The Rain In Spain Falls Mainly in Our Face

Friday morning started with an early breakfast and a mandatory employee meeting for two hours while the spouses got the benefit of sleeping in.  After “paying our dues,” so to speak, for the trip and hearing a bit about the near-term initiatives of the company, we were free to go out and do some more exploring. 

We had discussed the idea of heading back to the Gothic Quarter for lunch at the Mercat de la Boqueria with one of my coworkers Andrea and her husband Chad, so we made plans to meet in the lobby at 11:00 and head over.  The forecast for the day was rain.  Initially, it looked like it would be a rainy morning but taper off throughout the day.  As the morning went on however, it looked more and more like the whole day may be a wet one.

On the way out of the hotel, the bell hops were handing out umbrellas to use.  We had left ours in the

room, so we grabbed one to share.   The rain was light at this point, and we debated taking a cab or walking to the market.  Since the rain wasn’t too bad, and it seemed walking would give a better opportunity to sight-see, we decided to walk.

When we arrived at the market about 45 minutes later, we had worked up a good appetite.  We made a quick walk through the market which was completely packed with people.  The market had dozens and dozens of stalls which were fairly close together selling, candy, nuts, produce, meats of every type imaginable, and small short order restaurants with barstool seating around the stall.  After a quick walk through the market, we decided to pick one of the restaurants around the perimeter to sit for lunch.

Paella Bar

We didn’t find anything with indoor seating available, so we choose a Paella restaurant called Paella Bar that had some covered outdoor seating on the sidewalk and propane heating towers next to the tables.  The menu (offered in English, Spanish, or Catalan) contained several different paellas and a handful of other dishes as well.  I ordered some intriguing sounding duck and lobster croquettes, but they unfortunately were out of them.  Instead, Aimee and I decided to share a salad entrée as well as a white tuna entrée. Andrea and Chad each ordered a different paella.

Our order was taken, and the meals were served in what we were learning was the typical leisurely pace of Barcelona.  However, we had wine and good company, so we tried to curb our natural American impatience with the slow service.  The paella dishes were huge, and filled with a variety of seafood.  Our tuna entrée, to our surprise (and to my personal disappointment) was not much more than a salad with canned tuna on it.  Aimee enjoyed it although it was not what she was expecting either.  I on the other hand gladly accepted Andrea’s offer of some of her paella.

After lunch we took a walk through the market.  Aimee found some Spanish almonds which she

Lambs' Heads and Other Assorted Parts

bought a bag of, and we shared some chocolate covered strawberries while wandering.  The massive selection of fresh raw seafood and meats were quite impressive.  The scene was also likely slightly disturbing to those not used to seeing cases full of ice with things like stacks of blob-shaped fish, live lobsters crawling around on ice in the open, or a selection of half a dozen lambs heads with the skin removed, (but eyeballs remaining intact.)

After checking out the market, we decided we needed somewhere to warm up from the cold with some coffee.  We wandered up and down a few streets in the Gothic Quarter and came upon a sweets shop that had gelato, waffles with all sorts of toppings and coffee.  There was an indoor seating area that was warm and dry, so we each ordered a cappuccino, and Aimee and I also shared a tasty waffle covered in berries and condensed milk drizzle.

 

Mmmmmmm...

After our coffee, Andrea and Chad, headed back to the hotel in a cab.  Aimee and I wandered the area for a bit longer and then returned as well to take a bit of a siesta before our activities that were planned for the evening, as we still had not fully recovered from the jetlag. 

Later that evening, an optional group outing was available to take a “Sea of Tapas” tour.  This included a boat ride and wide array of tapas to give us a broad array of tastes of some of the local food.  Our understanding was that this was a boat ride on which we’d sample tapas.  We later learned this was not quite the case.

As we were about to board the bus, our organizers asked if we wanted a rain poncho, as it was now raining quite a bit harder than it was earlier.  We thought that seemed unnecessary since we’d be inside for the most part (or so we thought) however they strongly recommended it.  I ended up accepting the rain coat, and Aimee opted for an umbrella.

We ran quickly to the awaiting bus, and boarded, already fairly wet from just that short jog.  On the bus they told us they’d be parking the bus and it would be a short walk to the boat.  When we got to the harbor, the rain had become a bit more intense.  The walk from the bus to the boat was between an eighth to a quarter of a mile, and made for a very wet and cold walk.  The boat, although it contained an enclosed seating area, was also cold and drafty, and full of wet tourists.  There was a bar for drinks, however the only drink with alcohol being offered was Estrella Damm beer, in addition to the selection of sodas, water and juice.

Due to choppy seas in the Mediterranean, the boat stayed in the harbor making a slow circle.  There was a canopy on the deck, so that those that wanted to brave the temperatures, which were now dropping to the low 50s, could admire the rainy view of Barcelona from the Sea.  Here it was that we learned we would be not eating on the boat, but rather after the boat ride we were going to tour two different tapas restaurants, and then go to a third restaurant for a full meal.

Given the weather, this wasn’t the most welcomed news.  After the boat ride, we dodged the raindrops as best was possible on our way back to the bus.  We then made our way to the first restaurant.  Given the narrow streets of Barcelona however, the bus could only get us within a few blocks of the restaurant.  We then had to run again through the rain, which was an even heavier downpour now, to the  first restaurant:  Orio.  Inside we did enjoy some tasty tapas as well as options of beer or wine.  (However, the only beer available was once again, Estrella.) 

Once we started to get comfortable, it was time to head off to the next restaurant.   The routine here,

Tapas Stop Number 2

was the same.  Run back to the bus in the rain, take a drive, park the bus, and run through the rain to the restaurant.  More tapas, Estrella beer, and then back to the bus.  At this point the downpour was at torrential levels.  A handful of people opted to end the tour early, and jumped into cabs back to the hotel.  The rest of us made it to the final restaurant with clothing that was quite wet.

At this restaurant, several plates of food were passed around, as well as many bottles of wine.  Between beer and tapas at the previous restaurants, most of our appetites were gone before we even sat down.  Additionally, the poor weather, and everyone’s wet clothes left them short of patience even with as much as we all tried to make the best of the situation and enjoy it.  Although the wait staff was swiftly delivering our dinners (which were preceded by even more tapas)  they seemed to be fairly annoyed by our presence.  It was difficult to say if this was a predisposition of some sort, or if our negative moods were partially to blame for their demeanor. 

Tapas Stop Number 3 + Dinner and Wine

By the time our main meal came, I could barely squeeze any more food in my mouth.  To make

things worse, there was a pipe up in the open ceiling that appeared to be developing condensation from all the humidity from the wet people in the room, and I realized at one point, it was dripping right into the middle of my plate every 2 minutes or so.  At this realization, I gave up the battle of trying to continue to eat…that is until they brought a crème broullette dessert.  I was able to find a little room for this.

Finally, after this very large meal, we made our way back through the rain which was still pouring down, to our awaiting bus, and returned to the hotel, where everyone was glad to be able to get back to their warm rooms, and out of their wet clothes.  Unfortunately, what would have otherwise been a fun four hours of eating and drinking ended up being a long and uncomfortable series of walks through the pouring rain.  We returned to our rooms stuffed, and ready for bed, hoping the next day's weather would be more conducive to enjoying the city.