Got up fairly early and walked the waterfront. Saw the worlds largest cruise ship, numerous huge yachts and assorted ships. There are over 4K of beach, all open to the public. Rain was predicted but it cleared mid- morning. We had noticed that the weather reports could change almost hour by hour.
This one is for you Lyndel. Not a close up but just thinking of your collection.
After the beach we decided to take the hop-on hop-off bus and so glad we did. Saw so much of the city. It is a wonderfully diverse compelation of old, modernisme and new architechtural styles. And parks and green spaces, sculpture, playgrounds everywhere. And of course, we decided we hadn't walked enough today....We hopped off at the spot to take one up to Torre Beauregard? or Tibidabo? the highest point in the city via a bus transfer and then a tram. But being the contrarians we are, we walked into the most delightful garden waiting right there, Jardins de la Tamarita. After the beach, my favorite place here. There were only a few people here, very quiet, rambling paths, up and down the hillside, surrounded by beautiful homes and a few elegant stone buildings on the grounds.
Decided it was past time to eat as we walked on to the next bus stop and found this open plaza with a couple of restaurants with tables under the trees across from a very old cathedral and had a deliciuos lunch of tapas at El Canalla. Salmon tartar with fresh ricotta and guacamole, toasted ciabatta with olive oil and tomato pulp with Iberian hamon, and this weird dish of shrimp carpaccio, pine nuts topped with shoestring potatoes think of the ones you get in a can but fresh. I started a sketch of the church while waiting but the food was too good.
Got off the bus to walk down Las Ramblas. Way too many people for our tastes and lots of touristy stuff. Late afternoon went back to a beachside restaurant for sangria and the view.
Much later after looking a couple of other beachfront restaurants and walking along the beach ended up in a little square, plaza at Casa Delfin that Ross had discovered the night before. This was probably the best meal of the trip so far. Sauteed potato wedges with aeoli and a spicy red pepper sauce, chorizo in a decadent red wine, honey reduction ( one of the best things I have ever tasted), The toasted bread with tomato pulp, Ross had ceviche and I had creamy paella with langostines. Desert was creamy goat cheese, drizzled with honey and pine nuts and pistachio cheesecake with passion fruit. And a delicious white wine from Spain. We were serenaded by a couple of guys one on a clarinet and the other with an accordian, annoying, and later a guy from Germany playing sax, very nice. Lovely evening. All the while a bearded heavy set guy, who reminded me very much of Gary pontificated with a variety of people who would stop by his table, drink a glass, smoke and converse.
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