Barcelona Part 1

I'm really starting to like this place. Well, to be fair, the attraction was instantaneous: Barcelona is a beautiful city, full of life and colour, yet at the same time set to a slow, meandering pace. I suppose much of this delectable slowness is owed to the Spanish tradition of Siesta, whereby one takes a couple of hours break after lunch to go have a nap at home, only to return for an afternoon of work at around 4 o'clock. Then again, perhaps siestas are just a symptom of an otherwise lethargic Spanish temperament. Whatever it is, these Catalans sure are a happy, steady bunch. Even the chirpy green parrots seem to go about their business at a lackadaisical pace, listlessly plucking exotic flowers for half finished nests in tall palm trees. There are no blonde Yaletown types running around blaring on their cell phones (LIKE OHHH MAAIIII GAAAAAWWWWWAAAAADDDD TRINAAAAAA) walking hamster sized dogs and chugging cinquaple expressos here, that's for sure. I bet the life expectancy in Spain is much higher than in North America (just a guess - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy). People just take their time here, and it really is a relaxing place to spend some quality vacation days. I'm glad to be returning here to pick my friend Lana up next month, as she joins me for a couple weeks of travel together, through Western Europe; I think she'll like Barcelona just as much as I do.

Today I went to the center of town and walked around for a few hours. The city is full of beautiful Spanish architechture; the buildings, the statues, even the sidewalks seem to have a story to tell. I eventually found my way onto a high volume, pedestrian super-highway leading down to the beach; hola, Las Ramblas! Las Ramblas is a super touristy walkway full of street performers, flower shops, and Spaniards hawking cheap touristy wares such as mass-produced identical "hand painted" touristy maps of the area. It's very... touristy. And did I mention there are about a billion tourists there? I'm not a huge fan of such places; I tend to feel like a walking wallet, as I see the eyes of potential sellers light up at the sight of a backpack and curly red hair. Still, Las Ramblas was a good way to spend a few hours, especially when I found the huge food market hidden away on one of the side streets. Now that's what I'm talking about - everything from skinned rabbits to mango juice, from curry spice to escargot (sounds like a decent combination), all well priced, all fresh and ready for the buying. It's a shame there's no real kitchen here at the hostel with which to cook all these delicious ingredients (because we all know I stew a great rabbit?). But I did manage to procure myself all the necessities for an authentic Peruvian Salad; avocado, tomato and lime juice, with a pinch of salt and pepper (I know Kelly will be jealous of this one). Combine that with a fresh-out-of-the-oven baguette from the bakery around the corner, a blood orange and an apple, and you've got yourself a kickass lunch. Well, you probably don't - but I sure did! But, please don't feel like you need to go make yourself one; the avocados in Canada taste like cardboard, and the tomatoes taste like water (hence the salad tastes like acidic soggy cardboard in Canada - sorry!). The produce here in Spain is as good as I've seen it anywhere in my many travels, and I'm loving every juicy morcel. Of course, I'll eventually have to take a time out from the Peruvian salads and enjoy some tapas along the way, but I'm in no hurry. And neither is anyone else, for that matter. Ahhhhh Barcelona....

While I don't currently have too much time left to really get to know this place, as I'm off to San Sebastian tomorrow afternoon for some surf and sun, I'll happily return next month, with a solid sunburn, slightly blonder hair and a bulging goodie-filled backpack. Presently I'm looking forward to hitting up an English pub for the Man U. vs Chelsea game tonight, if anyone fancies a pint. I'll see the rest of you in San Sebastian!

C