Barcelona, days two and three

Wednesday September 13

We started our second day looking forward - taking a trip to the train station to buy tickets for our onward journey - to Tarragona, Valencia and back.

After a long wait and a test for my Spanish (which I left happy) we began a tour of the artworks of Barca's most famous architect, Gaudi. After getting off a the Sagrada Familia metro we saw the church itself and, after considering the entrance prices decided to continue on foot rather than go inside. We then saw two more of his buildings. For those who've not heard of him before (most I assume, unless I was alone in the dark) his architectural style is a unique one with his buildings resembling imperfections in the very earth - rising up like muddy, colourful, or wavy earth-forms.

From there we walked back into the city, taking in the cathedral with more awake eyes and then walking around the foreshore and ports - this time successfully and staying dry. We then went back and cooked before going for a few drinks at a British pub with Ross, a cockney geezer we'd met at the hostel yesterday.

Thursday September 14

Rain again today... the rain in Spain seems to fall mainly in Barcelona.

We caught the metro into town in and walked around in search of the Museo Picasso. An hour later, and only after asking an old local lady for directions, we finally found it, only to find long queues. We ditched the idea and opted instead for a visit to a nearby church, Iglesia de Santa Maria del Mar. Then we wandered down to the beach and the Mediterranean, which, unlike the Adriatic at Venezia, actually has waves. After having a chuckle at Kelso who managed to lose both thongs in the waves (and through loss of life and limb retrieved them) we went for another wander around the port where we ate lunch and searched without success for films showing in English.

After that we walked back via La Rambla (the main street) where we detoured into a market and bought supplies for a dinner of fish and vegetables.