Thursday 1st Report

Ola!!

After a very full Wednesday, we decided to chill a bit today. Each chaperone took a group giving kids a few options. Some groups went shopping and some did some sightseeing. I will report on my group's day and get back with reports and pictures from the other groups once we are all together again.

I took a group of ten who wanted to see some art. First we took the Metro to Joan Miro Park, to see one of Miro's most famous works, Woman and Bird. The sculpture is in a park which had a great climbing structure and the students got a kick out of getting some climbing exercise. We then took the Metro to the Contemporary Museum of Art. It was very interesting, extremely avant garde. It didn't have modern masters, as I hoped, but very contemporary works, a lot of video installations, a lot of photography, and paintings. I think that everyone found it interesting, many parts were definitely witty and thought provoking, many other parts flew past my understanding.

For lunch we broke again into three groups, Ms. West took a group that didn't want to go to the beach (it is overcast and only in the 60s). Ms. B and Mr. Rossi took a group that signed up for a formal French lunch, to make up for our lost Paris trip. Ms. King and I took a group that wanted simpler lunch, to visit the amazing open-air market on La Rambla, and then on to the beach. We had lunch at a place called Que Pasta, a fast food joint with fresh pasta that you choose a topping for. Pesto, 4-cheese, and tomato were popular, I think Ms. King hit the jackpot with a carbonara sauce - a white cream sauce with bacon. There were 17 of us and everyone loved their own choice.

We then walked to the market. It is amazing. Impossibly fresh fruit, meats, cheeses, breads, and fresh seafood so fresh that the shrimp, prawn, squiddy things and more were still alive on the ice - I am not making this up. Some had (of course) gelato. I got a half of a pineapple because I am such a health nut.

We then boarded a bus for the beach. Some of the boys bought a soccer ball and they got their blood pumping by playing beach soccer for about 30 minutes and then jumped into the Mediterranean for an icy dip. They all declared it heart-stopping cold. I will take their word for it, I played lifeguard from the shore.

We have a formal meal tonight. I will try to post again after dinner, reporting on the meal and on the day for the other groups. Adios!!