My daughter and husband know coffee is a must and they've planned a day of serious Spanish sightseeing so first up as we exit the Grand Hotel is Pans and Company, right across the street and next to the metro entrance. HIGHLY recommended for a inexpensive but incredibly elegant, breakfast. This place looks like a McDonalds, but that's all. Most of our mornings in Barcelona I had the same thing: coffee - creamy with steamed milk and toast - rustic pane, toasted, with olive oil, tomato jam and fruit jam - these 3 in small individual "to go" packets/jars. Unbelievably delicious. With a few swirls of olive oil and a spoon of tomato it was "breakfast bruschetta". I plan a breakfast post on all our memorable European breakfasts - it'll be part of my breakdown/takeaways from Europe - so I'll save more and the photos on that for later.
After this divine nudge into the day we metro to Park Guell and spend a few hours walking up and down some severe landscape - hilly in spots there!! - dotted in dreamlike structures produced by Gaudi, a famous architect: buildings, benches, walls and stairs. Mosaic, colorful, mirrored, exhausting to walk and view (in my opinion it's very physical all around!). We need to escape and head underground to metro stop La Rambla. My favorite place to stroll is this wide pedestrian walkway, at one end my favorite European church,Santa Maria Del Mar, at the other my favorite European clothing chain, Zara. The Mercat de la Boqueria is in the middle - which is my favorite market. You must not miss this gorgeous food market where every item is displayed like a precious jewel. Every item. The fruit displays are intensely gorgeous, but that's too easy. How about art made from numerous grains arranged for sale in patchwork square boxes that make a pattern like dusty farmlands seen from an airplane. Amazing. La Rambla is a win win for me!! In between you walk and look. Or stop for a drink and look. Or smoke and look. We have an adventure in a British sports pub along the way: the adorable and friendly crew sing along with Bruno Mars Uptown Funk and we chat with some Irish folks. Later, laden with Zara bags we return to our hotel. After we've rested up a bit (drinking and shopping = exhaustion), it's tapas at the Basque place around the corner and to bed. Digging Barcelona.
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