I rolled out of bed around 1 pm. Johnathan and I decided to explore the Born district, which is about a 15 minute walk from our residence, through this park and its modernist sculpted wave...
and just past the Arc de Triomf.
We didn't have a particular destination in mind -- we strolled along, happy to get lost in the endless narrow streets and alleyways. Born marks the "Ciutat Vella" -- the old part of the city. While much of Barcelona is modern (Agbar, for instance), this part means picturesque city streets, balconies a mere five feet apart with clothes hanging out to dry, countless twists and turns and infinite surprises.
Turns out, Ciutat Vella also has some pretty weird museums. The Chocolate Museum is an obvious favorite among tourists, and it took a lot more restraint than I thought myself capable not to buy an entrance ticket, since the ticket itself is a chocolate bar.
(That's the museum. If you're wondering what the X is about, it's Catalan -- "Museu de la Xocolata." Also if you're wondering, Catalan is all about the X's. I wonder if there's a Catalan version of Scrabble -- the X situation would really throw off point values...)
After the Xocolata, we strolled into the gift shop of a contemporary art museum just near the Picasso Museum. Of note were non-traditional postcards and this peanut-shaped eraser that I almost bought for irony value (I'm allergic and people love to make fun of me for it. My friends here have come up with an elaborate scenario in which I am stranded on a desert island composed entirely of peanuts with giant peanut animals and peanut plants. I will eat a Reese's on my deathbed.)
I think my favorite museum from today, though, would have to be the Museu del Mamut (The Mammoth Museum). Check out their catchy introduction:
My favorite parts: "Barcelona's one-and-only, interactive Mammoth Museum!" -- weird, we were thinking their would be tons... "Come on in! We've been waiting for you 100.000 years!" -- a little lost in translation?
Leaving the museums, we continued to stroll through the Born area. Before we knew it, we were in Barceloneta -- everything is a lot more connected here than we realize, and it's nice that we're starting to figure out just how. Katherine met us there. We were hungry, I'd heard of a sushi place, and I was going regardless of who was coming with me. The place was called Temaki-ya; it's a sort of "fast food" (nothing is fast here) sushi place. It was awesome.
It was also right next to this sandwich place, Bo de B, where you will find Americans at any hour of the day ordering from the window outside.
It's typical -- Americans here somehow (because of "study abroad guides" from our older friends, etc.) always end up at the same places in Barcelona. As a result, this hole-in-the-wall sandwich store -- does anyone from Barcelona actually go here? -- makes bank.
Anyway, deliciously full of raw fish and spicy mayo, we started to wander back to Melon. But then we happened upon a place that would provide us with the strangest part of our day, the strangest experience I've had in a while: a Fish Spa.
Yes, those are fish, and yes they are eating his feet. For a mere 10 euros, you get a "15 minute fish pedicure" -- meaning for bargain price, you succumb the dead layer of skin on your feet and lower leg to the incessant feeding of these Turkish fish. How could we pass this up?
Katherine and I mid-feast. The woman assured us that they have no teeth. Not exactly sure how the whole thing works, but I found some more info here. I guess my feet feel softer now?
Those are my feet!!! Being eaten. Just after I ate sushi. Something beautiful and poetic about that, don't you think?
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