A Day, MInus a Few Hours!

I write from my room, 5th floor, (non-sprinklered) Zenit Hotel, Barcelona, Spain.  It is a quiet, Sunday night.  I have the room window swung open to bring in some cool, fresh air.  This is the view down into the courtyard.

Leaving Jackson seems like such a long time ago, I hardly have energy to mention the delayed departure, the international flight almost missed due to the delayed departure, the long international flight, and the morning arrival.

Flying in was beautiful.  Rugged countryside dotted with farms of wind generators.  The air is hazy from, I'm guessing humidity.  We banked around over the Mediterranean as we made our landing approach. 

I still don't have any money!  My ride was there, waiting for me, holding up my name.  An old man who spoke no English, drove through the city streets like he had done it once or twice (harrowing would be the word I would use to describe the journey!), and happily accepted my US dollars for a tip.  I got to the small, but very nice room, rinsed off the travel grudge, and slept.

As darkness fell over the city, I awoke to a growling belly and bravely took to the streets for a meal.  Sunday night dinner is not so easy to find!  Plus, one doesn't want to stray too far for fear of not finding one's way home!

I landed at a Japanese karaoke restaurant.  Kid you not!  Shiny black tables with plush velvet chairs, and loud, really bad Japanese karaoke going on in the room next to where I ate.  The waiters kept bringing food to the loud room - bowls of gooey looking fresh tofu covered in thick brown sauce, plates of steaming won tons, platters of fish something, and bowls of noodles. 

The waitress spoke both Japanese and Spanish.  We didn't do that well, but she ended brining me a beef appetizer, some type of stir fried rice with seafood bits in it and a nice clam soup.  I have no idea how one leaves a tip here.  They took my Visa card (I checked first!), I paid, and found my way back home!! 

Barcelona is like a Mexican Chicago with not quite as many people.  Graffiti accents most first story facades.  Residential high rises lined the horizon as we drove from the airport.  Decks filled with plants, colored linens, and a Mexican flag bannered here and there.  Grays, forest greens, maroons seem to be the paint colors of choice. 

Now that I've made my night time stroll, the walking around is not uncomfortable.  It feels like walking around Chicago - only, again, less people and they are all speaking Spanish,  It would be really nice to know the language!!

Traveling tip:  You will not get power in your room until you are smart enough to figure out that your room key goes in a box thing by the front door and then the power goes on.  Who knew??

I'm going to work on jet lag now!  Good night to all, near and far!