4-15-14. what wasn't in the museum and we learn how to eat

Slept in wonderfully, with the help of a little ambien, then walked to the Picasso museum as you can't buy geezer tickets on line.  Great walk through the Gothic Barrio section, all narrow, winding streets with shops with homemade crafts.    Long wait, but o.k., took the time to plan other things.

Got tickets, ate good lunch, came back to rest.  We finally got the food thing, we eat a real meal around 1:00, then light the rest of the day.  I had a vegetable paella, very good, fresh saffron, and Dan had gazpacho, excellent also.    

The museum was interesting in several ways .    It was early Picasso mostly, and a fascinating group of pictures he did all based on Velasquez' La Meninas painting, which hangs in the. Prado.  This was really fascinating, Picasso did painting after painting of his different interpretations of this wonderful work.

The other impression that I had, was the LACK of paintings, all during Franco's reign---- seriously, nothing from the 40's through the 80's.   Picasso refused to have his works shown in Spain during  Franco's reign! so no big surprise, though I had hoped the museum would acquire some of the paintings.   I asked one of the staff about this,and although they acknowledged this , they said very little. 

so when I was last in Barcelona, in 1967 (!!) on a student tour, we found a much needed laundromat on some side street , and as we were waiting for the laundry, we were told to go across the street to this little museum, which was a Picasso museum, mostly of his early stuff.  We were excited to see it at that time!    It was hidden away, on a side street, and adventurous to find.  So very different from today!

Later, finally took the subway to the beach and had a drink. Very, very nice. Took the subway back--oh thank god we figured out the metro, and had some very nice tapas at a place near PlayaCatalunga.

cannot remember the name of the restaurant, but it was the best we've had so far, in a lovely area.   It's near Playa Catalunga, west of the fountain.   

I decided, after several glasses of wine, that I like eating like this.    It's like eating hors d'ouervres, which is the best part of a meal anyway.    And, it was 8:00 at night, yes, we managed to stay up like the rest of the city!    it is so lively at night, the excitement is contagious.  On the walk back, sat for a second and watched the fountain change colors and drank in the atmosphere.

the bad part is that my feet are seriously hurting me.