Barcelona Blues

I want to tell you about my trip to Barcelona, but my head is so full of this being my last week at Westminster that I am feeling very disconnected from anything else. So this isn't my usual thoughtful analysis but more like a series of word snapshots. I'd love to hear from my dear readers about any last insights on Parliament that they would like to know? Today is my last day in the palace.

Last weekend I took a short vacation from my working vacation. I went to Barcelona to meet some friends who were traveling through Europe. I'm sure Barcelona has many delightful tourist attractions (and I saw a few), but my primary goal was to get to some sand and sun and sea. I wanted to wear the bikini that I had brought and was mocking me every time I grabbed my umbrella. 

This was my first time in Spain. When I landed at El Prat, the passport control guy saw where I was born and then serenaded me with the song "Californication." I knew I would like the place immediately. 

Barcelona is an bewitching city. There is a ridiculous amount of public art there. All of it massive and weirdly beautiful. You can really tell that this is an artist's hub. The streets in the neighborhood we stayed in were narrow and ornate. There are hidden plazas and squares filled with white cafe umbrellas and tables. Everyone seems relaxed and happy and there are thousands of bikes. 

I had pretty much the same tapas for every meal: Patatas Bravas, fried peppers, Catalan bread (with oil and tomato and oregano), calamari, and some other type of fish (cerviche, prawns, mussels, mackerel). I also tried Paella and Fideua, and gazpacho, and drank a good deal of Sangria. So it was a culinary adventure as well as a sun-seeking one. In retrospect though, I didn't have enough gelato. 

Probably the best part of my trip was having lunch with an old high school friend who has been going to school in Barcelona and meeting his wife, who is just adorable. 

On the plane ride back from Gatwick, I head a woman tell her friend: "Now I've got the Barcelona Blues." And I knew just what she meant.