Sunday May 6
-Go to airport for flight to Barcelona. Ponder why naming a salad after New Jersey would increase its appeal while John sleeps with his head on the table.
-Check out La Rambla. Stop at Cafe Viena for Mark Bittman's favorite sandwich. Recommended.
-Museum of Xocolat
-Cathedral of Barcelona
-Lunch. Pinoxto at La Boqueria Market. Great food. You wait behind a seated patron while they eat (in our case, a family that ordered 4 or 5 courses. Come, on guys!). Then, when you get a spot, you eat whatever they're cooking, and you like it. In a good way.
-Sagrada Familia. When people asked me what my favorite thing about our trip was, I didn't even have to think. Sagrada Familia was definitely #1 for me. Gaudi's work is so fascinating, and nowhere is that more true than here.
-Parc Guell. A planned community ahead of its time.
-Enjoy more Gaudi on the walk back to the hotel.
-Dinner: Cafe de L'Academia. Excellent. Go there. But maybe stop by the gelato place for dessert. The dessert wasn't the best part of the meal.
Tuesday May 8
-Pick up treats at Fargas chocolate shop. Immediately wish we had started eating these chocolates sooner. Get the caramelized almonds covered in white chocolate and cocoa powder.
-Walk down the rest of La Rambla, wave to Christopher Columbus monument memorializing his 1492 departure from Spain for the New World. Head out to the beach at Barceloneta
-Lunch: paella at Can Majo. So-so. It was a little greasy for my tastes in a sort of way that made me feel like it hadn't been cooked long enough to really develop all the flavors. Not that this prevented me from eating a sizeable portion (or two). The salads, however, were incredible.
-Picasso Museum. This was worth visiting.
-More gelato at Cremeria Toscana. Since we were in the neighborhood.
-Watch the Avengers (in English, with Spanish subtitles)
-Dinner: Commerc24. Interesting. A couple things were amazing. A couple were just weird. Overall, glad we went. Although I don't think I'm firmly converted to molecular gastronomy.
Wednesday May 9
-Take a last look at some Gaudi.
-Wave goodbye to Christopher Columbus as I prepare to follow his footsteps (through a much faster, more efficient route, thankfully).
-Go to airport for flight to Barcelona. Ponder why naming a salad after New Jersey would increase its appeal while John sleeps with his head on the table.
-Check out La Rambla. Stop at Cafe Viena for Mark Bittman's favorite sandwich. Recommended.
-Museum of Xocolat
Any place that gives you a chocolate bar for a ticket is AOK with me.
Don Quixote
-Citadel Park
-Accidentally discover amazing gelato
-Wander around gothic quarter/La Rambla tasting snacks. End up at guidebook-recommended chocolate and churro destination that leaves a lot to be desired.
-Back to the hotel for a rest.
-Dinner at La Crema Canela (Good value, almost great food; John thought it was fantastic. I thought each dish fell just slightly short in a sort of hard to define way; I was then dubbed a food snob.)
-Stop by Placa D'Espanya to see the Magic Fountains. Two thumbs up.
Monday May 7
-Cathedral of Barcelona
-Lunch. Pinoxto at La Boqueria Market. Great food. You wait behind a seated patron while they eat (in our case, a family that ordered 4 or 5 courses. Come, on guys!). Then, when you get a spot, you eat whatever they're cooking, and you like it. In a good way.
-Sagrada Familia. When people asked me what my favorite thing about our trip was, I didn't even have to think. Sagrada Familia was definitely #1 for me. Gaudi's work is so fascinating, and nowhere is that more true than here.
-Parc Guell. A planned community ahead of its time.
-Enjoy more Gaudi on the walk back to the hotel.
-Dinner: Cafe de L'Academia. Excellent. Go there. But maybe stop by the gelato place for dessert. The dessert wasn't the best part of the meal.
Tuesday May 8
-Pick up treats at Fargas chocolate shop. Immediately wish we had started eating these chocolates sooner. Get the caramelized almonds covered in white chocolate and cocoa powder.
-Walk down the rest of La Rambla, wave to Christopher Columbus monument memorializing his 1492 departure from Spain for the New World. Head out to the beach at Barceloneta
-Lunch: paella at Can Majo. So-so. It was a little greasy for my tastes in a sort of way that made me feel like it hadn't been cooked long enough to really develop all the flavors. Not that this prevented me from eating a sizeable portion (or two). The salads, however, were incredible.
-Picasso Museum. This was worth visiting.
-More gelato at Cremeria Toscana. Since we were in the neighborhood.
-Watch the Avengers (in English, with Spanish subtitles)
-Dinner: Commerc24. Interesting. A couple things were amazing. A couple were just weird. Overall, glad we went. Although I don't think I'm firmly converted to molecular gastronomy.
Wednesday May 9
-Take a last look at some Gaudi.
-Wave goodbye to Christopher Columbus as I prepare to follow his footsteps (through a much faster, more efficient route, thankfully).
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