Breakfast in London, Dinner in Barcelona

We left London this afternoon, but not without taking in the Columbia Flower Market and Spitalfield's Market (both in the east end). Sundays are the big market days there, with people coming from miles to sell and buy what's on display. At the flower market sellers unloaded huge racks of plants, bulbs, citrus trees, topiaries, bulbs...it was amazing to look at (and smell!). We walked to Spitalfield's next and came across bakery stalls (oof...everything looked so good -- from breads to pastries and other treats), other food stalls (I got a sample of turkish delight...it is nowhere near what we have in Canada...it was a little powdered sugar chewy jelly square in a lovely sweet orange flavour -- and other flavours too!). There were tons of clothes, jewelery and bag booths that I could have looked over for much longer, but we had a taxi coming at 11:30am to get us and we couldn't dawdle. (I did manage to score a handmade scarf and a pair of knitted wool mittens!).

Our flight to Barcelona was late, and the plane was full. I had an 'interesting' eastern european lady sit next to me (who seemed to have had a run-in with a make-up truck, holy caked on and ORANGE!). The flight itself was fine, the trip took under two hours so it was just a big jump to get here. Oh, and the EE (that's her abbreviation) lady proceeded to 'tsk tsk' and talk to me only when she wanted to complain about the service (being late, the captain's welcome message, lack of immigration cards -- even though she received one, the line to get off the airplane...you get the picture). Oh, and I will pause here to comment on the Barcelona airport for two things: the distance you have to walk to get to your baggage (I swear, probably at least over a kilometer), and the BATHROOMS. I think that airport only has one, and it's in baggage. So not only do you have to cross your legs, toes, bladder...at immigration (which is painfully slow), you are then presented with challenging your own personal bladder stamina with walking to the baggage claim area.

EE saw us again (she was leaving the bathroom, nothing to complain about there so no conversation involving lots of 'tsk tsk's') and Trevor saw her remove deodorant from her purse and apply it at the baggage area (yes...even though she was just in the bathroom...odd).

Anywhoo, the taxi drivers in Barcelona don't speak a lick of english, so you're stuck communicating in an odd bobbing of heads and hand gestures. (But I was also smart and wrote our hotel address on paper, so no problems.)

The hotel itself is fab, lots of high tech gadgets and buttons to press -- everything from mood lighting to automatic blinds (and a glassed in shower that you can either look into the room or at the tv...pretty funny). Our dinner was a slow (no one moves fast here) presentation of tapas (russian salad -- don't ask, assortment of pickles/olives) and a shared pizza. Nothing I'd write home about, that's for sure! Hopefully we will find some better eats elsewhere for breakfast (there are some promising cafeterias and bakeries, so I don't think we'll starve!).

And now I'm looking at hopping into bed (it's after ten thirty here now...we're 9 hours ahead of home) and getting a good sleep before we pack up and move onto the boat tomorrow.
View from our hotel room in Barcelona.

Where we ate dinner tonight (people inside were watching the football).

This was just too funny to not post --- LOL! (In London.)

Art on the way to the flower market.

At the flower market...ahhhhh.

Grabbing a 'beigel' (that's how they spell it there!) for breakies.

At Spitalflield's watching a guy cut into some mammoth brownies.