Today I wanted to go back to Parc Guell and write a letter while sitting at the mosaic bench. Using my Barcelona card I took the metro and got off the right stop there was a sign that pointed to where Parc Guell was. What that sign didn't tell me was to go right onto the right street. So here I was thinking I'm heading the right direction, walking up hill and all of a sudden I come upon the next metro stop north of where I got off. I ended up getting lost again heading further than where I should be! I was on a street that really wasn't filled with people, in fact there was hardly anyone around. I pull out my small pocket map and tried to find out where I was, yeah the street I was on wasn't on the map. Checking the bigger more obvious map I realized I was going towards the mountains and the park was to the east of me. So I walked back down the hill and then took a left turn up another hill. Somehow I ended up at a park that I recognized as passing while riding the Bus Turistic a few days ago! I knew I was somewhat headed in the right direction and so I got out of the park and came upon some Spanish tourist who knew where they were going. I did the smart thing and followed them!

Parc Guell was beautiful even on a gray day like it was today. There were plenty of Japanese and Chinese tourist milling about this time and I guess a band was playing at a field near the top of the park because there was two squad car near the cafe and mosaic bench areas. Also you could hear the music being played loudly as you walked up the top where Gaudi's "trees" were found. I enjoyed the view from the park and wrote a few postcards until it got too chilly and I needed to move! So I walked back down the hill and this time took the bus back to Barceloneta.

There are plenty of places near the sea and harbor to eat but they were expensive! Tourist prices that feature paella for 25 Euros and the likes. Yeah I wanted something less but still authentic. So I wandered around the back neighborhood area and followed my nose. There was a small cafe/restaurant which had a nice friendly waiter who didn't hassel you to come eat at their establishment. I asked to be seated inside since it was a tad cold out. I had some Anjuillo shrimp as appetizers and seafood paella that was peeld for my main dish. It was delicious! Then I had my usual cafe con leche to end my meal. I was still cravving something sweet so walking out and heading towards the Miramar tower I found a gelato place. Anytime is a good time for gelato! Even if it is cold outside, gelato is too good to pass up an opportunity to eat it.

I wanted to take the cable car that goes over the whole harobr to Monjuic, but it was closed. Apparently today was some kind of religious holiday and most of the stores were not open for business. So I thought I'd hit the one musuem I haven't gone to that I was debating on going. The National Musuem of Art at Montjuic. I had to get on the bus to head there. But when I got there I was too late and the musuem had closed for the day! It was only 3pm but they apparently close at 2:30pm today. So it was back to Las Ramblas and on the bus I went.

There is this chocolate cafe I had read about in one of my guidebooks where they say it serves up some great chocolate. And everytime I pass by this week there is always a long line at the cafe. So this time when I passed by I saw that the cafe was still closed but was getting ready to open. Well being a determined foodie, I walked slowly around the street staying close to the cafe and browsed at some stores that were open. I was the 5th person inside and by the time my chocolate con churros arrived the cafe was full and a line was beginning to form outside. How was it you may ask? Deliciouso!! The chocolate was nice and creamy so that when you dip the churros it stuck to it. I was only in the cafe for less than 10 minutes since I devoured the churros!

Now ever since I got the Barcelona Card this crazy idea has been coming to mind. Why not take the bus and ride it for a full route? Most buses here have a circle route and so you just head in the direction you need on the bus and get off at your stop. But being me I always talked myself out if this crazy implusive so totally unplanned and purposeless idea. The idea of just going nowhere with out reason was too much for me! But this time I just got on the bus and decided to ignore my "reasonable voice" which was telling me that this is a crazy, wing-ding thing and I really shouldn't do it since there is no purpose to it! Well I picked bus 17 and apparently it goes up to a neighborhood in the foothills area. The bus passed by the blue funicular of Mt. Tibidaldo which shows you how far up i went! Needless to say it was an interesdting ride and I got a glimpse of the various neighborhood.

I didn't go the whoel route but got off at Plaza Catalunya. I wandered around some more down to Las Ramblas, where there are always interesting things to see and hear. But my shoulders were beginning to protest since I had bought some souveniers and such throughout the day and kept putting them in my well worn red bag. I don't think my red bag will make it back home, it is beginning to tear. But we shall see if the bag will hold out for one more day tomorrow!

So when I got to my hotel I asked the guy at the front desk about the restaurant around the corner I had seen the other night. He said the food was good and there was a buffet if I wanted to wait for dinner at 9pm. Yeah I opted out of the buffet and just went early at 8pm. I'm sorry to say that of all the places I didn't take a picture of my food it was this place around the corner from my hotel. I had the Iberico Jamon, which is the acron fed pig, as my starter. You could really taste the nuttiness and sweetness which differentiates this jamon from the others. No wonder people in Spain love it! Then I had the noodle paella, which uses noodles instea dof rice. It was good too but not as good as the rice paella! Remembering I had to start packing and organizing my things I didn't dwaddle at the restaurant but headed back to my room.