Día 9 · jueves

Beach, Bikes, and 15 years

Went for a really long run this morning and did some sprints on the beach front. Running is still not my favorite but having a concrete path across from the Mediterranean makes it a lot better. Went to the grocery on my way back. Found some interesting coffee to take home and breakfast snacks for today. Picked up coffee as well from another of Maria’s recs near our place. There’s only instant in the apartment, and I still have standards.

We decided to walk to the beach first thing today. I’ve been running that way, but Mike hasn’t seen it yet. We end up taking the scenic route by the old bullfighting ring just behind us and then through Parc de la Cituadella where we find the grand Cascada and Font Monumental.

There’s just a three story statue and fountains in the middle of this park. It’s a historic place from the early planning of the full city. When the Olympics were here they revamped it. Now the park leads to the zoo which sits just above the beach. It’s such a big area we end up finding some lime bikes on the way. We’d been walking for half and hour and were still a ways from the beach. As we normally like to get the bike share when we travel, that is restricted to Spanish citizens here. There is one for tourists but we never see them, so lime it is.

Finally, we are feet in the sand and in the pretty cold water. There were folks running and walking this morning, but now it looks like PCB on spring break. There are people with blankets and umbrellas everywhere. This place is packed! We’re not here all day, so we walk the waterline a bit, watching several sailboats just off shore. There are five container ships in view as well. A quick stop for a beer and people watching at Guingueta Chambao just off the sand.

We grab bikes again and head back to El Born. It’s our fifteenth anniversary today! Mike found a painting he liked at one of the galleries, and we head back to buy it. It’s a local artist named Xavi Bové. Can’t wait to see what it looks like in the house!

Next we’re off to La Rambla for a spa appointment at Hotel 1898. We stop at the rooftop bar for a view before heading down. This hotel is pretty cute and has a pool on the roof as well. I’d definitely give this a look next time.

While we don’t have the spa pools to ourselves today, there are some wild jets in this one. The couples massage comes with a glass of champagne as well and were very relaxed by the time they are ready for us. I don’t typically like a massage, but this one was great. At the end, I feel like sprint season is done and behind me. I’ll be ready for head season when I get home.

We grab some bikes and start heading out of the old city. We are stopped a few times as there is a protest in defense of Gaza moving through the streets. As Maria told us earlier in the week, the Forum at the heart of the Roman city was the seat of power and government. That spot geographically has remained the political center of Barcelona throughout its history. The protesters are making their way to the Forum.

We make our way back to the house to clean up for dinner. I made reservations at Enigma months ago. It’s a Michelin one-star by Spanish chef Albert Adrià. It was said to have a really playful atmosphere which I thought would be fun.

The restaurant looks wild: gray material over the ceiling looks like cloud a follow you through the space and all of the tables, chairs, and parts of the walls are made to look like ice. Guest seating is staggered so each table gets the full experience including an introduction to the entire kitchen and floor staff.

Enigma only offers a tasting menu. The first three courses are edible drinks including a nitrogen frozen gin and tonic. When the food courses begin, you are asked if you want to have each course described when it arrives, or be told nothing and try to discern it yourself. We choose the mystery. It’s fun attempting to guess what over-the-top textures and foam are really made of. We’re not great at it, and we laugh when they explain each course in turn at how that could have been what we were eating. I will say that neither of us like foie gras yet the chef covered it in anchovy salt for seven minutes snd it was amazing.

A fantastic meal overall and a great way to celebrate fifteen years of marriage. On a recommendation from the restaurant we get a nightcap at a rooftop bar on the way home. We see La Sagrada Familia and the blue alien building lit up in the distance. It’s a beautiful city to just stare at.

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