After meeting our instagram friends the previous day in Barcelona, we set out on a mission to accomplish all that they had written and marked down for us to explore. And naturally the food markets were the first ones we decided to visit. So woke up, showered, ate some flavoured yogurt cereal that we had picked up from a supermarket last night and then set out to explore the one thing that binds us all, food.
This is some pretty wall decor at the airbnb we stayed at, a comic strip turned into blocks that line the wall.
We were on the fourth floor
The entrance to the apartment, my brother and sister are standing outside...
cute doors on the way...
Another pretty entrance...
The bustling La Boqueria market filled with food produce and people
We picked up a juice...
Gaped at all the innards...
And severed faces of farm animals...
Saw all types of seafood...
Fascinating array of seafood...
Chocolates...
More chocolates...
Squid, probably...
These woven lambs/sheeps are cute... makes looking at their real slaughtered parts disconcerting.
The egg shop
Picked up an ice cream, left La Boqueria... and just walked around.
Cute terrace overflowing with plants...
One of the many narrow lanes of the Gothic quarter...
Walked towards the cafe near the cathedral, Cafe d'Estiu, had the authentic Pa amb tomà quet or Pan con tomate considered a staple of Catalan cuisine and identity.
Chocolate brownie...
The cafe is attached to a museum...
Another grand entrance way...
The quaint bridge in the Gothic quarter...
This bridge is not that old, but the very fact that they've built it to blend in with the surroundings speaks volumes about their eye for aesthetics. I particularly loved seeing this bridge whenever we came across it. I also read somewhere that if you walk backwards beneath the bridge and make a wish, it is bound to come true within three days. And my wish did come true... but it all depends on what you wish for. If you wish with good intent and purpose, any wish is bound to come true.
The Gothic quarter is immensely fascinating, check out these gargoyles guarding this cell like opening.
The kings' square... this place is lovely with those steps and the sunlight draping them. I read that there is a rather pretty chapel inside, but I didn't know that while I was there.
Another pretty place overflowing with sunshine and plants...
Finally we reached the Caterina market, which is where the locals hang out.
I had this amazing pumpkin stuffed ravioli with mushroom sauce, excellent food. My sister had a bowl of steamed mussels in some garlic sauce... I can't seem to find the picture.
Had this desert...
Then we continued walking around until we came across this little native American store
Where I picked up one of those wristbands for 3 euros. The weaving on it is pretty... you'll see it in the next post, about our day 3 adventures in Barcelona.
Came across this pretty book place
Where there were books in every nook and corner
Vintage decor
Continued walking the streets... we fell in love with these many streets.
Finally we reached Santa Maria de Mar, another towering Cathedral that had an entrance fee of 5 euros.
The cathedral is amazingly pretty with
Perfect lighting...
Nice glow of candle lights...
Ethereal lighting inside...
The holy water in the font takes on this beautiful design...
Stained glass windows...
Then we came across a Picasso museum, so we walked in... I availed the free entrance by showing my research registration document, this place is free for students. The others had to pay some entrance fee...
Pablo Picasso is brilliant... check out this painting, brilliant work. Bought a postcard of this and posted it to me. Anyway, he started out great... but somewhere along the way, everything went downhill... his later paintings are really bad, the contemporary type of just shapes and weird faces. Modern art is weird.
Anyway, the architecture in Gothic quarter is captivating...
Every way you look... you are enthralled.
A door portrait...
Pretty street lamps...
Came across this lovely bridge again...
Walked to the San Felipe Neri church, that was bombed during the Spanish civil war, the marks of which still remain.
The San Felipe church that bears the marks of the Spanish civil war...
Kids playing in the courtyard...
The niche of St. Eulalia
Pretty shop...
Picked up an ice cream...
Came across an amazing book shop...
With a resident cat... we picked up one of those National Geographic books for seven euros, a 1928 edition. It had an article about the farming of oysters in Tamil Nadu, where divers dive into the water and come our yelling, 'chippi ille'...
The charming bookshop...
Another pretty shop with knick-knacks...
Coconut shell lights...
The Las Ramblas memorial...
Zara...
Found this pack on the bench outside Zara, with a cute warning...
Walked to Cafe Augusti, but that was closed for renovation so took a taxi towards the port, walked around for some time deciding where to have dinner. Isla Tortuga seemed like a good place and we walked in to be greeted by this stunning picture.
Casual seating place in the restaurant...
Floor pattern...
We ordered quite a lot of tapas... this looks like squid.
Some croquettes...
I couldn't get over this beautiful creature...
I don't know what this is...
Looks like potato chips with caramelized onions...
Some meat thing on avocado...
Seafood paella...
Okay, I remember this... asparagus with some lovely cashewnut cream... this was quite good, and the staff here is wonderful.
After enjoying the food here, we took a taxi back to our apartment and crashed. Whole day we were out walking... exploring, eating different food and falling hard for Gothic quarter's charm, we were really tired but it was an amazing day.
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