This is the main youth hostel in Barcelona, and is tucked in a quiet neighborhood a bit away from the center of town. It used to be a private estate, done in mudéjar style.
Joined the end of a crush of people checking in. Consigned my bag and found a supermercats to buy lunch in. Then back to the hostel to eat, then un-consigned my bag and moved into my room. Put the bag (and my money belt) into a locker and went sight-seeing, starting out by taking the bus to the end of the line.
Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Domenech i Montaner
This is still a working hospital, consisting of 48 separate and unique pavilions. The bright colors were meant to cheer the patients.
From there I walked down Avda. de Gaudi to La Sagrada Familia. Truly gaudy. Gaudi's last building, and the one in which he went over the top. Only three of the four facades have been built. If it's ever finished, it will have seating for 13,000. Gaudi copied numerous Gothic styles in his facades, and modeled his towers after the swelling shapes of the rocks of Montserrat. I couldn't bear to go in (especially when I saw the queue) but circumvented it, gawking. (and eavesdropped on a family from St. Petersburg)Headed up Diagnol, picking out more modernism, until I hit Gracia, which was preparing for another night of Fiesta.
Dashed back to the hostel to change and unload day stuff, then back into town to walk down Las Ramblas one more time. The group assembled at the restaurant, except that the reservation had been changed and we were a ways from the new restaurant. Some hiked there, while my group walked back to Las Ramblas to catch a cab, found none, and walked down to Colon and caught a bus to Port Olympic, walking from there.
Seafood restaurant. I ate something to which I seem to be allergic.
