Barcelona!

I'm writing this very quickly as it is definitely two am in the morning in Barcelona, but I have to, or else I'm afraid that I'm going to forget. I write this to you from my bedroom in Mas Palou, my friend Maria's country ... manor? near Barcelona - it's so beautiful and comfortable... but I'll talk about that later! The things that I have learned today.

1. Zara and Mango are SO much cheaper in Spain. I have the proof. The same dress that I bought it America was 60 USD$, was only 29.90 euros, which in dollars is only, 39.12 dollars.

2. There are a lot of Asians in Barcelona; they are ALL Chinese. For now, Spanish people can take comfort in not being racist when they assume all of the Asians that they see are Chinese, because 100% of the people of Asian background were in actuality Chinese. The Chinese people stared at me so hard! The Spanish people also stared at me! Sigh, I know living in China has gotten me used to all the staring - but in such a different way!

3. I went to a FCB/Madrid game today at a bar with Maria's friends - people of Catalonia are proud of their futbal team and will stay out until midnight on a Wednesday to watch it. ALL people - old, young and in bars - which brings me to 4.

4. Bars in Spain are not dark and do not predominantly sell alcohol. Bars in Spain are American local restaurants/bistros/small eating establishment with full lighting and are packed during big futbal nights.

5. The men in Barcelona are stilllll beautiful. I'm glad I've returned - the last time I was in Barcelona was 10 years ago and I vowed then I would come back!

I'm going touring in some vineyards tomorrow so I must go to bed now. As they say in Barcelona, "'Dio!"