Tapas, tapas and mas tapas! Boquerones- vinegar marinated anchovies. Padrones- a mild roasted green pepper. Patatas Bravas- glorified french fries, cubed and served with mayonnaise and paprika sauce. Serrano ham - served by the plateful and sliced off a proudly displayed hanging pig leg (which are found everywhere and smell AWFUL). Having made friends with the tennis coach, fluent in Spanish and who's father is from Spain, sampling Barcelona's cuisine has been a cinch. Everyone I have dined with has been an adventurous eater and we have made efforts to order as many different dishes as we could. Different but edible. I haven't tried tripe, rubbery stomach lining, as I saw it being sold at La Boqueria and I don't think I could stomach the stomach- no pun intended. La Boqueria is the large public market located a few blocks off Las Ramblas, a tree-lined pedestrian street swarming with tourists, souvenir stands and street performers. The vendors at La Boqueria sell everything from intestines, testicles and whole skinned rabbits to lamb heads and plastic boxes of brains. There are brightly colored crates full of every fruit imaginable and dried peppers that could kill your tongue with one taste. I bought fresh cuttlefish and coconut meat and desperately wish I was able to smuggle food home in my carry-on.
In addition to my appetite, Barcelona has also been feeding my soul. Though I am not devoutly religious, I have visited several colossal cathedrals and giant basilicas. Built of thick grey stone and cold to the touch, entering each of these holy places has brought warmth to my heart. The gargantuan columns and impressive stained glass windows are humbling. The grandeur invokes reflection. The basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, one of the several churches I entered today, was rife with serenity. Built from 1329 to 1384, it is the only remaining example of pure Catalan Gothic architecture. It was a place of worship for medieval shipwrights and merchants. How many merchants offered praise within these walls only to be eventually lost at sea? Being saved from the rain, I sat on the wooden pews and silently prayed for loved ones. I felt sublime. Unsure about the exact way to pray, I pictured each of your faces. Underneath the towering buttresses, I emanated feelings of positivity and wishes for your happiness and health. I wish you were here so I could further share my meals and my musings. I am off to Rome tomorrow. Spain has been a feast for my senses.
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