Still More

One last entry for now.  I guess this is my second blog trilogy - the first one came right after Morocco.

Tanya and Lisa arrived Tuesday morning.  I took them down La Rambla and really wanted to show them this Cafe in Placa Reial that has great churros but unfortunately it was closed.  I don't know how they do it, but people in Spain simply don't eat until 2pm - it's almost impossible to find a place that serves a full menu of food in the morning (AKA noon.)

So we ended up taking an impromptu long walk down to the Port, where we finally sat ourselves down at a large cafe that was serving sandwiches.  I thought it was sort of chilly out, but T&L, being Parisians, were thrilled with the blue skies and "warm" weather.  We continued walking along the beach until we reached a large red rope jungle gym, towards which Tanya immediately started running.  As she climbed, Lisa and I sat on a nearby bench, snapping photos.

We headed back to the Residencia and piled into my bed to cuddle and talk, but in the middle of our conversation I passed out.  I felt bad, but I couldn't help it!  I was so tired - I had only gotten back from Greece one day before.  When I woke up I gave the girls to Kara because I had to work on a project with Ansell anyway, which took several hours and isn't worth writing about because its boring.

That night we went out to an expensive Mexican restaurant - 9.95 euros for an enchilada!  When we were done eating and wanted the check the waitress wasn't coming around, so I gave her a wave to get her attention, but instead of coming over, she gave me a cheery wave back.  Everyone laughed and for some reason I felt really embarrassed.  Then they all went out to a bar, but I went home to work more on the project.

The next day Ansell and I gave our presentation, yawn.  After class I met up with T&L in Parc de la Ciutadella (where Sarah and I got robbed - see:  Thief!) and we layed (laid? lied? I never know) around in the grass for a while before going back home and cooking a salad/chicken/pasta dinner.  Then we went to a carnival!  Lots of fun rides and music and churros and tents with people doing all different kinds of dance - the flamenco was the coolest, with the women in full costume, stomping loudly on the wooden floors with their black heels.

Thursday a big group of us went to Sitges for a beach day, which was awesome.  It was like 70 degrees and I brought my iPod and speakers.  That night we went for tapas and to La Oveja Negra to get drinks with Emma, her older sister, and her older sister's boyfriend.  And then Friday morning we went to the bus station to pick up NIKKI who was making a brief visit, and who I hadn't seen for almost a year!  We spent like 10 minutes waiting for her at the platform and as soon she got off the bus, she and I shrieked loudly and ran towards each other - she dropped her suitcase - and embraced.  I missed her so much!  That day I took T&L to Parc Guell - it's a schlep, but they had to see it, it's beautiful - and then we all (me, T, L, Niks, and Kara) went out to dinner at this chic place called Carpe Diem.  We ate our meal on a mattress, which sounds much more glamorous than it actually is, especially when you're wearing a dress.  The place turns into a bar/lounge at night, so we stuck around after dinner and had drinks on another mattress outside (you're supposed to buy a 200 euro bottle for the outside mattresses, but Nikki the genius sweet talked the waiter into letting us sit there).  It felt strange and good for all of us, who were studying in different places, to be sitting together like that - it was like being back at Brown.  

T&L left at 4:15 that morning - they never even went to bed - and when I woke up at 11:00am I was pleased to discover that I was by myself in a room, a luxury I hadn't had for the past three weeks.  I bummed around happily for hours, glad not to have to say a word to anyone.  That's not to say that I didn't love having guests - I did - I just hadn't had any alone time in a while, and as an only child, me-time is something I'm used to and very much need.

Went out for lunch and sangria with Niks and Kara at the proper time of 3pm, had some very abstract deep conversation, and came back to nap.  And when I woke up at 9:30pm, I knew immediately that I had a fever.  For the next 36 hours, then, I remained in bed with the chills and terrible GI pain.  It sucked, but I guess it makes sense - I had been pushing through my fatigue for so long, and all the travel and activity and lack of sleep was bound to catch up to me.  Luckily I have good friends who brought me water, coke, gatorade, crackers, and DVDs.  I got through the first 20 minutes of Bridget Jones's Diary (such comfort) before falling asleep again.

I'll spare you the details, but that night and following morning was not good.  My fever broke around 4 o'clock though, and this morning I woke up feeling significantly better - better enough, I thought, to go to class, but then while walking to the metro I felt kind of weak/dizzy.  I made it through the afternoon, but it's pretty clear that I need to take it easy for the rest of the week, especially since I'm leaving for London on Thursday.  Yes, another trip.  I have to - it's Shannon's birthday and I want more time with Nikki.  But, mark my words, this is the last time I will be flying out of Barcelona until I head back to the states.

I don't have a video of me being sick, sorry.