1) Protip: when washing clothes in a European laundromat, be sure to check the pockets first to remove anything that might, um, have a negative impact on your laundry. Like that tiny chocolate bar from the Museum of Chocolate. Oopsie. ‘Cause it totally melted in the dryer and got on almost everything.
1a) So I spent twice as long as expected on laundry this morning, but it looks like all the chocolate came out of my clothes.
2) In the afternoon I headed into the city to see more of Barcelona and to enjoy tapas at Tapas 24, which had been recommended by friends. Aperol spritzes, chicken croquetas, a light and wonderful avocado salad drenched with pesto and dotted with feta cubes, and some sort of marvelous omelette.
The pinenuts, pignole in Italian, made all the difference.
3) Afterward I strolled about allegedly looking for clothing stores, but not really motivated to do or see anything but my current surroundings. And that’s OK. But my goodness, there are some wonderful old buildings in this part of town. We need more beautiful buildings.
Just look at the graded colors of those roof tiles, like honeybees massed in pleasure.
4) I must say, women and men use Spanish fans here in Barcelona, and I just love it. I am going to have to find a couple myself.
4a) The most strikingly beautiful person I’ve seen so far on this trip walked by me this afternoon, a young Spanish woman wielding a fan of solid black, wearing an off-the-shoulder black blouse, sleek fully cut high-waisted black silk trousers dotted with white, and carrying a black-and-white striped bag from ye Syphora. Her black hair, parted in the middle just like the old illustrations, was slicked back into a large round bun. All she needed was a rose.
5) An early evening featuring a big ol’ NAP — truly, Barcelona has worn me out — and then packing for Madrid.
They just don’t make ‘em like they used to.