Everyday gets better than the last. This morning I got up and went over to the
Boqueria and got Jason the fruit he’s been wanting. I got two pears, two kiwis and a kilo of strawberries. I stopped and got a container of fresh cut pineapple for breakfast. Sitting outside the hotel on the steps of the square was a wonderful way to start the day.
After I put the fruit away, I got my stuff together and headed to the metro. Today I was planning on spending my day around the southwest side of the city over by the conference. I wanted to spend the day there and then ride the metro back with Jason after he was finished with the conference.
I got off the metro and the Placa d’ Espanya. From there I walked south along the Avinguda del Paral lel. I then took a right and followed the Carrer de Lleida all the way to the end. To my left was the first destination of the day – the Museu d’ Arquelogia de Catalunya (Archeological Museum of Canalunya). It only cost 3 Euro to get in and it made for a good calm few hours. Like most museums of this type there were a lot of tools, coins, pots and busts. There were a few interesting pieces, like the mosaic floor at the end of the tour. I was interesting to see how the culture in the area was influenced by the Greeks, Romans, and then the Gauls from France. To tell the truth, in the area of the city we are staying, many of the buildings look like they would be home in New Orleans. The gothic part of the city definitely has that feel.
After leaving the museum, I went down the Passeig de les Cascades and started taking the escaladers up toward the Museu National d’Art de Catalunya. I’m not an art person, except maybe sculpture. I don’t know one style from another, but I figured it would still be nice to say that at least went to check it out. Once I got there I didn’t know how right I had been. WOW! The view was amazing. Truly breathe taking. I sat there overlooking the city for a long time. This was my view while I ate lunch.
While I was sitting there writing down my thoughts in my journal, I looked up and saw Jason M. (he works with Jason and I and was at the conference with Jason). Of all the places, how funny. We sat there in front of the museum talking about our day, the beautiful city, books (he’s been reading this book about the 12 Caesars and now I want to read it too) and all sorts of things. This is probably the only picture I will have taken of me while I’m here. I took one of Jason M. too.
After some time we decided to head into the museum, but it was 8.50 Euro, and I thought that was too much to spend for only an hour in the museum since I was going to have to leave to meet up with Jason. I decided to go back outside, finish writing in my journal, and start making my way down out in front of the conference area. I sat on the corner of the steps out front of the metro and just people watched.
I let the afternoon sun just wash over my face as the breeze wisped by. The next thing I know, Jason M. is coming down the stairs right to me. It must have been the color of the sweater I was wearing that drew him to me again. So we sat there talking again waiting for Jason to make it through the crowed. My Jason and I took the metro back to the hotel. We kind of just chilled out for a few hours.
We went to this German sausage place for dinner – Otto Sylt. The sausage was a bit strong, and so was the beer. I still haven’t had that culinary “wow” moment while we’ve been here. Either the food has been good, just not much of it, or it’s just been so so.
Tomorrow is our last day and I think we are going to take the Bus Turistic around and then pick up some goodies for the folks back home. I won’t be able to post Day 6 until we get back, so I hope you’ve been able to enjoy reading about what I’ve been up to. Once I can get back home and get some reliable and fast Internet access, I’ll upload all my pictures and do up the Google maps to share.
All the best from Barcelona,
Lesley