Day 13 in Barcelona. tapas tour

Today is our full day in Barcelona. We had breakfast at the hotel and a stroll around the city. Found an ATM. 

Found the Arc de Triumph.

We found the hall of justice.

We found a big city map painted on the ground, but it didn't have a "You are here" sign, so we couldn't really orient to it. But we found awesome people who live here and they pointed us in the right direction. We were closer than we thought to where we needed to go.

Our tapas tour starts at 10:30 so will rest our feet till then.

Our tour started out at the pastry shoppe we stopped at yesterday, next door to our hotel (how convenient!) We got to try a donut with cream inside. We learned that certain stores that have been around for more than 100 years and make a quality product, can have a bronze plaque put in the ground near their front door, advertising them as quality and cultural landmark business. 

Next we went to a big market where we got to try olives, 

and cheese,

and ham (Jamon, in Spanish) 

Our guide Miguel says to follow Grandmas when shopping because they know the best places to go. Just don't get creepy with following them!

Then we went by a church built by the people over 55 years in the end of the 16th century. It's called the church of the people.

 

Next we went by the harbor for tapas.

 We had fried squid, tripe, peppers, pork cheek. Our last stop was a restaurant where we had a fresh salad and paella with seafood.

 

I know I ate a mussel cuz I had to pick it out of the shell, but the clam shells were empty. I'm guessing they were floating somewhere in the paella . There was some shrimp with the heads, feet, and tails still on, so I had to learn how to behead them and open 'em up. They had a little dessert that was an almond cake . Then we were cut loose to go wander back to where we started. We walked down the beach boardwalk and saw some sand sculptures.

We bumbled into the Airo Del Port, which is a cable car ride over to Mont Juic. We're going to take it over and back before we head back to our hotel. Paul found a gelato stand up at Mont Juic and we indulged (can't let a gelato stand go by...)

We found a cookie store on the way back and got some cookies for later...

Just as we rounded the corner to come to our hotel, we heard a marching band and a crowd of people, but we never could really see the band.

We borrowed a stapler from the desk and put all our luggage tags on for the cruise tomorrow. And we're still resting after our excursions of the morning. It's 6:00 at night and we have 17,000 steps so far. Paul is wanting to go out to a store named Decathlon to see if we can get a bike jersey. Not sure we willfind one, but we will try.

Back from our last foray in Barcelona. It's too people-y out there at 7:00 at night. No bike jerseys, but Paul found a t-shirt that he likes that says Barcelona on it. Our only souvenir. Totaling out at over 20,000 steps today. Tomorrow we have a city tour that will drop us off at the cruise ship.