Oh - What a Wonderful Day in Barcelona!

We started our day by taking the subway back to La Rambla so we could enjoy the big local market. We also needed to find a place that served an "American" or "English" breakfast because we ran out of eggs so could not cook at home. The last few days John would go to the corner bakery and get fresh croissants (dare I say better than we had in France!) and a freshly squeezed orange juice and bring it all back to our place. I would cook eggs while I enjoyed my instant coffee that we smuggled in from France! I am sad to say I am down to my last 3 cups. I wish we had brought more with us! ☕☕☕

GOODNESS: "Mercat St. Josep La Bouqueria" was SO spectacular!! Its hard to imagine that Barcelonians can do their daily shopping like this ... from this vast selection ... and we have Safeway! We took oodles pf pictures of all it had to offer until we saw a sign in one of the stalls saying "We are not a tourist attraction." John was going to take a picture of the sign but got very firmly chastised by the vendor adjacent. He shook his finger with disgust and sternly reprimanded "NO!" I know for certain that I could hear him thinking "Damn toursistas"! 

In our defense, we did purchase some specialty nuts ... and ... a cone full of cheese and iberian ham and crackers! i will post the pictures that we took at the market in an 'aside' to this post to give you a sense of just how spectacular it was!

GOOD GRIEF: We barely got past the market and John was inspired by a sign! And so ... he ended up having "the best mojito in Barcelona" even before noon! It was accompanied by a plate of anchovies! They also had the most enchanting skewers of baguette and meat and cheese and pickles and olives! Everything is an artistic masterpiece!! For me, it was a fantastic feast for the eyes only ... at that moment. I was still full from breakfast!

GRATITUDES: It struck me as I was getting dressed for the heat that I did not pack 'lightly' enough for the hot temperatures in Spain. And so, we did a little shopping. I was in the fitting room and John kept bringing me lovely things to try on. I ended up getting two nice light tops! Yahoo!!

GIFTS: So cool ... during our stroll we passed an esthetic salon. We paused our sauntering so I could get my toes re-painted. After 31 days ...I needed a refresh!! And ... it was a bonus to relax in the lazy boy for a moment. 

GAFFAHS: We were tickled to pass by a boutique in France named 'Tiana' ... and then when we came upon a Forneria and Patisseria named 'Tiana' here in Barcelona ... I was reminded that I had forgotten to mention this in my prior posts! It was so cool to see our daughter's name on things!! 💜💜

GASPS OF GRATEFULNESS: The street performers are truly magnificent! We passed something that looked like a statue ... that actually turned out to be a real guy!! He must have been so hot!! And then there was another! His makeup was Oscar winning. 

GRATITUDES: But... nothing beat the performers that entertained us while we had the most delicious lunch. While we dined, we enjoyed a performer who was incredibly skilled with hula hoops.  And better yet ... there was a little two piece band with an acoustic guitar and a cello.  We took some footage but it forsnt really do it justice!

It was so touching to watch the hostess of the adjacent restaurant who seemed mesmerized with their talent.  They invoked tears with the emotion they put into their performance.

GASPS of AWE: And THEN ... a woman started singing ... unobtrusively by the cathedral near by.  She was completely unpretentious in her attire ... carrying a plastic cup ...  limping past us and blowing our hearts to smitherines.  We were both embarrassed by the tears that flowed spontaneously in that moment. Gosh ... the talent that lies within us is absolutely staggering!  And then ... there was a violinist who dazzled us with his exceptional talent.  It was so very moving for both of us.

GLEE: We had stopped for a quick bite and stayed for almost two hours ... caught up in the exceptional moments we were enjoying! John said it was the very best CALAMARI that he has EVER tasted. And ... after one taste, I even went back for more!! And the, he saw someone with a plate of mussels and ordered a plate.  They, too, were scrumptious... and ... I dont even like mussels.
 
GIFTS: And, we met Christine from Germany ... when she sat right next to us at lunch. She offered to show us to a place in front of the Gothic Cathedral where you can take tours with volunteers.  It was so kind of her and we saw so much enroute! If we can carve out enough time, we might even have to go back take a tour later!!  Afterwards, we enjoyed a fabulous SHOT of coffee at Dibar Cafe!  It was so remarkably good!!!!

GLORIOUSNESS: And then ...  while we were walking to catch the cable car when we walked past a place with one of those little baguettes with sticks in them ("pinxos"). The place is called Sagardi and we learned that it is self serve ... and ... the  price is determined by how many sticks you devour!  You help yourself and then they count your sticks at the end of the meal!  And so, we stopped for a few sticks!!  I think they make mucho $$ on the patron's curiosity ... all of them look so good! 😁 We could not be complete without trying the chessecake ones too ...which were exceptionally declicious ... but ... we did leave without finding out what the apple tart ones tasted like! 😋

And then ...although we were going to go on the gondola, we ended up wandering down to the ocean instead ... and simply spent some time time enjoying the beauty and splendor of mother nature! It was such a phenomenal day!! Our hearts are very full!! It was a lovely way to conclude a most wonderful day.

Maybe we'll get to the gondola tomorrow! However, who knows what the day will bring because we learned that Barcelona's main annual festival ... Festes de la Mercè is on the 24th of September ... but apparently the activities begin here tomorrow.

So maybe we will get a taste of it before we leave. I guess there are many events such as which group of 'castellers' can form the highest human tower, live music events, firework displays and processions involving wooden giants. All of this is accompanied by a heavy consumption of Cava, the national drink of Catalonia.

Whatever it will be ... we are looking forward to another day enjoying this exceptional city tomorrow! 😊Baca lagi