The weekend kicked off with 'quiet drinks' in the city which resulted in me getting the last night bus and arriving home at around 5am.
We spent a rainy Saturday exploring the Raval and El Born. An emergency umbrella stop threw up these must-have items! The obsession with slogan clothes is really funny here, the vast majority in English. I keep getting tempted to ask people if they know what their slogan means, I was only just able to stop myself from accosting a lady and asking who she was demanding to 'Love Me Tender' seen as it was plastered across her t-shirt.
Spanish hot chocolate is so thick it always comes with a spoon and we took a quick pit-stop to sample another good offering.
Christmas is very much on it's way in Barcelona! The lights are all going up around town and shops are decking out their windows. An ice-rink is being put up in Placa Cataluyna! I've watched the John Lewis Christmas advert to remind me of home and as usual found it all very emotional, especially as this year one of my favourite animals, a penguin, plays a starring role. Take a look here.
We found a cool bookshop and I only just managed to limit myself to the practical purchase of a purse as I've been going around with a sparkly gift bag since mine broke. The cards and magnets were very tempting.
After a quick stop for pasta I made it back as the sun was setting. As usual in the city centre I had a palavar trying to speak Spanish as everyone seems to be foreign! I incorrectly identified an irishman, working in an irish bar of all places, as german and with hindsight he probably heard the whole subtle conversation. The italians have caught me out recently as they don't look or sound different enough from the locals but laugh at me when I detirminedly muddle on in Spanish. I ended up with different pasta to what I had thought I had ordered but it was very tasty!
On Sunday we headed north to explore Gracia, equipped Duke of Edinburgh style (but generally more successful) with my route cards. After confidently setting off in the wrong direction I handed over control and we had a good tour of the neighbourhood including Casa Vicens which was one of Gaudi's first commissions.
A major highlight was definitely the bagel shop.
Despite Sundays being quieter with lots of shops shut, it's nice to wander around with less people and we found ourselves at the Sagrada Familia and went to on Parc de la Ciutadella under grey skies with falling leaves and kids jumping in puddles. I last visited Sagrada Familia a few years ago and Gaudi's masterpiece is constantly evolving, even the fact that the older sections are weathering marks the changes.
