BCN1

We arrived in Barcelona last night. Our hotel is part of the conference center where Adobe Max is -- I don't quite understand how old the area is, but certainly the convention center area is fairly new, and way off to east of the typical tourist areas.

While I never like waking up with a sinus headache (I believe my exact words were, whispering, "oh my god, I feel like I have a hangover"), I am glad when it happens in a place I can walk only a few minutes and pass several pharmacies who are more than happy to help. I was also delighted to explain my symptoms in spanish, and (better yet!) be understood. Two pills down, 10 to go, but at least I can move my head now. (I should have thought of the KXO diagnosis method last night -- especially irritable? achy? stuffy nose? watch out for a sinus infection.)

Pill #1 + latte + a hot bath = just enough push to get me out the door with the laundry in search of a lavanderia. Of course, this being predominantly a business area, there isn't much in the way of self-service laundry. So, I made my way to one of the addresses I'd found -- schlepping a loaded duffle on the metro -- only to find nothing even resembling a laundry mat on the block. Sigh. Not to be outdone, I asked at the next best option (the local cobbler) who said (all this is in Spanish, remember): "well, I'm not sure... let me think. I don't know. But.. maybe... well... go there and there and cross and maybe I think on the left." Thank you... Anyway, did walk a block or two and found a grocery store (hooray) on one side of the street, and self-service laundry machines on the other. Success! I tossed the stuff in (not my jeans, of course, because I realized yesterday that the blue stuff on the green bag is the color from my jeans RUBBING ONTO THE LEATHER!!!! VERY annoyed. Some did come off. Not all... will be remedied upon return to CA.

Anyway, I say, "see you in thirty minutes" and make my way to The Palau de la Música Catalana where I hope to acquire tickets to the Requiem performance we tried to buy tickets for in the states. I'm moving along, me and my map, happy to be in Barcelona -- scenery, people, happy clam. Somehow, I overshoot and walk about twice as far as I was supposed to, missing the Palau entirely, sweating bullets because it's 70+ degrees and I'm hightailing it in khaki pants. As the mail man for directions (he has no idea) find a hotel and the desk guy sets me straight -- "20 mintutes" he says. He's never walked with me. 7 minutes later I'm in line (dripping!) and secure two tickets for 10/28, our last night on the trip together. Hooray!

Opted to take the metro back to the lavanderia -- I was only 45 minutes later than I said I'd be -- tossed the washer contents into the dryer and went to the market for some juice. Returned to the dryer never having warmed up (20 minutes of spinning), so, since the operator had left for siesta, I figured the best thing to do was schlep the laundry back to the hotel. Wet laundry... much heavier than dry laundry. Got back to the hotel and am now sitting in, well, a large drying facility, with clothing hung from, draped over, or hooked on every shelf, ledge, or rod in the room. ... I hope something dries by morning.