Thursday, April 30, 2009

Barcelona April 19th-21st, Sitges April 21st- 27th, Barcelona II April 27th- May 2nd

Barcelona- Sitges- Barcelona-

I think we were both a little dizzied or even stressed during our first stint in Barcelona. It has this strange, disorienting quality to it where there's always a twist on your expectations, even beyond the fact that they speak less english than you might imagine. The streets are almost entirely gridded but have curves and diagonals running throughout so that you always end up at the wrong end... ordering macaroni and cheese gets you penne and tomato sauce... lemonade usually ends up as orange fanta... a bottle of champagne typically costs less than a cup of coffee... and the men are stylish. Zing!
Not at all to say that it was unpleasant. The people and weather were warm, the architecture gorgeous, and the street life bustling... but sometimes it just gave one a sense of being on unsure footing. I did see a more sinister side to the city's tricky nature during our second stay in the city- but I'm going to preface this story by saying for all my various "moms" out there that everything's 100% A-OK.
I was walking down a broad pedestrian strip and no one else was really around- which, in itself, had me feeling a bit odd, because everyone seems to be walking everywhere at every hour in Barcelona. Then this well-dressed guy but somehow "off" seeming guy approached me for directions to the Sagrada Familia. I was explaining it to him when this other man walked up and said he was with the Policia and began hassling the other man and accusing him of selling drugs, and looking through his bag, etc. Then he asked for my passport and to see in my bag, and I kept it at my side but kind of showed him from where I was... he didn't try to touch anything or go through it himself, but at one point he asked whether the 10 € he saw was all the money I had, at which point I inwardly freaked out but told him truthfully that I don't carry much on me for safety. Then he basically told me to watch out for pickpockets and sent me on my way. Maybe it all seems obvious reading this that there was some kind sketchy set-up- especially given that I'm writing it in retrospect including little suspicious details- but in the moment everything goes so fast, you're unfamiliar with the authorities, and it's just intimidating (especially when everything's in broken english). Only afterward did I even have my little Usual Suspects moment and thought about how the cop was in plain clothes and I only saw the badge for a second, and how he just popped up out of nowhere- even when he asked about my money I just thought he might be a corrupt cop looking for money. So its nerve-wracking to wonder how things would have gone down if I'd had a worthwhile bundle of cash on me, but as it turned out it's just a good ol' cautionary tale (I think the moral is that good packing can be the best protection for traveller's naivity).
Again, I don't want to give Barcelona a bad rap, and I think you'll see why from our pics. We both had a great stay and fond memories, especially near the end when we were more used to things and had our ten words of spanish. As for Sitges... it was just beautiful, beautiful, beautiful and wonderful and too much fun, and I think the pics will say more than I can here. I will mention that it was really something to be suddenly surrounded by so many familiar and loved faces in the midst of drifting around another continent. Endless thanks to Uncles Bill and Ross for their always ôverwhelming hospitality.... And for finally making it official!!


Barcelona April 19th-21st:

Santa Maria del Mar- a no-miss church in the gothic quarter


I think I'll do my living room like this when I get back.

Obligatory Sagrada Familia





As I think Lins mentioned in her posting, one of Barcelona's major charms is that there are nice little touches everywhere... what would otherwise be a bare patch of concrete usually has flowers, and most of the balconies are tiled underneath (thoughtful!)






You tell 'em, bin.

Sitges April 21st-27th:

The balcony from our Sitges apartment, sigh. So easy to get used to that... so hard to re-adjust to sleeping within graffiti-covered walls and staying awake listening for the swarming of the blood-stealing masses.



Lins and our young padawan, Maya

Lins keepin' it real... 80's style.













I ordered this, but then there were so many sad little fish faces!!! I was totally disturbed, but I had to eat them all, because imagine being killed and breaded only to be tossed in the trash. Sniffle, munch.

... about the "Cheese Bags", however, I have no regrets.

When the "expensive" cava is 6€, well... the rest is history.

From the country that brought you 3-pronged subway bars, here comes a less brilliant idea: the auto-mat, an all-night vending machine for burgers and other fast food.


going to the chapel...

This dapper pair of professionals have sung in prestigious halls packed with the discriminating upper-crust, and yet now they're nervous. And they don't even have to perform!




Mom decided to fill in the bridal gown gap by making me this gorgeous number.


Lins was glammin it too with a spanish-style outfit she'd collected around town.

A pair of six foot pianists... but I guess I shouldn't tell that one on here.







Barcelona April 27th to May 2nd



Anyone with a teenage son shouldn't look too closely at the upper- left of this pic (except do, because its an awesome photo catch, if I do say so myself).

My last couple days I geeked out at the aquarium AND the natural history museum. So much niftiness-drool.



Cuttlefish love. Or murder. Or both?

























See, I wasn't hyperbolizing earlier about our hostel.
Montserrat



El Monasterio Bar