well so far barcelona looks like the perfect place to be. mixture of races/faces etc, but no tension that you get in some other cities, paris for example. people are just relaxed. maybe it has something to do with having sunshine in the middle of winter and the sea 10 minutes from the center. but then again, naples has sun and sea too, but it's a totally different vibe. even as a tourist, you can pull out your map here and not feel in danger, not feel like the whole street is looking at you wanting to rob you (trust me, I've been to places where I would never pull out a map ...). Pickpockets here are the experts in the field, the best in Europe I heard, but if you're street smart that's not a problem.
I love it here.
FOOD IS OFF THE HOOK.
Two days, two lunches - one at PATXOCA, euro 10.90 for a great lunch - appetizer + main course + desert + glass of wine ... laid back, nice waiter, all good.
Chocolate on the way back to the hotel ...
CAL PEP KICKS ASS. worth every penny. For me, spending money on good food is an investment, it opens new horizons, it's like spending money on a piece of art. Great ingredients, simple, perfect execution. Unpretentious environment and wait staff, so fucking good.