Barcelona chaos & a good dinner
I landed in Barcelona to a deserted airport. It was really weird. I had intended to buy a SIM card for my phone right away, I even googled how to do it, but it was a dead-zone & even the ATM’s weren’t working. There was literally no one here. No one. Plus, no free airport wifi…WTF? I walked out of the building & there weren’t even taxi cabs waiting to whisk passengers away, but I see down the street there is another terminal & I walk, holding my breath, towards civilization. I go into another building & there are some people there, I see an ATM, but it’s out of service like the last one. No stores to buy a SIM. God, do I have to take the dreaded rip-off taxi again! I see an information booth & head there, fingers crossed & saying prayers with each step. I ask about a store for a SIM, an ATM, airport wifi…no stores in Barcelona airport SORRY, the ATM’s are being changed out so they are all out of service SORRY, you have to go to terminal 3 for free wifi SORRY! Fuck I hate this place. So, off I trudge to terminal 3, sweating like a dog on a hot day, although it’s almost 6 o’clock & pitch black out. I get wifi long enough to call for an UBER & stifle the curse-words I have for Spain.
My UBER driver is awesome though & we chat the entire 40 minute ride to my Airbnb apartment. When I tell him my woes about the SIM & the ATM, etc. he laughs & says, “it’s Spain! Things work when they work! You’ll see!”. I said to myself right the, “patience Laurie…get some”. He dropped me off at the end of the street because the place I booked into is located down a pedestrian only street, so narrow you have to turn sideways when people want to pass by. I haul my luggage up just one flight of stairs, connect to wifi & set off to explore just far enough so that I can find my way back without my phones GPS.
I realize right away that I’m in trouble. My apartment is located just off the most incredible shopping street in Barcelona & there is a ZARA store literally 100 steps away from my door. I promised myself when I left home with carryon only luggage that once I hit Barcelona I was going to splurge on a completely new wardrobe & here I was right in the shopping Mecca of Europe! Boom! I meander in & out of shops, making mental notes as to what direction I want my new wardrobe to take. I see a place selling SIM cards & the lovely & gorgeous girl inside helps me get my phone sorted. Things are definitely looking up! The shops are open late, I’ve got GPS & I’ve found an ATM to load my bra with Euros!
At about 10 o’clock, I finally decided I’ll be Spanish & have dinner. Most of Europe eat dinner so late…restaurants only opening at 8 or 9 o’clock in the evening…something I’m not used to, but when in Rome…or Barcelona! I decide to try the restaurant right beside my apartment, 4 Gats, which has come highly recommended. The unassuming front entrance gave way to a gorgeous fully packed dining room, laid out very upscale with white table cloths & wine glasses on the tables. The host was as smooth as silk, with a large medallion nestled into his furry chest, shirt unbuttoned to the bulging pecks. He led me upstairs, where there were tables surrounding the outer edge of the second level balcony, so we could look down on the diners below…a birds-eye view of the action. Yay! I scrutinized everything! I played out scenarios in my head of the diners, I watched the staff stumble through the chaos, I watched the greasy host flirt with the women & shake hands with the men…it was like I was floating above in a dream. I ate way too much, spent way too much, but left happy.
I got back to my apartment & quickly realized, Barcelona wasn’t going to be cheap!
