Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014 –
A day of accomplishments – we found and ordered a passarelle for the boat to use when docking Med-moor style in Europe (it is the ramp you walk across to get from the boat to the dock), we found the phone store and got our new SIM cards and phone numbers for Spain, and we found an ATM machine that worked.
In addition, we made the decision to change our float plan for the rest of the season and signed up for a slip to stay in Barcelona for the winter. With the offer of a 50% discount to spend the winter season, the rate moved into our budget, so here we will be. Our plan is to leave next week to sail the southeast coast of France and the island of Corsica, then on to the Balearic Islands (Majorca, Minorca and Ibiza), then back to Barcelona.
We love living in Barcelona. Our new neighborhood really is a neighborhood which so often is not the case around a marina. There are lots of apartment buildings, cafes, a market on every block, and a central market only two blocks away. We love the central market for fresh fish, fresh chicken – yes, some with their feet still on, and amazing fresh produce. Since this is the Catalan region of Spain and influenced by France, the patisseries with the fresh baguettes and croissants are all over. That could be dangerous!
On the healthier side, this is the best time of year for produce and it is local. I have tested several gazpacho recipes and, having settled in on Ina Garten’s version, am making a batch at least once a week.