Madrid to the Mediterranian - an eventful day in retrospect

Tuesday September 12

We rose at 3:30 am. Need I say more?

It was beginning to half-heartedly rain as we climbed into the taxi at 3.55 and we were at the airport for check in within 15 minutes after the 2nd fastest taxi ride of my life (matched only by one I recall back in 1995).

The flight, contrary to the prediction of "some turbulence due to storms" was smooth for its entire 50 minute duration and our landing on the Barcelona beach was comfortably soft. After touchdown we collected our bags and headed into the city to find our hostel. It was raining.

We found the hostel without any hassles but were too early for check-in so we dumped our bags and started to walk. It started raining... harder.
We stopped at the nearest shelter - a café with a menu all filled with words unfamiliar to me. Xocolata??? Welcome to Catalonia. After propping ourselves up on our arms or anything else we could find for around an hour in an attempt to stay awake the rain let up a little and we were able to continue our walk. Tired legs, tired eyes and tired bodies didn't carry us far and we got as far as Plaça Catalonia where we stopped for a look around before heading back just in time to check in and crash!

I woke some time later, groggy from over-afternoon sleeping and hungry from under-afternoon eating, so we headed into the city for a little more exploring and some tucker! After stumbling across the cathedral and Plaça Reial (Royal Square) we found a Tapas bar we'd seeked out and tucked into some delicious Tapas. After dinner we decided to take advantage of the lack of rain for a while and pay a visit to the foreshore. We walked through the pretty back lanes of Barcelona towards the foreshore and were encouraged by the palm-lined boulevard in front -
seemed something like the palms at St Kilda beach, Melbourne. We started to cross the boulevard when an instantaneous storm-like shower began dropping many, thick rain drops. however it stopped as soon as it started. It was weird. We had noticed the strong winds in the palms, but I'd never really seen anything like it before. We stood there for a moment looking at each other with shrugged shoulders and confused eyes.

The moment had barely passed when it happened... it really set in. The same drops, the same frequency. I'm not talking about just rain, or even a typical Melbourne (or German for that matter) rain-storm. This was the kind of rain that soaks you in seconds. The word starting with M and ending in onsoon springs to mind. It was wet. It was very wet. We sprinted for the nearest cover, but alas, the "see breeze" would ensure it was to no avail. We were soaked through in no time, and, after safely putting unwettables in a plastic bag we walked through the Barcelona streets, or more precisely, creeks, in the dark, arms outstretched to the heavens letting it soak us through. Our roles had suddenly switched from sight-seeers to the sight itself!
Now something like this is a good test of a city... I mean it's easy to love a city when the sun is shining and the air is warm, but what about when it puts on its worst weather?? Barcelona rose to meet the rain.

Chatty crowds lined the streets, seeking shelter and laughing at the rain. Plaça Catalonia was filled with a crowd of crazies. The were brass instruments playing and hundreds of young people dancing barefoot in the rain. Writing this it sounds more like I'm describing a dream than reality, and perhaps it was, but if you like you can ask Lish or Kelso for verification!

Returning to the hostel like a drowned rat I enjoyed a very long shower and a warm, dry bed very much.

WELCOME TO BARCELONA