Barcelona to Milan

Today we delved deeper into a farmer's market where we stocked up on fruit, pastries and brie (it’s soooo cheap here!) before heading to the beach where we spent the afternoon in the warm water.

The market was really a special treat that I’m sure we will hope to discover in every city we visit. The bustling venue is lined with row after row of fruit stands complete with homemade juice of a variety of fruits. Passionfruit was my favorite and Brent really enjoyed the coconut "juice". Huge stands full of gummy candy, chocolate candies, and candied nuts popped up around every corner and further on down the rows, we found vegetables and bread stands and even live lobsters and crab, still moving on the bed of ice! The prices were incredibly reasonable and the atmosphere was thrilling. :)

Once we finally left the market, we strolled through La Rambla once again and finally found our way to thebeach, lined with locals and tourists, eager to relax by the pristine water. The absence of seagulls at this beach was amazing! Being able to enjoy a picnic on the beach without worrying about seagulls was a welcomed surprise! Besides, we felt so classy munching on blackberries and some bread and brie as we relaxed by the water. :) And the water…wow. There were hardly any waves and since the water is so shallow, the water was warm yet refreshing and virtually translucent. We were reluctant to leave the beach when we had to head out for our night train.

Now Brent and I are on our overnight train to Milan, where we are stuffed like sardines into separate sleeper cabins. The "room" is about a 7’ by 7’ square with two fold down beds on each side of the room. It’s rather comical. Everyone on the train, no matter what nationality, is sharing a laugh over our accommodations. In my sleeper, I met yet another Aussie, a woman from (I think?) Italy, and an older woman from Milan. The woman from Milan also speaks Spanish, but quite slowly since it’s her second language, so I have been able to understand her easily! Maybe my Spanish is just getting better.

After talking to a few English-speaking during our stay in Barcelona who have traveled through Italy, it appears that although most Italians don’t speak English, it’s common for them to speak Spanish. We may be able to get by just fine in Italy! Looks like everyone is turning their lights off, so time for some zzzz’s!