Walking Barcelona Day One

Softly cloud covered skies at 7 AM, and the sound of loud engines zooming past our living room. Of course we have the windows open because it is the moving air that makes this apartment feel so nice! Rob and I went over maps, marking places we want to visit and places that were recommended to us, while making several small Italian espresso pots of coffee on the electric stove. We're getting the hang of it but it is definitely a new morning protocol. Delicious coffee from the local corner grocery store with heated milk and a dash of sugar, this is our European coffee style. The boys still take it black.

Once the boys were up, we started our outside day -- at lunchtime, 1:30 PM!! A quick train ride took us down into the old section of town, and we wandered, stumbling on Carrer de Freixures directly into the studio of a wonderful potter, Carme Balada del Romero (carmebalada.com). Each of us bought something there from which to drink and remember being here together. Then a most amazing lunch - really outstanding and fantastic and each item unbelievably specific, precise, fresh and perfectly prepared Cuine Santa Caterina (cuinessantacaterina.com/) at the Mercato Santa Caterina, which was actually closed on Mondays. We ate the best patatas bravas ever, and pimentos, and roasted pork on applesauce, and fried brie on arugula with vinagrette and again the best pan con tomate so far ... the Casa Vella red wine (Penedes)..yum.

It may have been the ecstatic state we were in after lunch, but we wound up in a very special candle shop and then walked along a Roman wall down to the waterfront, all along the waterfront to the Ramblas, up the crowded streets to a respite in the Placa Reial with its sweet early Gaudi lamps, then a glance at the facade of the Palau Guell. While standing there, a couple of English tourists asked if we knew whether the house would be open for visits tomorrow, and turns out they had just been to MACBA - the modern art museum designed by Richard Meier and still had their stickers on their shirts. The next thing I knew, Rob and I had their stickers on our shirts and were on our way to MACBA.

The boys needed a breather from tagging along, and investigated a bit around El Raval, seeking clubbing possibilities for the evening, and we basked in the light and cubic concepts of the art museum building while exploring the Matta-Clark exhibition and the works of Rita McBride. Lovely. The boys were waiting to snag us outside as the museum closed, and we took the train back to the hood -- picking up materials for our dinner at home. We bought our fresh salad materials and fruits from a local shopkeeper who spoke no English, and whose produce tastes like the sun. Having wandered in and started shopping, we realized we had hardly any cash on us! He assured us it was cheap, no worries, and we got everything for about 5 Euros - so we added a 4 Euro bottle of wine and spent every cent we had. Lucky for us there are bank ATMs everywhere, and our pin&chip Euro-loaded card has been fantastic for withdrawing Euros and making purchases. Evening meal with another great salad, chicken with herbs in puff pastry, cheese, olives, wonderful fresh tomatoes and bread. Ahh, under 30 Euros and there are delicious things waiting for us for breakfast...                                                    Richard Meier, MACBA

Rita McBride Ramp

Gordon Matta-Clark Splitting 7

Day one ends with the moon in the sky, Dylan on the stereo, the boys hanging out the balcony with a cigar as I went to bed. Tomorrow we tackle the washing machine, and climb Montjuic.