed me her favorites and I picked one she had to say goodbye to as it was the only one she had painted like it.
I hopped on a double decker bus and cruised around getting a tour of the beautiful city, it is so clean and just enviting, so much going on in all the sectio9ns of town. The cathedral was very cool and Antoni Gaudi's buildings were so cool, I had not seen his work before, lots here, favorite is the Batllo House on the avenue of discord, named such because of the different styles of architecture, very cool.
stopped for a bite, had a cheese plate with fruit and a 9.50 euro gin and tonic, one drink 9.50, 1 euro =$1.35. yup, just had one.
ran back out after dark and hopped back on the bus for the other part of the city, so glad I did as it was gorgeous after dark. We drove up a hill to the olympic ring and stadium set high above the harbour, then stopped to look out over the city of Barcelona and the Mediterranean sea below us. High on the mountain straight across was a castle fully lit up and then all the city light below, it took my breath away, I have no picture as it never could capture how amazing it really was.
walked along the harbour and the beach, right in the middle of town, then out on the boardwalk there are all these glass rooms, all the bars, nightclubs and restaurants are down below,really cool
adios for now think I will head to nice tomorrow
Karen I am sitting here eating necco's!!! Thanks you guys for the surprise
miss you all
