Barcelona ended better than it started...

 

September, 1, 2023 -- We caught an 8:06 am train to Barcelona today.  We found our train car and seat without a problem, and switched trains about 45 minutes out in Rhones-Alpes without a problem.  We actually got to sit in the top floor of the double decker trainer car both times.  We were close to both Switzerland and the Italy at that point.  We caught the next train to Barcelona and the scenery is lush and green for a while with many vineyards. 

We started to catch views of the Mediterranean and the scenery is changing. It is more arid and there were mountains on both sides at times.  We saw barrier islands and there were more stucco buildings with terracotta roofs.  We make it in  Barcelona and we saw that Barcelona is a very busy city.  Even as we leave the train station, it felt really different.  It feels like spring break in a southern beach city.

I like that Spanish is a little easier for me to understand, as France was much harder. I can read Spanish a little and German foods were easier as I had a semester of German.  In Poland, they just spoke English all the time.  French was just so foreign to me.  In the tourist area, English was good, but not everywhere else.

The Meeting Place Hostel

The Meeting Point hostel where we are staying is close to the train station on a quiet street.  We got settled in to our room and then went to look for lunch.  We got a two day subway pass and we used it to get to the old town area of Barcelona.  It was really busy and crowded.  Not that it surprised me.  The pedestrian street was so busy, so we started looking on some side streets for a place for lunch.  We saw a couple of seats available at a little tapas place and we were given a menu.  The waiter (owner) was hurrying us to place our order.  Thom ordered two items and he said their was a minimum order of four, but I hadn't ordered yet.  I tried to order gazpacho, but he said I couldn't order it even though it was on the menu.  He was in a big hurry and so I ordered sangria and asparagus.  I thought I would get something else later.  When my order came, it was 6 or 7 spears of asparagus and he never came back.  Thom got a salad with tuna and stuffed jalapenos.  It wasn't much of a lunch, but the guy never came back.  Finally, Thom went up and asked for our check.  We left the restaurant and old town.  I really didn't feel like staying in old town.  I tired and still hungry.  We went instead to the beach which was really nice.  After awhile, I wasn't hungry any more and just enjoyed walking on a beautiful day.

When we first got to the sea, we saw a marina with really big yachts.  We walked until we got to the beach.  It was a public beach which was clean with dressing rooms and restrooms.  Thom went for a swim, but I didn't have my swimming suit on.  After we got done walking by the sea, we walked back to the room to take a break before dinner time.  

Large wooden sailing vessel

Sculptures by the sea

Old Fortress Wall

As we got closer to our hostel, we stopped to look at some menus.  At one of the place, we talked with a waiter named Sebastian.  He invited us to come back for dinner with a 10% discount.  Thom asked him if he had vegan paella and he said he did; the best in town, of course.  We come to a spot not ten minutes from our hostel with lots of interesting buildings and towers.  I thought it could be from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, but when I checked later it is the site of the 1929 International Expo.  Some of the buildings are being turned into apartments and other living spaces.  I found out that the Olympic stadium was up the hill not far from this location.  

From the 1929 International Expo

After the expo buildings, we see a beautiful brick structure that said Arenas de Barcelona.  We thought it could be for sporting events, but as we get closer we are not sure.  When we got back to the hostel, I found out it was a bull fighting stadium that has been turned into a mall complex with movie theaters, restaurants and shops.  We planned to go back tomorrow to take a 360 degree walk around the top.

Las Arenas de Barcelona

(Old Bull Fighting Arena)

Once we got back to our room, we looked to see if there were any other restaurants nearby that sounded good, but we didn't really see any.  So we went back to the L'Amfora and when we walked up, Sebastian greeted us.  He remembered talking with us earlier and he seated us right away.  I ordered a sangria, which was really good and full of pineapple, papaya and other fruits.  It was large, it came right away, and lasted through the whole meal and paella takes awhile to prepare.  For an appetizer, we order padron peppers.  Padrons are very similar to shishito peppers, except they are said to have a smokier flavor.  They were served with a dipping sauce and they were really good. 

There were 3 waiters working at the outdoor seating and all three of them came over to talk we us and to make sure dinner was good.  The one moved to Barcelona from Uruguay and had also lived in New York and he was quite interesting.  The paella was served sizzling hot from the paella pan at our table side.  It was really good with cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes and carrots top with grilled bok choy.  Sebastian brought us a complimentary after dinner drink of vodka and a liquor with caramel flavor.  It tasted good, but I let Thom drink mine as I was still working on my sangria.

Our tableside paella

We took the subway back.  We have a stop that is close to our hostel and it really is convenient.  Barcelona ended today, better than it started.