Today I completed the last neighborhood walk of my guidebook - La Rambla. Granted I had walked it several times, but this time I paid attention to the sites the book listed along the way. The walk started at the Placa de Catalunya and directs you all the way down La Rambla to the water - ending at the large statue Mirador de Colom.
The term La Rambla apparently comes from Arabic meaning a dry riverbed, which this large pedestrian strip once was. It is comprised of five sections so some call it Las Ramblas, but I'll go by the sign on the street that says La Rambla. There are shops to the sides of the two little car streets, but the main strip in the middle is all pedestrian. If that makes sense. Full of news and souvenir type stands, art vendors, florists, and even mini pet stores (which I don't know how I feel about). Also tons of live statues or whatever those people are called. You know what I mean. The folks that dress up, paint their face, and ask for money.
Once I got to the end I headed towards the water and sat and pondered overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Deep thoughts happened there. For instance - what would I dress up as if I was one of the La Rambla dresser-upper statue folks trying to make money. Today I saw a cowboy, an angel, some creepy Edwards Scissorhands looking guy, and a plain old statue guy. I just don't know what I'd be.
I then wandered back into town and headed towards my favorite restaurant - Organic. I had a fabulous lunch and reminisced about my first few days here staying in the neighborhood of El Raval.
Then I went and picked up stamps at a Tabbac shop and had a fun conversation with the guy behind the desk from Brasil. I've noticed lots of Brasilians here in fact.
I swerved through Barri Gotic up to L'Eixample, which I call the Example neighborhood. On the border of the two is Els Quatre Gats (or The Four Cats) which is a cafe that was Picasso's hang out. Picasso designed the menu for it back in the day, which I saw in the Picasso museum. I had a glass of wine and read my book. One of you will be receiving a postcard of Els Quatre Gats for obvious reasons.
Even though it wasn't a very eventful day in the grand scheme of things I was exhausted. So I headed back to the hostel for 45 minutes of shut-eye before meeting up with Nick (the friend of a friend of a friend) for some dinner and drinks. We met outside of the Casa Battlo and wandered up to the Gracia neighborhood which was fun - definitely less touristy and because it was a holiday, all of the locals were out and each little plaza was quite animated. Kim, Nick sends a hug.
Speaking of the holiday - I saw no children carrying around easter eggs. Quite disappointing.
A few random comments:
1) I've been sneezing a whole lot. It's either allergies or from all of the second hand smoke I've been inhaling. I doubt it's from the fresh Mediterranean air, and I don't feel like I'm getting sick.
2) The popo are very nice here - everywhere I turn they are helping tourists by giving them directions. Although they are also very strict about open containers. I've seen quite a few people get reprimanded, have to pour their beers out, or even getting fined. I almost brought my opened bottle of wine out but decided to drink it in my hostel once I got back. We don't cause trouble, we don't bother nobody.
Off to Granada in the morning. First a train to Madrid and then a train to Granada. Going to take most of the day. Only other option was to take an overnight train which I mentally wasn't prepared to do. Not by myself anyway.
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