At 12.48, the sun came out.

I persisted with the rain, I didn’t mind! Although, my crossfit shoes are ‘netted’, so the puddles were rather fun.. not! Even though it was cooler and raining, the streets still had their special ‘spanish’ smell, and I think you know what I mean.

Anyway, I went off to find the Picasso Museum, without a map. I am trying to be a little retro by not relying on my iPhone maps, and aiming to follow road signs and my nose. I tried this, asked some directions from some policemen, typical didn’t listen, and got lost.

Somehow I stumbled over the museum, and queue was snaking. Ugh! Queueing is not my thing. You wouldn’t make Lulu queue. Then, something a friend told me clicked into place, book online… Ah! Book online and you can fast-track… So, as part of my hotel room admin (with added horchata), I will book Picasso, Sagrada, Pedrera (slippery floor pending) and other such delights!

I wandered around a little more, stopping promptly at least every few yards to take photos. This city is an Instagrammer’s wet dream. I walked a HUGE loop, didn’t get lost, and landed back near my hostel. For today I am swapping from hostel to hotel. A hotel I now cannot get a refund on. A hotel which costs 4 times as much per room than the hostel, did I mention that?? Who’d have thought I’d have loved a (boutique) hostel so much?!

I ducked into a cafe for lunch at around 12.40, ordered a spinach and ricotta mush pie and mint granita drink. I again didn’t understand Spanish and burnt my fingers on the plate. I gave myself TOTAL brain freeze with the granita. And then, at 12.48 the sun came out.

After lunch, I picked up my backpack from the hostel and loaded it up onto my back, and my smaller daypack onto the front. I was a backpack sandwich, or focaccia. I walked a fair way to my hotel, following my nose again.

The hotel is super sparkly! Pink sun loungers too, no less! I sunbathed for a little, and realised how pale I seem to be right now. And, for me, pale is anything less of a mocha shade. I’m now chilling on the bed, with horchata (milky drink thing), breadsticks and salami which has been vacuum-packed to within an inch of it’s life!