Thursday, August 9th -- Barcelona, Spain

I didn't get much sleep on my overnight trip to Barcelona the night before last. I had to change trains in the middle of the night at the border because the gauge of the Spanish tracks are different. I got into Barcelona around 10:30 in the morning. I had a map to a hostel that someone had drawn for me, but I couldn't find it for the life of me. I ended up staying at a pension. It was nice to have a comfy bed and my own room. 

I went to the tourist office to get recommendations on which hostel to stay at. I found the one they suggested and it turns out it is the one I'd been looking for. I had dinner in a fast food pasta place (which was terrible -- particularly with the heavenly pasta of Italy so fresh in my memory). That night I slept the sleep of the dead. Nothing like an overnight train ride to make you sleep well the next night! This morning I went to Kabul, the hostel I'd located yesterday, and reserved a bed. The hostel is in a square just off of Las Ramblas (the main pedestrian drag in Barcelona). This area seems to be a crime center, as there are cops swarming all over the place. I saw a group of officers beating up a man in an episode that made the Rodney King situation look mild by comparison. 

I went to the Picasso museum and had a look around. It had many of his earlier works which contrasted with his later, stranger stuff. I particularly liked his cubist version of Las Meninas, the famous painting by Velazquez (you know, the one where you can make out the king in the mirror). The museum had the finished work plus many of the studies he did in preparation. I then went to the park designed by Gaudi (Parc Guadi). It offered a great view of Barcelona. It is quite a beautiful city. I'm told that the city is a much more hospitable place now than it used to be. When the Olympics were held here they cleaned the place up -- reportedly going as far as giving the homeless some money and a train ticket to leave. 

Returning to the hostel, I met a guy named Bernie from Boston. We had a few beers, played some pool, and then went out to a nice restaurant for dinner. Afterward, we had a drink in a small bar. Barcelona seems to have quite an active night life. 

Saturday, September 11th -- Madrid, Spain

That evening I went to a local bar to see a one-man blue band. What a trip! He played guitar, harmonica, and sang. he also played drum and cymbal with one foot and bass on a keyboard with his other foot. The guy was actually pretty good, but it was hard to keep a straight face as he contorted himself to play all of his instruments. The bartender was either new, or they are just really generous with their drinks here. I ordered a scotch and got a tall glass full -- it must have been at least 5oz. Back at the hostel, I called up Carlos to tell him that I'd be arriving in a few days. He wasn't home, so I had a very confusing conversation with his mother. 

The next morning I checked out of the hostel and went to the station to catch a train to Madrid. The train was quite nice -- it was air conditioned and had video screens showing six-month-old American movies dubbed in Spanish. About halfway to Madrid, the train stopped and the air conditioning cut out. The place heated up quickly in the hot sun. We stayed put for about an hour, and then started moving again without any explanation. The air conditioning never did come back on. I got into Madrid around 9:00 at night instead of at 7:30. Luckily, my connection to Lisbon isn't until 10:30. 

Copyright (c) 1995, Mike Oliphant