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Seafood in Barcelona and Coconut Guy – Backpacking Europe
La Boqueria Barcelona
Continuing off the momentum from last night, I was ready to carpe diem in its entirety. The day started a little late, and I found myself waking up to that scrappy cat again staring at me with this “not amused” look. Hitting the ground running, the first stop was one of the popular seafood markets in Barcelona: La Boqueria Barcelona.
This market was very similar to the one previously explored in Madrid. However, this one without a doubt had more seafood. The market was laid out like a colorful grid. There were aisles lined with all sorts of tapas, meats, fruit drinks and desserts. The middle area was a circular display of all the seafood. After doing my rounds, I settled for a snack before lunch: a pineapple smoothie drink and the mixto marisco (mixed seafood). I know it had pulpo, among other popular seafood choices. My hungry stomach thought nothing of it at the time. However, I was soon to be betrayed.
Before making my way to one of the parks on my list, lunch was served at O’toxo Tres Hermanos. I had a paella dish with chicken, shrimp, and mussels because surf and turf is needed sometimes. One thing I’ve struggled to find out is how to properly eat the shrimp. I decided to eat the entire shelled shrimp. Is this right or did I just enter dangerous territory?
Parc de la Ciutadella
With my stomach still loving life, I walked over to Parc de la Ciutadella which, personally, is worth at least a stop. The main attraction in the park is la Cascada Monumental. It’s a monument, fountain, waterfall and pond all in one. Furthermore, at the top of the monument is a sculpture of Quadriga de l’Aurora, which I understand means nothing to most. Regardless, the sculpture had some sweet golden chariots, and the overall architecture is meticulous.
I also took a walk around the park to see what was going on. This place was R&R central. Almost everyone I saw had found a nice piece of grass to lay down and take in the sun. There was also a central pond area where a majority of people were lounging about, ping pong games and some basketball half-courts.
One of the more ridiculous moments was with this person I’m naming Coconut guy. Coconut guy was very persistent about selling his damn coconuts. Back at the Cascada, Coconut guy was showing me his fresh coconut slices as I was attempting to take some pictures. Even after I told him I had no euros, he insisted I try one by literally hand-feeding me. Once he realized I actually didn’t have money, Coconut guy proceeded to remove the coconut from my mouth and walked off ranting on about “stupid Americans.” I love you Coconut guy.
The MO of Coconut Guy
Coconut Guy was so interesting I had to observe him more. I was disappointed he didn't hand-feed anyone else, however, he did use a public water spigot to rinse his supply for that ultimate "fresh" look. To this day, I wonder who the lucky person was that got my slice of coconut he put back in his basket...
Seafood Revenge
Still at the park, I decided a nap was in order. I found a perfect tree next to the pond, put my headphones on and knocked out. As a result of the seafood (I can only assume), I suddenly woke up to WWIII in my stomach. At this point, napping was no longer an option. I was definitely on the struggle bus walking back to the Airbnb. Likewise, the body was entering DEFCON 1.
Barely making it back, I immediately fell on the bad and stayed there until morning. I’m still not sure if it was due to the seafood or not, because I really enjoyed everything I ate that day. Nevertheless, my body decided give itself a fever to sweat it out. I’m happy to report it worked wonders. However, I still wonder, which delicious seafood was the culprit?
Recap of Places
- La Boqueria Barcelona
- O’toxo Tres Hermanos
- Parc de la Ciutadella
Michael Lakus
IT professional, athlete, musician, ponderer of many things... Born and raised in Florida, I began traveling internationally after college. I created this site primarily to remind myself of where I've been and to share my experiences on traveling with a quirky, stress-free, travel attitude.
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