BCNcredible: Tapas Gem

Can you believe all of these BCN posts were from one day of sightseeing? You'd think I had a turbo jet pack strapped to my back (hehe, funny visual). Anyway, let's recap - morning at the market, Internet cafe and numerous beaches, afternoon kicked off with Gaudi, which takes me to today's post -- LUNCH.

Since I was alone I decided to go on an epic quest for the perfect tapas place. Despite having two guide books with me, each recommending their #1 picks (one was Tallers de Tapas in The Gothic), I wanted to find my own personal fav. Drum roll please.....

Bar del Pi. It's situated in one of The Gothic's smaller but incredibly charming squares, Plaça del Pi. The outdoor tables are nicely shaded and the Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi provides the picture-perfect backdrop. Inside the bar, it had all the elements I was after, a sprinkling of tourists but mostly local clientele, rustic old-world charm, tasty- looking seafood tapas and a smiley young waiter.

Using alot of finger pointing I ordered two tapas plates, croquettes with minced pork and a crab and pepper salad with vinegar and lemon juice. I asked for a recommendation on the wine and was given a light red.

The weather was perfect for al fresco dining--cool and breezy. An Asian woman was playing soothing melodies on a one-stringed Danbau (like a zither) as I perused my guide books for good afternoon attractions.

Although the conditions were just right for hours of relaxing in the square, I wanted to check out the Cathedral before dark and then shower up for a night of dancing so I took a shot of coffee and tracked down my waiter, Sami, for my bill. He surprised me by speaking English and even made a joke about the amount I owed. He said something like, "That'll be 1,000 Euro please!"

Of course I joked back and said, "I thought it was free!", to which he responded, "OK, it is. It's free."

After some more funny back and forth, he insisted that my meal was free and suggested that I can pay full price the next time I come to the bar. I thanked him in every language I knew and strolled down a cobblestone alleyway feeling smiley, thinking, "Yeah, I'll be back."

BCNcredible: Gaudi's La Pedera

BCNcredible: And I'm off...

Breakfast at the hostel was quick and free - toast, jam and instant coffee. You could have lingered over your coffee and met a flurry of young travelers who all dine together at picnic tables, but I was anxious to get going so I ate and hit the pavement and started my ambitious Day 1 itinerary.

First stop - a local El Raval market, less touristed than Ramblas' Boqueria, called Mercat de San Antoni. It's where Catalans go to grocery shop and Californians don't go to buy souvenirs. According to Lonely Planet, prices are also cheaper here than at Boqueria. After seeing this fruit stall it was impossible not to buy something--a huge bag of juicy strawberries was only €1.

2nd stop - Internet Cafe to blog. Unlike Venice's appauling 8 Euro/hour internet rate, this cafe was the perfect price - 1 hour, 1 Euro. It was clean, high-tech and the guy at the front desk spoke English. It's a short walk from the market down Ronda Sant pau.

3rd stop - PLAYAS! After almost a month of rain in Treviso I was dying for some beach time. Barcelona's strip of beaches was easy to get to - from Paral-lel the 157, 36 and 64 busses go directly to Barceloneta and Puerto Olympico. I stopped at a newstand on the way to get the 10 trip bus/metro ticket for about €7.50. It lasted nearly my entire trip.

There are several BCN Beaches to choose from but after a survey up and down the strip I liked Icaria Beach best. It has good mellow house music cranking from the central cafe/bar less families than Barceloneta Beach and is close to public transport. I only stayed long enough to nosh on some strawberries and try my hand at topless sunbathing (hehe) but I was too curious about the rest of Barcelona to lay still.

4th Stop -- Parc de la Ciutadella Strolling through the lush gardens and grounds is a must. Have a picnic, rent a bicycle, go to the zoo or check out one of the park's museums. For, me the park was a great passeggiata and photo op'.

BCNcredible: Getting There

I can't say I made any strides to balance out my sleep patterns over the past week...I mean, does anyone sleep in a hostel, let alone a hostel in Barcelona? Yes, my insomnia in BCN was entirely voluntary and actually had the opposite effect...I've been revved up and giddy ever since I got home. Here's the rewind:

The Arrival: Travelling alone has never given me reason to be afraid, so arriving at 2am in Las Ramblas after a delayed flight from Venice didn't really rattle me. It wasn't until I turned down Carrer Sant Pau, the street where my hostel is located, that I my internal radar went off.

ABORT, ABORT!

Spilling out of each door, balcony and alley were prostitutes and their creepy admirers with paper-bagged liquor and beady eyes. But there was no turning back.

"It's too late now" I thought. "If I do a 180 I'm an obvious target."

So I went forward, rolling my suitcase down the center of the narrow street looking as hard-ass as possible, which mustn't have been too convincing given my flowing bohemian skirt and wooden bangles.

After 5 harrowing minutes, there it was...#80 Barcelona Mar. I never thought I'd be so happy to arrive at a youth hostel...you'd think I just entered The Ritz. No wonder the hostel's website advises you to arrive from the other direction.

At the front desk there was a mellow French guy, Julien who gave me the lay of the land, key to my locker and sheets for my bunk bed. He told me about a cool party that was happening the next night - I heard "French DJ" and "Salsa" and agreed on the spot to join him.