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The guy at the front counter gave me a map and showed me how to get to Las Ramblas from my hotel. I already figured it out by pouring over the maps these past two weeks but I needed to be assured I was going the right way. He kind of looked at me oddly though when I told him I was going to walk it since it was about a 45 minute walk. But it was nice and when you're in a new city at first you don't really notice how long the walk it because you are too busy looking up and around at all the new things. I saw Gaudi's house of bones on Passeig Garcia and the Casa Milo another house that showcased Gaudi's workwmanship. The house of bones was all lit up when I passed it going back and really got a good look at it. It was pretty cool!
Passeig Garcia reminded me of the Champs Elysee in Paris. All the fancy name brand stores were on it, innovative and colorful window displays. Lots of people walking. At the end of Passeig Garcia is the Plaza Catalunya. This great big round about with a park in the middle where on Sunday's they dance the Catalunia dance-Sardonna. I'm hoping to catch it tomorrow! The Plaza is also where Las Ramblas beings. Compared to Passeig Garcia, where it is more refined and proper, Las Ramblas is loud and shiny maybe the wild child of streets here in Barcleona. There were "street performers", artisans doing paintings and selling jewelry, musicians playing music at night and so much more people. I mean as soon as I hit the Plaza it was like all these tourist converged and went down Las Ramblas.
That was definitely where the tourist were! At the end of Las Ramblas is a statue dedicated to the famous Spanish Explorere, Christopher Columbus. Amazing since he brought the down fall of Barcelona that the city still celebrates him. But apparently this was the place where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella greeted the explorer when he returned from his journey to the new world. Across the street is where the Rambla del Mar can be found.
Ramblas del Mar is basically this bridge that connects Las Ramblas to the Marina and at the end is this huge complex that holds the IMAX theater, Aquarium, stores and places to eat. They had some cool buoy that looked like sculptures and a good view of Montjuic with the cable car heading up to the castle. There were plenty of benches to sit and just people watch.
My feet were sore after this nice long stroll so I decided to head back to my hotel to rest. But first I needed to make a quick stop at Cortes Ingles, this huge department store that reminded me of Galleries Lafayette in Paris, where they have a supermarket in the bottom floor. I grabbed my dinner, bacon sandwich (it was the only thing I could identify since I didn't carry my purse that has my Spanish Phrasebook in it) and some water. Let me tell you, if you want to cut on expenses going to the supermarket for dinner saves you several euros! You can still get the "exotic" feel without the exotic price tag and the view is up to you. Where you want to have your dinner is what view you will get with it. I still remember my first picnic dinner in Paris, it was on the Champs de Mars looking up at the Eiffle Tower. So picnics are a great way to save money and get that local vibe, afterall you will have to encounter the none if barely English speaking store cashier.
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