Independencia Americana

Today was a very eventful day, but I can’t go into much detail at 2 o’clock in the morning!  This morning we woke up later than expected, which was devastating because we have unfortunately saved much of Barcelona’s sightseeing for our last weekend here.  Of the many things we planned, the only success was souvenir shopping.  We had planned on going back to the beach as well, followed by a cable car tour of the city to see it for our last time from the aerial perspective.   With a bit of changes in our plan, we ended up having a night of surprises.

 

While souvenir shopping on La Rambla, Mother and I enjoyed paella, gelato, the warm sun, and some Wimbledon Women’s Tennis finals in a smoky Irish pub.  Amazingly enough, after visiting every store and artists on La Rambla, its surrounding streets and its back allies, we managed to purchase small presents for almost every loved one we have ever known (the hardest part of souvenir shopping is deciding who to narrow the gift receivers down to).  I even met the real Edward Scissorhands! And as a note to all who read this: If traveling to the beautiful and diverting Barcelona, do not eat/drink at American:soda.  Think of overpriced times ten and you get American:soda.

 

When we got home that evening, we did all of our Internet research on Barclona’s Montjuïc funicular and cable car; we had planned on seeing the city from a new perspective that night, but we were not so lucky.  We took the funicular all the way up, only to realize that we missed the last cable car by eleven minutes.  “You can still take that bus up to the castle,” the guard with whom we were not very happy with suggested.  We wanted to ride the cable cars! But the bus would have to do.  We made it to the castle and it was beautiful. However by the time we got there it was already sunset, as our bus had to ride up and down the mountain three times to avoid some traffic jam.  At least the sunset was beautiful!  We took pictures outside the walls of the thirteenth-century fortress, and we captured the essence of the ships ad sea, the moon and sun, the group of drunk guys laughing and dangling one friend from the top of the castle – what a beauty the night turned out to be!  When we had taken pictures to our hearts’ content, we walked up to enter the magnificent stone stronghold.  Except the old man at the entrada slammed the door in our face and told us it had closed at 9:00 PM.  I looked at the time on my phone, confused.  It was 8:56.  Just our luck. 

 

Despite our poor timing and unfortunate run-ins with grumpy guards, it was a very memorable experience and although we couldn’t get inside the castle, I think we enjoyed it even more than the drunk men who did.

 

On our way back home, we stopped at Plaça Catalunya so I could meet and say goodbye to my friends one last time – they were throwing a Fourth of July party at Caroline and Natalie’s apartment and they wanted the American to be there.  I called Clara to ask for her address, and after she told me she said, “Would you like me to come get you?” 

“Nah,” I replied.  “I know my way from here.

“Ok, if you’re sure.  You’d better get here quick because I made nachos and guacamole just for you! Oh and Morgan,” she added. 

“Yeah?”

“Watch your bod,” she almost laughed

 

Less than three minutes later I found out what she meant.  Originally, I was going to visit my friends alone while my mother dearest chilled in La Rambla.  Bad plan.  I don’t know who was more worried – Mom about letting me leave or me about leaving her there.  (But seriously – bringing my mom to a party!) La Rambla by day is overpopulated by tourists and street venders and performers.  La Rambla by night is the place for locals and street venders/performers of a different kind.  Don’t accept any alcohol or illegal drug substance from the men, don’t even look at the women in heels and short dresses because they don’t care if you’re a guy or a girl – and keep your purse in front of you.  When we had almost decided to call it a night and go home, I got a call on my phone from Edmund, Clara’s German friend from the movie last night. “Morgan?”

“Yes?”

“This is Edmund, from the cinema.”  He spoke in Spanish

“Oh, hey.  Hey I’m kind of in the middle of trying to find out where I am, could I call you back?”

“Yeah, I know.  Where are you?  I know you told Clara you could make it here on your own but I wouldn’t allow it.”

“Oh… thank you,” I replied hesitantly, deciding what to do with Mom.

“Oh there you are, Morgan!” Great.  Too late. 

 

I explained to my mom in a matter of four seconds that she would be coming to a Fourth of July party tonight, knowing that if Edmund was willing to leave a party to make sure somebody he hardly knew didn’t walk alone, he wasn’t going to leave my mom in the street. 

 

Strangely enough, it all worked out and it turned out to be very fun!  We were extremely happy to have a male walking with us down the dark allies to Caroline’s apartment.  My mom really liked him as well as the rest of my friends, and they really liked her! Although we said we could only stay for a while they insisted that we had a drink and try their attempts at American food (they had made macaroni salad, nachos and guacamole – even corn on the cob) and they were waiting for the American approval.  By the end of the night, I met more really nice people that weren’t from school, and my mom liked my friends so much that she invited them to come live with us if they ever came to Texas.  This worked out perfectly because Caroline had already wanted to come to Texas and Clara was planning on going to the Grand Canyon and would love to visit Texas afterwards.  I exchanged facebooks/email addresses with new friends, hugged and kissed the old ones goodbye, and we were on our way again, and without Edmund this time (despite his attempts to protect us womenfolk once more, we couldn’t take him away from the party again).  We half sprinted home and made eye contact with no one until we were safely on our street again.  It is very late now, and we have finally made it to bed.  Tomorrow is our last full day and we must get some rest now.  ¡Hasta mañana!