Our ambitions for this day were more relaxed. It was “Dia de Lavandería” in the morning, but once that was taken care of, we were out and about. Our objective was to explore the area of La Barceloneta, the seaside beach neighbourhood. Another bright, sunny, warm day. We did a bit of shopping along the way (now that it was Tuesday and the shops were all open). Spent the afternoon walking, ending back on Las Ramblas to take in the large open market "La Boqueria". So much good looking food. We thought to come back for dinner, but instead ate at a nearby restaurant that catered to the younger university crowd (cheap food, cheap beer). We all enjoyed the dinner (even though we were the oldest people in the place – maybe that’s why we liked it!) then after dinner we wandered around the university neighbourhood. We were off the next morning to Brussels, but were so happy to have had a few days in Barcelona on this trip and look forward to spending more time there in the future. Barcelona still remains one of our favorite cities.
On our way to Barceloneta, we again made our way through the streets of the Gothic Quarter.
A small plaza in the Gothic Quarter.
The iconic "Barcelona Face" by Roy Lichtenstein marks one corner of Barceloneta.
The beautiful long, wide beach of Barceloneta.
There were a few sand sculptures along the beach - this one featured a fire and a fountain.
Further down the beach with the golden fish sculpture "El Peix" - a fish-shaped canopy for some restaurants and a casino along the beachfront.
The narrow buildings of Barceloneta, with wide streets for ventilation.
The entrance to La Boqueria, the large open air market on Las Ramblas with dozens and dozens of stalls featuring everything from fresh fish, to cured meats to fresh vegetables, and everything in between.
Hard to resist - and we couldn't. Delicious fresh juices.
Each stall was decorated to present their wares and whet your appetite.
One of several stalls featuring "Jamón ibérico", Iberian Ham. It takes at least a year for the ham to be cured properly. It's as good (and expensive) as you might imagine.
Little paper cups with a sampling of cured meats and cheese for a quick snack.
Tempting cookies, chocolates and other treats.
And to finish the day - a display of some beautiful deserts at the local chocolate shop.
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Transatlantic - May 2018