Feeling the cold today and going through some old photos in an album I came across some images from a holiday in 1999 to Barcelona. There is me with my sun hat on by the Sagrada Familia. That week my girlfriend and I had visited a monastery in Montserrat, eaten at a seafood restaurant, and various tapas bars, enjoyed the fabulous Gaudi architecture all over the city. Like good tourists we visited the wonderful indoor market (Mercat de Sant Josep or La Boqueria) and drooled over the aromatically and visually fabulous displays of food, familiar and un-familiar and the small bars serving sherry.
The menus were written in Catalan and Castilian and part of the eating challenge was working out what the food was as neither of us spoke even a smattering of Spanish, which might have helped. Finally, after several failed linguistic attempts we worked out that 'els Entrants' were the appetizers, 'el primer', the first course, 'el segon' the main course and 'postres' were the desserts and nothing to do with stamps. Of course, in Barcelona, like all of Spain, they don't eat their evening meal until after eight in the evening. Back home we were used to eating between five and six so waiting another two hours (and more on occasion) was murder sometimes.
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| Las Ramblas |
Parrots flew through the air and palm trees were normal street furniture: living statues entertained on La Ramblas and practically every street corner and the old Medieval cathedral in the Gothic quarter was truly beautiful and cool respite from the heat outside. How I wish I was somewhere warm and full of artistic treasures as I sit typing in my cold kitchen. Maybe I'll put the heating on and cook a pollo. Sherry anyone?
3 comments:
The problem is that the cold weather has only just begun. Imagine what it will be like after three months. Hibernation is the answer!
Love Barcelona... I was lucky enough to spend 3 months there a while back :-)
:0)
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