Nude beach, photos at 10…

Introducing a new feature. The travel info meter. It will give you an idea of how much content is related to our trip and how much is me being me. Today’s travel info meter is set to 95%.

There are no nude beach photos to come so let’s move on.

We started as usual with coffee and pastries at one of the many breakfast bars near our place. After the previous day’s breathtaking architectural tour we took our foot off the gas for awhile and headed to one of Barcelona’s great beaches, Barceloneta. It was our first use of their transit system and it went very smoothly.  They offer a 10 ticket package which also works on their subway system for 9.95€, which is a real bargain.

The beach is near the cruise ship dock (10 ships in port at the time) and there was a fabulous black luxury sailboat in dry dock being outfitted and polished nearby. We crossed the street and because it was still morning we had a good selection of spots to park our gear and stretch out under the blazing sun.

It’s been awhile since we were at a bathing suit optional beach. It brought back memories for me of when my friend Ted and I would hang out at Wreck Beach near UBC  back in the early 70s.  Back then we were entrenched in the hippy movement and all sorts of taboos were being pushed aside and this one was a no-brainer for a couple of young guys just out on their own in the big city.

Anyways it soon started filling up  around us and we only made one foray into the sea. Because it’s early in the year the water temp was probably equal to our beaches in July (cool). The European attitudes toward nudity are much more liberal (progressive) and was interesting to watch the interaction between the young brash males playing futball in the sand right beside a pair of topless young women. They were raucous and showing off their skills but there was nothing untoward going on and the girls ignored them. We hung around for about an hour and a half and then headed for some food and refreshments at one of the many joints on or near the beach area.

In these situations it’s all about people watching and with Barcelona being a tourist mecca there was plenty of visual entertainment. After an hour we paid for our over-priced meal (location is everything) and hit the road.

It was mid-afternoon and the sun had slowed us down so we headed back in search of wine and some rest at home. We had one more don’t-miss attraction to see before we left and it was the Sagrada Familia. For those who don’t know it is a basilica that was begun in 1882 with Antonio Gaudi in charge and it is a combination of gothic and art nouveau styles. It had been funded privately originally and by the time of Gaudi’s death in 1926 it was less than a quarter completed. Then it was further delayed because of the Spanish Civil War. It is projected to be finished in 10-12 years and when we came there were towering cranes overhead and protective debris shrouds hanging on at least one side.

It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and consecrated by the pope. While you can pay to tour the inside the throngs outside taking pictures solidified our decision to walk the perimeter and admire the work. That being said we were a little underwhelmed because it comes across as ostentatious and gaudy, but there’s no denying the workmanship and I’m sure there’s no other current building under construction that can match it’s flair and vision.

I was put in charge of Wine Quest while Carol retired to the couch to do more planning for upcoming stays. She handles most of the logistics of getting to and from train stations, Metro routes, and places to see… hmm,  that leaves me in charge of refreshments,  toting the heaviest bags,  correspondence with upcoming hosts, reviews of past accommodations  (a very important part of the Airbnb system) and our travel recap which might seem superfluous but is laborious and has to be included in my daily time management  (plus, I love doing it!).

The previous day’s wine, an organic cab-sav, merlot blend was so good that it was what I was sent out to get. Those who know me are familiar with how badly I struggle with directions but this was on a route that we had taken just a half hour prior and was within 3 blocks, the definition of no-brainer. Okay, I can imagine everyone’s eyes rolling and yes I failed to find it after more than hour of back and forth searching (as Kermit the frog once sang ‘it’s not easy being me’). But, the silver lining is that I eventually stopped at the Bodega 20 feet from the door to our building where they sell wine from tapped barrels similar to tapping a beer keg.  They offered a handful of local wines, port, vermouth, and I think a champagne.  Several tastings later I settled on their Syrah  (their most expensive choice). The pricing was on the barrels and mine was 2.05€. That was the cost of a glass for sitting at one of their tables and it was also the same cost as a litre that they sold in custom-made plastic jugs for take-away. Well the low key proprietor admitted it was not the wisest way to maximize profit but that’s the way it’s done there so after he upsold me to a 2 litre for 4€ I was off to home next door. I felt like a king!

Despite our treasure trove of wine we had an evening commitment at a brew pub at an Airbnb meet-and-greet function for travelers staying in Barcelona. They send out emails with offers and this one included a free beer at a great Steampunk design bar called NaparBcn about 8 blocks away. The email said over 100 people had signed up so we were guaranteed to meet other travelers.

We ended up taking the Metro which was similar to the one in Paris, very efficient and low cost, but our route required us to go down 3 levels (it might have been 4) but it was interesting for sure.

We navigated our way to a table that had 3 lovely women from Australia and after the introductions I set out to seek the hostess for the tokens for the free beverages. 2 long lines were there to choose from and I took the right-side one and chatted with a few people as we inched our way forward and after about 20 minutes went to the end of the left-side line where I should have been standing all along  (ya I know, I have a problem).

It was very loud and my ears were ringing and the round table was too big for me to hear anybody unless they were seated right beside me. The girls were a mom (celebrating a birthday) and her 2 daughters who had flown in to join her. Carol chatted up the mom,  who with her husband owned an Indonesian clothing business and they sold their wares out of a large van at markets across Oz. I was closer to the daughters who were well-spoken and easy on the eyes for sure. (hey, it’s a rough job I know). They were in town for a few more days and then back to their families. Unfortunately between the loud din and their accents I only caught about half of what was said so I reverted to my fall back position and nodded and smiled and didn’t embarrass myself any more than usual.

Well after a recommendation of the lamb durum (like a burrito but with more ingredients) we ate, finished our free beers and headed the 8 blocks to home. After taking the left turn out the front door we were well on our way in the wrong direction when Carol, always skeptical of my skills, checked the map, punched me in the shoulder and soon enough I was traipsing behind her like a chastised puppy (my usual position). Home by 10, it didn’t leave us much time to make a dent in the wine and we were leaving for Provence in the morning so our hostess was left with 1.7 litres on the table.

We are now grownups and recognize today’s impairment leads to tomorrow’s sorrows especially when travelling.  Another big day ahead of us. Bonsoir.