Celebrate Catalunya, Run La Merce

So it's been another eventful week here in Barcelona, as we celebrated September 11 day- "Catalunya Independence Day" which is confusing because Catalunya is in fact not really an independent country. It is a autonomous region which means something but I don't really know enough about it to explain. But, in actuality, the festival celebrates a major protest that happened during the time of Franco, in which the people of Catalunya marched on the streets, demanding rights to speak their language and have self-governance. These days the festival means a lot of Catalunyan flags and traditional Catalunyan things like building castles out of people and apparently selling lots and lots of books in Catalan. If I haven't said enough already about Catalan-- or if you haven't read my previous posts about it-- the best way to describe Catalan is to say that it really isn't like Spanish at all. If you think that you will come to Barcelona and be able to understand things because you speak Spanish, think again! Catalan is more similar to French or Italian but is fact not really like either of those. When I see it written, I can almost sort of understand some words-- but when I hear it spoken, I really have no idea what is being said.
Anyway. So the festival celebrates Catalan and all things Catalunyan. I've included here some pictures of the Arc de Triompf with the Catalan flag and also a parade that went marching by. Catalan nationalism is a big deal here.
Also this week I ran in the Cursa de la Merce, a huge 10k race that features a brief tour of some of the major streets of the center of the city and also 12,000 people. 12,000 people wearing really bright pink shirts. It was a lot of fun- but the beginning was crazy chaotic as the starting place was weirdly blocked off to runners so we all had to smoosh through a tiny opening in a metal fence.
But it was loads of fun! Not my best 10k time, but my second best. So that's good, considering I haven't been running that much. I've got to start upping the weekly mileage as I start to plan for the marathon on March!
Right now we are being treated to a chorus of the Women Who Shout From Their Balconies Rather Than Call People or Talk to Them in Their Apartments. It's kind of charming, if it wasn't so loud. There are several people in the building across the street who habitually shout to their friends in other apartments or on the street, and then proceed to have lengthy conversations in which they shout every word from one balcony to another. Earlier today one of the woman broke out into an old Spanish song and another man from another balcony shouted down that she is a terrible singer. She protested and continued singing.
I kind of love it and I kind of hate it. At the moment I'm leaning towards loving it. At least I get to practice my Spanish! And it has a wonderful Right Out of A Movie About Barcelona kind of feel to it. Very cinematic.

Pretty Pictures of a Pretty City

Here are some assorted shots of the palm trees at the Parc de la Ciutdella, the Arc de Triomphf, the little square just around the corner from our house, and the street sign for our little street.

Assorted Interesting food items

This week we've been enjoying discovering all sorts of unusual Spanish delights, including a culinary journey we like to call "Michael and Rebekah's Adventures in Seafood in a Can." Here in Spain, many types of seafood are sold in cans-- the small type, of the sardine-can variety. The doubtful among you may scoff at the possibility that something tasty can come from a can-- but I can attest, there are many canned examples of deliciousness here in our new home. Our first experience was the baby squid (pictured here). The squids are so small, five fit inside a can the size of a typical sardine can. We saw this box at "El Corte Ingles," the amazingly-tempting-but-too-expensive-but-hard-to-resist grocery story at the bottom of the department store of the same name. Seeing baby squid in a can, how could we NOT buy it? We had to try it. And-- I know you won't believe me-- but it was UNBELIEVABLE. One of the best taste experiences, I would say, OF MY LIFE. They are simply prepared-- just canned in olive oil, then we flavored them with a bit of lemon and salt and pepper. DE-vine. I know, I know. You're thinking chewy, right? This squid was not chewy. It melted in your mouth like a pat of squid-flavored butter. Michael and I each took a bite and then looked at each other and said, "Oh My God." Oh my god.
And this unique experience is available for less than 1 euro per can!
After the Joy of Squid, we moved on, the next night, to little slices of what I think are octopus in "Galicia" sauce. This was not good. This was inedible. The fish itself was okay, but the sauce was good awful.
Up next? Little mini sardines. AMAZING. Best sardines ever. Bought the can at the cheapo corner store for 45 cents. Perfect with a little bit of mustard, some bread, some wine. Dinner A La Rebekah and Michael's.
Then? How about little baby whole octopus? Delicious? Yes. Perfectly prepared, not chewy at all, wonderful? Yes. Not as good as the baby squid, though. Nothing yet has topped the Baby Squid Experience, but the little sardines came close.
I have also included here a picture of these incredible fresh figs we bought at the Santa Catarina market, just a few blocks from our house. This was actually our first shopping trip to Santa Catarina because it closes at 2:30 and we never seem to be able to make it there on time. But what a market! Beautiful fish and produce-- finally found what seem to be some good eggs-- olives and anchioves and CHEESE. We stood at the cheese counter for some time, holding our number, waiting to be called, staring at the display and feeling both thrilled and overwhelmed by the plethora of cheese choice. Ended up with two big hunks of something-or-other that was delicious. And then the olives! I've included here a picture of the Giant Olives that we bought that taste so amazing, you feel like you've died and gone to Olive Heaven.
Oh, yes, I also started my new teaching job this week- but I figured that was no where near as interesting as Seafood in a Can.
Otherwise things are good. The temperature has dropped, making the city quite pleasant to walk around. I've started running down by the beach and/or port so that I can look at the hills and the sea-- and the palm trees! Have I mentioned the palm trees? Next post I will put up some pictures of parks with palm trees...