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We started Tuesday off with a little more Gaudi. A stroll down Passeig de Gracia took us past four Gaudi designed houses - Casa Milan La Pedera, Casa Battlo, Casa Amatller and Casa Lleo Morera. Battlo is the easiest to pick as Gaudi's and arguably the most interesting with it's curved lines, bone-like pillars and colourful facade, while Amatller stands right next to it, contrasting starkly with its straight lines, square patterns, and victorian details. All are worth a look! Actually, Gaudi is everywhere in this city...it took us a couple of days to notice the Palau Guell, an imposing mansion tucked between kebab shops and apartments right on the street of our hostel!
After lunch, we went to Placa Reial to meet Raissa, whom we met in Rome - she is based in Barcelona and had offered to show us around. Raissa arrived and introduced us to Ian from Somerset (in England) who's also living in Barcelona and working as a promoter. We'd soon realise that this job made Ian a very well networked guy; we could hardly walk a street without him knowing someone.
We filled Raissa in on where we had already been, pulled out a map, and decided to check out Montjuic - a new sight for all four of us. A quick metro ride and then a bus took us southwest of the city centre, past the old Toros Arena (bullfighting is now banned in Barcelona - good!) We did a loop around the Palau Nacional and drove past the Olympic stadium before we reached the top and disembarked at Castle de Montjuic.
This is the first castle we have seen that really looks..um..castle-y. You know, drawbridge, canons, turrets etc. Pretty neat. The boys made a beeline for the canons, what a surprise, and we looked out across a stunning view of the entire city before wandering through the castle. Montjuic Castle was built in the mid 1600s and later during the War of the Spanish Succession, it was used to indiscriminately bombard the city with over a thousand mortar bombs when the city revolted against dictatorial rule. It was later used as a military prison. No happy memories here, but interesting to see.
There is a chairlift to get to and from Montjuic, but we assumed it would cost too much and Ian assured us all the walk would be easy. And worthwhile, as it turned out. Along the way we wandered through the Joan Brossa gardens - and spent the next hour as children. What a cool spot! Every hundred metres there was something new and fun to discover - a flying fox, a ropes course. At one point we heard what we thought was children playing recorders. We came around the corner and saw a wooden structure. What's this? I pumped the handle, and it made a sound. It's a giant whistle! A few steps away were planks of wood which see-sawed to make a sound, and around the corner, a set of leaping pads that were also musical. All four of us jumped madly from one to the other like little frogs, giggling like kids.
Barcelona is really set up well in terms of public spaces. This seems to have a lot to do with the '92 Olympics development. You don't have to walk very far to stumble across a park, a square, or some funky street art and a lot of it is interactive. Honestly, you could never get bored here - just tired!
On the way down to the city centre, I had another stack on the slippery concrete and smashed the same knee as the earlier turtle incident. I'm turning into Gemma (sorry Gem :-P). I think I need a list. Mark bought me an ice cream which, in keeping with our childish afternoon, made it all better.
We reached La Rambla and Raissa took us to possibly the most amazing place in Barcelona - the markets. Oh. My. Goodness. How did we not know about this place earlier? Stall after stall, row after row, filled with incredible, high quality food of all kinds. Fresh fruit and vegetables, juices, eggs, dried fruit, nuts, lollies, chocolates, spices, herbs, meat cuts of both the scrumptious and the revolting kinds, chorizo and cured hams - anything delicious that you could possibly imagine. We strolled through and sampled a few. Suuuuperb. We came back a couple of times over the next couple of days and made use of the hostel kitchen. Yum.
We parted ways in the late afternoon after arranging a time to meet later, then Mark and I went to find some dinner. We went back to Placa Reial and chose a restaurant that Jordan the bike tour guy had recommended. It looked fancy but was surprisingly cheap so we went for 2 courses and sangria. For the entree, salmon carpaccio and cheese croquettes. For the main - Paella round 2. Again I challenged my food inhibitions and tried the clams and scampi! Whoopdeedoo, I know I know. Well, I was proud. Anyway, Paella wasn't bad but the quest continues.
While we were eating, we heard some sort of chanting and drums drifting down the street. A protest? Soon they entered the Placa - not a protest but a group of tanned, muscular and gorgeous Brazilian men. Well hello. They carried drums and instruments, and were all singing while a couple of them started doing running backflips. A Capoeira demonstration! For those not in the know, Capoeira is Brazilian martial art that combines dance, music and acrobatics - awesome to watch. They moved to our end of the Placa and I left the table to get a little closer to 'get a video' ay, ay. They did a few warm up backflips and then suddenly it was over. I was left standing there with 2 euro tip in hand as they dispersed in a flash, calmly slithering into the crowd. Huh? Ooooh. Of course - the Polizia.
The Polizia here are an interesting bunch. They never seem to be around when dealers sing out on the street offering drugs as casually as if they were selling icecream, or when football fanatics burn things and destroy traffic lights...yet the minute someone tries to entertain or sell a necklace, or play a little cards on the street - out of nowhere they swarm. As for the buskers/hawkers - see how they run! It's a practiced move and very funny to watch. A tip - if you are buying something buy it quickly lest the polizia turn up post paying and pre receipt of goods!
We hung around a little hoping the Capoeira crew would return - we could see them peeking their heads around the corner but the cops looked settled in, so we head back to chill at the hostel before meeting Raissa and Ian at midnight.
We put ourselves in Ian's hands for the evening, this is his forte afterall. He doesn't disappoint! First stop is a chupito bar, aka shots bar, called Espit Chupitos. It's tiny, it's packed, and it's awesome. On the wall there is a menu about 3 metres long, listing shots with names that give nothing away about their content. They're colour coded red for 5 euro, yellow for 2 euro. We pick a few at random - it's both nerve wracking and extremely fun to have no idea what's coming our way.
The four shots that follow involve half oranges, whipped cream, and marshmallows on sticks that we roast on a fire that the barman lights on the bar. Actually almost all of the shots involve some sort of spectacular fire show that has us checking our eyebrows each time, and we follow specific instructions on how to drink each.
Ian asks Mark if he is a man. A real man? Im going to order you something and if you aren't man enough to handle it, Liss is going to have to do it, ok? Ok, bartender - a Monica Lewinski for my friend please. Ian snickers. The bartender refuses. He's a nice guy. He reaches above the bar and pulls something down and waves it at us. This is what they serve a Monica Lewinski in, topped with whipped cream - its a giant, hollowed out dildo. The bartender definitely had Mark's back on that one!
For the final shot it's my choice. I gaze up at the board and one jumps out at me. It's old mate Bob Marley! Rum perhaps? Malibu? The bartender pours us a layered shot - red, yellow and green, and we have a chuckle. It tastes like lollies and it's Mark's favourite.
We move on to a couple of small, cute bars before heading back to Placa Reial to find Ian's hidden gem - Pipen. This bar is in an apartment block, it's sign is discreet amongst the shops and restaurants and you have to ring the doorbell to get in. It's laid out almost like an apartment, except for the bar and stage in the largest room. Very cool. We've accumulated a group of Ian and Raissa's friends along the way, and we all play pool and chat until Mark and I are the first to call it a night at about 4am.
All in a day's work in Barcelona!
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Krissy Shots and fire aah! Bliss! :)