Euroadventurer

Tom and  spent our first night in Barcelona at a hostel that inVictorian times, served as a zoo! We had booked an apartment for our stay but we had a change of plans sue to the rental car. The change extended our stay by a day and the apartment waas't available. The hostel was, to use Tom's expression "adequate". They had everything we needed and it included a free breakfast. Breakfast, Spanish style is what they call a Tostada. It is a 12 inch baguette with butter, or sliced cheese and jamon (or salame), and cafe'. We were lucky and they had OJ also. This was great for me becuse I was still not really eating anything, So juice was my meal. The grounds of the hostel were beautiful. Cool,peaceful and full of secret agrdens and fountains and statuary.

We left our luggage with the hostel and went off to explore Barcelona until the late afternoon when our apartment was available. We went to see the Sardana folkloric dancers at the Cathedral. What an amazing experience! Solely out of their national pride,groups of Catalan people gather in front of the cathedral each Sunday and perform dances from their culture to preserve and pass them on.There is also a Catalan band playing for them to dance to. The band is made up of approximately 12-15 wind and brass instruments, a bass, and other miscellanious antique looking instruments. The dancers who show up are proud Catalans of all ages. Tom enjoyed the precise movements of a local dance troup. My favorite were the elderly dancers whose national pride shown from their wizened old faces. Pure joy!

That evening Tom ate (I mostly watched) at the outdoor cafe a few doors down from our apartment. Everything was fine until a thief on  bicycle burglerized the place, RIGHT IN FRONT OF US!!! We are talking he about ran over our toes as he sped off close to us. The police were called. Two crimes in two days. Atleast it wasn't our stuff being stolen this time!

Our apartment is divine! It's exactly what we needed after being bed bound for a week. We have a beautiful picture opening (I would call it a window but the glass is shorter than waist high, then there is nothing but AIR from our place to the ground 4 floors below!) We have a full kitchen, a freezer so we can have ice, and a washing machine. It's soothing tones of beige and white and has Pergo floors. What more could you ask for?