First moments in Barcelona

Last night, around eight o'clock p.m, while waiting for our very delayed flight in the Newark airport, I had a fleeting thought that this, too, was not going to happen. The flight was delayed for mechanical reasons (problems with the landing gear-- never good news!) and there seemed to be little information about if or when we might leave. So we waited. And waited.
And then- at 11:00 p.m- the announcement was made and we boarded. I am pleased to report that the flight went well and the landing gear did, in fact, work correctly. All of us on board were much relieved.
But, let me back up a moment. A few hours before boarding, there was a sudden flurry of activity in the waiting area. As if beckoned by a silent whistle, all of the Spaniards sitting around us leapt to their feet and dashed across the terminal. They clumped in huge mass, shouting and waving and brandishing cameras. Family members waved to each other, children ran out of the hands of their parents. What on earth was going on-- we wondered. Then we saw that the crowd was centered around a young man who sat sheepishly on in the center of the mass. One after another, people snapped photographs standing next to the young man, and he kindly (albeit with a bored expression) obliged. We had no idea who this person was- but, let me tell you, the Spaniards loved him. We quickly determined with some other Americans sitting near us that he must be a soccer player because who else could possibly excite the Spaniards so much and no American would even recognize him? I asked a little boy who was running past us, panting, camera in hand. Turns out he is some guy who plays for Barcelona, apparently a really big star. I don't even remember his name, honestly.
But, in the name of "when in Rome," an American woman and I decided to go over and take our picture with him too, since, why not? He was very nice and didn't seem to mind at all.
Now we are in our lovely, lovely temporary apartment in a neighborhood near Gracia, just below Park Guell. We walked into Gracia yesterday, our jaws dropping as we pointed left and right at the incredible Art Nueveau architecture. Amazing, amazing. Stained glass decorated with curls of color, flowers. Walls painted with women in flowing dresses. Everywhere, wrought-iron balconies and curvalinear detailing on the corners, tops, and doorways of buildings. Will post some pictures later- forget to bring the camera on our walk.
I have, however, included here a photograph of our first meal in Spain-- cava, cheese, olives, and bread in our apartment. Also of course the photograph of me with Famous Barcelona Soccer Guy. Anyone know who he is??