Den's apartment is absolutely charming. He is on the "second" floor but not really. There are actually two flats below him and then the ground floor businesses so it really is like the fourth floor, and the 69 steps it takes to get up here confirm it. I will put together a photo tour later.
His flat is actually very spacious. There are 4 rooms that can be used as bedrooms and then one large common area. The common area and two of the bedrooms are on the back of the apartment and each of them have there own balcony. I am staying in one of these rooms. Luke, Teena, and Den are all staying in the front of the apartment and have either a window or balcony to let in the cool evening breeze. We keep the windows and doors open pretty much all day. It is surprising how very few bugs there are here. At home we would have fly swatters out nonstop if we tried to do this.
Den's flat is in the Gothic Quarter, which is one of the oldest parts of Barcelona. There are lots of twisting and turning streets that you never quite know where they will lead you. The streets are so small that they have special garbage trucks that run through here because the bigger ones won't fit. He is surrounded by tons of old cathedrals and charming courtyards. There is a story around every corner and to Den's credit, he knows almost all of them.
It has been a nonstop whirlwind so today we decided to take it a little slower to recoup from our long day in Tarragona. Our morning began with Sagrada Familia. We got there about 10 minutes before it opened and only waited in line a short time before we made it in. Sagrada Familia, another Gaudi masterpiece, is what most tour books say is a "must see" in Barcelona, but I am not so sure that I agree. It is amazing and beautiful but it was not any where near my favorite place that we saw in Barcelona.
This cathedral began construction almost 100 years ago and it is estimated that construction will continue for another 50 years before it is complete.
We ended up buying a ticket that would allow us to take an elevator to the very top and then make our own way down through the maze of tight curvy staircases. This is Den taking a break while Teena and Luke explored a little further up.
Teena on one of the balconies.
Back on the ground floor.
The ceiling...you can see all of the nature inspired carvings and how the columns break off like branches towards the top.
Next we grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed back towards Den's neighborhood. Along the way, Den was kind enough to go into a couple of hair salons to describe the effects that the Barcelona air was having on my hair. Most of my hair products were taken from my checked luggage so I was looking more and more like Ms. Frizzle everyday. And although, I do not think that my hair got as big as he described with his hands, I did get what I needed and was very grateful for his translation skills.
After park Guell we had talked about what a shame it was that people didn't really sit and enjoy the park and all its beauty because it was so crowded with tourists so he took us to the Ciutadella. Which is a local park that WAS packed with locals who were reading, riding bikes and or just laying in the shade.
This is the Arc de Triomf, an archway structure that was built for the Exposición Universal de Barcelona. There was a basketball competition going on so I wasn't able to get a clear shot but it was very impressive.
After our little mini tour, we went back to the flat to rest up and get ready for the cruise. It was very laid back, we listened to music and hung out mostly.
We did take a quick walk to a restaurant named Sagardi for pintxos, which is like a buffet of little snacks. You pick up what you want and then they count the toothpicks at the end of your meal to determine your bill.
Den explaining the different dishes.
It was super good. Perfect dinner.
Our next stop was a quick trip up to Den's school to pick up his suitcase. I was able to grab a picture of him in his classroom. And on the way back, we missed our metro stop by about two because we were so busy talking. It was nice to have some time just to catch up and talk.
Our last task of the evening was to grab some booze to sneak on the cruise. Den and I had a nice walk and I got to see some great night views of Barcelona.
