FrozenDreamer

Started the day off by checking out the Arc De Triomf. Very kewl arch… very impressive!
Walked down the square and watched the old Spaniards playing ‘bools’ next to the Government Buildings. Very traditional… you could tell!

Then it was off to the Zoo. After all… the two London Twomples can’t go to another city without checking out the local Zoo :).
They had loads of animals that I have’t seen before… a few of the regulars. You can tell that they’re working on the place quite a bit as you can see a definite differance between ‘old’ zoo and ‘new’ zoo. The new zoo has wonderful enclosures (Sea Lions, Dolphin house, Monkeys and Pygmy Hippos), but the old zoo leaves a lot to be desired. The Elephants could have much more space… and there are far too many lions in the lion enclosure. No zoo is perfect… but this one is reasonably good.
We watched the Dolphin show, presented by the gorgeous Marco (GRRRRrrrrrrrrrr). We didn’t get to see Snowflake the famous Albino Gorilla as he passed away about two years ago. I’ve heard about him before, so it would have been nice… but pictures will do!

We then took a stroll down to the Marina… where the ‘local’ Nigerians and other Africans sell their illegal wares. Watching them run from peir to peir as the police chase them around is good fun!
We found a lovely boat next to the Marina which looked out over the boats in the harbour. We watched people look after their floating homes (and palaces!!!) while dogs and cats hopped bravely from gangplank to deck. Sipping Cava from the upper decks of our floating perch, while fish swam around us, we watched the sun set on our first Barcelonian day.

After two hours on the boat we took a trundle back to the hotel… and got ready for dinner at 22:30 (Spaniards eat late!). What a wonderful meal. This is what we had:

Graeme:
Starter —– Canelloni, wonderful cheesey sauce.
Main —– Salmon with deep fried red-cabbae, string beans and mashed potato tower.
Desert —– White, Milk and Dark chocolate mousse tower (simply stunning!!!)

Bryan:
Starter —– Tomato and Mozzarella towers with a vinagarette dressing.
Main —– Slices of duck with a dark jus. Mashed potato tower.
Desert —– White, Milk and Dark chocolate mousse tower (simply stunning!!!)

If my memory serves my right, we finished up here and wondered up a still busy Ramblas to the Metro CATALUNYA and back up to the Hotel for the evening.