Much Walking and Oddly, More Getting Lost (Barcelona Day 2)

So, in summary, I wish I had planned better for this day--I feel like I could have gotten more out of it. However--lesson learned-- I'll enjoy what I did get to experience and keep that in mind for the rest of my trip. (In fact, I'm trying to finish this post quickly so I can go bike around Valencia) 

So I woke up early on let's see. . .I'm already forgetting days. . .Tuesday! I woke up early on Tuesday to FaceTime (Mac Skype because we're cool like that) with my familia. I'm really thankful for Skype (and other videochatting applications, which probably all hereafter be referred to as Skype because it's easier)! After chatting with them for a while, I actually got to Skype with my dear friend Kim and a little bit with my friend Charis :) And by the time that was done, it was well into the morning, so I went to a little cafe and had a pastry and café con leche and felt very Spanish. Then I sat on a bench for a long time thinking, praying, journaling, reading my Bible, and observing. So nice just to sit and not feel like I had to go anywhere. 

The plan after that was to go to the Barcelona aquarium, then go to lunch and then go see all the Modernisme architecture after siesta. (You can here the "but" coming huh?)

However, (haha) I took the correct train going the wrong way and by the time I got back to where I wanted to be, I was too hungry to try and find the place I wanted to go for lunch, not to mention the aquarium. I ended up on Las Ramblas (because that's the only place I know where anything is) But it's all for the best, because hey! I got to try my first tapas!

So, the one on the right was fried with something creamy in the middle--cheese maybe? The middle one was sausage on bread and that last one is a potato with some creamy tomato sauce.

And my first paella!

 

And a limón Fanta! (Ah I just put that accent on without thinking about it! Yay!) I guess we don't have that in the US because it's too similar to 7up and stuff? 

Anyway, I headed to the aquarium after that. And walked through a Spanish mall. Oh, and I saw La Plaça Real

And there's a fountain in the middle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, before the aquarium, there was this little hill of brick up to this tree which caught my eye. And then I took a picture in front of it so I could have a picture of me in this post so you know I was actually there :)

 

I took lots of pictures at the aquarium, which of course are not nearly as good as the real thing, but better than nothing, right?

 

I thought it looked like these two were having a conversation.

Purple sea urchin!

Those purpley anemones were really flowy. Like hair.

This was one of the pictures that was so much better in real life. It just looked so alive!

There was one "Dory" fish that kept swimming in a loop, right in front of the window :) Not a back and forth loop, but an up and down loop.

This is called a longhorn cowfish. What??

That one right in the middle is called a guitarfish.

This is a shot from the big tank. There is a glass tunnel that goes almost all the way around this tank so you can feel like you're swimming with the sharks.

Obligatory picture of a shark.

Oh hey! There is a picture of me! This was to show you what the moving walkway looked like. I thought it was interesting that it was wood.

So. . .I think cuttlefish are actually pretty cute.

And then I sat outside the museum and wrote postcards. . .and by the time I would have gotten to see the Modernisme stuff it was all closed. And I tried to go, but couldn't figure out the trains to get there :( So I largely wandered around and got some dinner and went back to my hotel, kind of discouraged. 

But then I got to meet up with Tayo, who is kind of a friend of a friend connection studying in Barcelona for the semester. We just mainly hung out in her apartment building, but it was good to actually have a conversation with someone else that wasn't about buying something. 

Now, the plot is about to thicken here. . .when I got back to my hotel, I went to check out my train stuff for the next day to see how early to get there and stuff. And. . .one of my suitcases was too big! (And I don't know if there is an overweight baggage fee or if they just won't let you take it on.) So I kind of panicked a little bit and was really stressed. I figured I would have to ship it, but I wouldn't be able to take the time to send it and the renfe (the train) website wouldn't exchange my tickets or even let me cancel them. AAAAAHH! But--and I am sooo thankful for this--Juan at the front desk of the hotel said he would be able to keep the luggage at the hotel until the shipping company could pick it up, and then when I had to leave before the transaction was done, he worked with me over the phone to finish it and told me he would take care of it! (And I made it to my train on time--and only had to lug one suitcase around!)

Listen. If any of you are ever traveling in Barcelona, I highly highly highly recommend the Hotel Via Augusta. The staff are friendly and above and beyond helpful!

So, once again, God is providing for me, working out the bugs and stuff and I'm safely in Valencia, which you will hopefully hear about tomorrow.

Until then!