Barcelona, Spain
I woke up at 08:20, showered, dressed, packed my bags, and checked out of the hotel just before 09:00. Michelangelo then came down and checked out as well. We then took a taxi to the railway station, and arrived a few minutes later. At 09:45, we passed through the ticket checkpoint and boarded the Barcelona-bound train. At 10:00, the train departed and we were on our way, heading east through the Spanish countryside. I typed some journals out on my iPhone before dozing on and off for the next hour and a half.
The train arrived at the Barcelona-Sants Railway Station at 13:45 and Michelangelo and I disembarked with our bags. We then walked outside and took a taxi to an apartment that Michelangelo had rented through Airbnb. After the taxi ride, we reached the apartment (which happens to be located very near to the beach) and checked in with the young woman who manages the property. We put our bags down, settled in, and researched the nearby sites in Barcelona. After 14:30, we left the apartment and walked northward. Since Michelangelo and I were both hungry, we stopped at a restaurant and ate a late lunch (I had a beer, French fries, and a very tasty hamburger with jalapenos, chilies, and fantastic seasoning – it was delicious). After lunch, we continued on, passing by the Santa Maria del Mar Church (which was completed in 1383 AD in the Catalan-Gothic style), making our way to the Picasso Museum. By the time we reached the museum, we learned that they had stopped selling tickets and we would have to visit it on another day. So, we walked southward, toward Port Vell, and made our way to the History of Catalonia Museum. Upon reaching the museum, we entered inside, bought our tickets, and toured the two floors that house the permanent exhibit. This was a very well made museum that covered the history of the region from the Stone Age to modern times; also, it was very interactive and would be perfect for children (hell, as an adult I had fun messing with a watermill used for irrigation, climbing up in to the saddle of a wooden horse that was decked out in medieval garb, and putting together a “stone arch” (made with lightweight blocks) to demonstrate how a keystone works); I also learned a great deal more about the region and their history of autonomous rule (I also learned that basically from the 1400s to the 1900s, the peasants were constantly revolting and starting revolutionary wars – this place has seen a lot of unrest thanks to asinine rulers). After spending about two hours inside the museum, Michelangelo and I returned to the apartment (after buying some Spanish wine and other drinks from a local supermarket). I then bought my train ticket to Madrid for the 18th (via loco2.com) and got to work typing out journal entries (still so far behind) whilst Michelangelo went to the beach (which he reported was very nice). After 21:00, we both went outside to eat dinner and we ended up at a restaurant along the beach; since I was still full from my hamburger earlier (as well as from the two Bacon XXL burgers and meatballs from yesterday – I hope my gastrointestinal system forgives me), I just had a bowl of nachos and a beer. After dinner, we walked to another venue and I had a cocktail made from whiskey and a sour strawberry-flavored mix. Then, after 22:30, we returned to the apartment and opened one of the bottles of Spanish wine that Michelangelo had purchased earlier. I continued to type away on my laptop, trying to make up for the lazy funk I found myself in while in Pamplona (too much alcohol, odd hours of being awake, afternoon naps, and a too-comfortable hotel room cast a strange, lethargic spell over me – this happened to me when I found myself stuck in my own room for a long period of time while in Dhaka as well (though sans alcohol and odd hours) – obviously I need to maintain a certain level of activity in order to be very productive, mentally and physically, in this life). Anyway, I finally went to sleep around 04:00.