Steve, Josh and I went to la playa! We took the metro and just walked along the beach! The water was so much warmer today! We sat there just listening to the waves, and smelling the salt in the air, and thinking this is the body of water that made history. Ulysses was the Greek hero who conquered Troy could have been off of the coast of Barca. Queen Isabella married Ferdinand and they sent out Columbus to discover new routes! The history is endless, all because this body of water and I am standing in it! And just the concept of it’s age baffles me. Joseph Conrad put nicely “The sea has never been friendly to man. At most it has been the accomplice of human restlessness”
and it is true. When you look out at the water, it makes you want more. You wonder what is on the other side, and you know to an extent. But knowing your there makes you eager to travel to the unknown. You just want to see the World! And that is what I am doing. When I head to Italy in the next couple months I can look across and wonder the same thing about people in Cataluña.
It was a perfect sunny day at the beach and people were surfing on the waves! We also watched a movie being filmed at the skate park near the water. All these over pretty punk children haha. The boys are so much fun! We just walked the boardwalk, and through the Olympic village! That is one of my favorite things of Barcelona! Being so close to the water! I love the breeze that comes off of it! The air just smells cleaner and fresher, and it’s crazy to just think where we are on a map. Two weeks ago it was below zero temperature and now its 60, and I am sitting on the beach!
Your lips even taste salty from sitting at the beach for a while! We collected shells, and tried to race the tide! When Josh had to go to class, Steve and I explored the Gothic region and the old Jewish quarters.
We went to an eerie cathedral with all the red candles lit, and we explored alleys that were only wide enough to stick out both hands. It was the perfect European stereotype of two American’s wandering the streets. In one courtyard, call the concrete was blow out of the walls. It showed the effects from the war! It was so quiet as well. 
The Gothic area may be my favorite part of Spain, and the history makes it all the better! Stephen worked his charm with the gelato girl and we got a better deal on helado, and Erin and I ate Pallea, the famous Barcelona dish. It has rice and seafood, and reminds me of Gumbo! It was a winner! I am developing a strong liking for tuna here! (Once again I am writing at the port, and a guy is smoking a huge joint next to me!). I have tried so much food here. Generally pallea has seafood crawling out of it. But I am trying all sorts of meat, fish and vegetables! I also doubled my fruit intake! And I like tomatoes now! But they don’t refrigerate most things here, and they eat dinner at 9:00pm!
After our cultural dinner we went and watched Flamenco! I decided that flamenco is one of the most passionate forms of dancing! The singing, dancing and storytelling have so much passion! The guy singing had a constant look of constipation, and the expression that he was going to pop a brain cell the whole time he sang his colorful story! We drank beer in a tiny Spanish club and watched the show! After we went out with Miguel! I decided Miguel is so funny, but perverted! He was shoving sausages in my mouth, and asked me about my relationship and he is just like a regular local! That is why I love hanging out with him! We went to a small, local German bar, and got beer and tapas! My favorite is the pan con tomatoes and goat cheese! I ate pretty much the whole thing! That has been my greatest love this whole trip, the tomato con pan! Nothing can describe how good it is. It is plain, but sweet at the same time! I have it at almost every meal! The whole time at the bar we debated how Miguel was a tool, and how we are going to meet his Spanish friends! He hinted innuendos the whole night, and after beer and meats and goat cheese, we headed home.
I talked with Steve on the phone for over an hour tonight!
John Conrad was right. The sea makes you want more. You look into the vast horizon and it always leaves you with wonder and wanting more. I am perplexed with a new freedom which turning into content routine. I am fitting in here. But I can’t wait to be face with a new challenge, and experience. I can see why Mark Twain said the greatest yearned career was a Riverboat Captain.
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