Wow time flies

So, I didn't realize how long it had been since my last blog post until I checked LL to see some threatening emails from Leah.  I've just been so into Barcelona the past few weeks I forgot all about it.  Things have been wonderful.  My girlfriend, Natalie, has been in town for since the 9th  and will be here until I leave.  I've saved most of the cultural stuff for her visit and we've made a whirlwind of it.  The first thing we did was to travel to Pamplona to run with the bulls.  Well, I ran with the bulls.  It was probably the single most terrifying thing I've done and one of the poorer decisions I've made, but also the biggest adrenaline rush EVER!  Those things are big and can run really fast.  I looked over my shoulder and they were several hundred feet behind me, about 10 seconds later I checked again and they were about 50 feet back.  I ducked into a store front and watched them go by.  

We've also done most of what Barcelona has to offer.  We've done bus tours, the Picasso Museum, Sagrada Familia, the Aquarium (the biggest in the Med and still nothing compared to Chatt or ATL), toured the FCB stadium and museum, and strolled along La Rambla in the evenings.  My personal favorite has to be Montjuic.  Its a mountain at the south end of the city that has a fort on the top with amazing views of the city.  In addition to the fort, there's the Olympic Stadium and Olympic Museum, along with gardens and art museums.  Last weekend we went to L'Estartit, a city about 2 hours north of Barcelona on the ocean for some diving.  Its a nice beach town that hasn't been overdeveloped like the entirety of the US coastline and there is a protected marine sanctuary called Illes Medes.  The diving was wonderful and there was plenty to see, though I am still waiting on my turn on the Great Barrier Reef.  There were a ton of grouper, some eels, and an octopus, which my buddy tried to pet.

One very Barcelonian thing I did experience which I would have rather not is the plethora of pickpockets.  I had already thwarted one attempt, but the thieves were more successful the second time.  As I was getting on the Metro, someone tried to cut in front of me to use my swipe to get on.  As I was arguing with him, his buddy took my wallet.  I realized it about 1o seconds later, but they were already gone.  They got my driver's license, insurance card, debit and credit cards, and 30 euros, but I'm most pissed about the wallet.  I really liked it.  Thankfully, I brought a second debit card that I wasn't carrying so I can still get money out, but it's still inconvenient, especially because now I have to carry my passport since it's my only form of ID if I try to use my card.  Another lucky note is I had considered going to the ATM just before I was robbed, thankfully I didn't.

While I am in love with this city, I am ready to come home.  I've been craving Chickfila for a couple weeks and won't be satisfied until I stuff myself with chicken biscuits.  I've never really thought of myself as a homebody but then again I've never been so far away for so long.  Great.  Now I'm starving with all this talk of food right before lunch.