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Leslie enjoys what she doesn't realize will be her last decent beer for a spell, at the TGI Fridays in the Atlanta airport. Goodbye, USA!
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Leslie does some planning on the airplane.
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We arrived in Barcelona at about 8am. Even though we managed to sleep on the airplane, with an assist from Advil PM, we are not in great shape for our first day in Spain. At least the hotel is nice!
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It was quite difficult to find a restaurant open on Sunday. Also, it was raining. But we managed to stagger to this place for some nourishment on Sunday, El Dia Perdido.
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We attempted to find a fun bar airing the FC Barcelona soccer game, to help us stay awake until a reasonable hour. The Amsterdam bar was kind of a misfire.
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Boqueria counter
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Bryan enjoys a final mediocre American breakfast circa 5am at SFO.
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Bryan sucks up some power before boarding the 9-hour flight to Barcelona.
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more hotel window views
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We've got a pretty nice view out the window, too.
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Monday morning, our first non-zombified day in Spain! We rounded the corner from our hotel (AC Diplomatic) to a nice little restaurant (Tapas Tapas--a chain, but who cares) where we ended up eating breakfast every day while in Barcelona.
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How could we go elsewhere? Their cafe con leche and half-flauta with tortilla is perhaps the best breakfast in the world. 2.25 euros.
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All the eggs in Spain had these amazing orange yolks. I don't understand: we buy the most expensive, hippiest eggs out there in the US and don't get yolks like this.
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Bryan didn't need to show for his conference until Tuesday, so we got to bob around the city a bit. Here's Leslie in front of...probably part of the cathedral.
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our first of many arm-out shots
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the cathedral
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some picturesque things reflected in Bryan's lens
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narrow medieval street
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old building, still a novelty on day one
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buildings, sky
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Bryan, graffiti
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examples of Barcelona's famous leather-working
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another church, and the blue sky we were so happy to see after the rainy forecast
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Leslie in the walkway next to a plaza
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These street lights, our guide book informed us, were Gaudi's first public works in Barcelona.
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Bryan stomachs an inferior beer.
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The Boqueria! After falling in love with it during our 2007 trip, we got back here as soon as possible.
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spices for sale