Charleston, South Carolina: Part 1

Hi Friends! Before you say, "New phone. Who dis?" Let me apologize for my absence. I wasn't feeling very "bloggy" as of late and I also hadn't traveled anywhere in true #independentpam fashion. Until now!

I was all set to fly to Charleston, South Carolina on Friday. 

I drove to my besties house, excited AF to get to the airport and chill/people watch for a few hours before my flight. No. Such. Luck. As we piled into her car, I received a text saying my flight had been cancelled. What. Why. Seriously? Confused and a little mad, we went back inside to find out the scoop. Turns out all flights from neighboring airports to Charleston had been canceled due to "Air Traffic Control Issues" Great.  After awhile on the phone with customer service, we were finally able to reserve me a seat on another flight. Not to Charleston, but to Charlotte, North Carolina with the promise of a car voucher so that I can rent a car and drive the rest of the distance. Back in the car we go. I'm getting pumped again. Things are looking up. On the plane I was seated next to the best seat mate I've ever had. He's an up and coming author with a book out soon. We had awesome convos, lots of laughs, and a genuinely good connection. Be sure to check out Tanner Lutheran's book Detached when it hits shelves next month! 

Upon arrival in Charlotte, I made my way to the ticketing booth to pick up my car voucher and mentally prepare for the 3+ hour drive ahead of me. No. Such. Luck. I get to the counter and they tell me they don't give out car vouchers. Not only that, but there was nothing in the system saying that anything that I said had happened! It was at that moment that I started to cry. I felt helpless and a little scared too. I explained, through tears, that none of this was my fault. I hadn't cancelled my flight. I hadn't planned on being in North Carolina. They needed to make this right. I was told to call customer service. Pissed, I did  just that. They told me I could rent a car, submit my receipt and maybe I would receive a refund. Getting more pissed, I said no dice. This wasn't my fault. The airline had told me to do all this. Seeing that I was upset and probably worried that I was going to go into hysterics, the supervisor that had been helping me took my phone and talked to Customer Service. Almost 2 hours later we had a solution. There was a flight in an hour to Charleston they could get me a seat on. Success! It was then that I started to cry again. This time tears of happiness. Vashti (the supervisor) had really stuck up for me. And hooked me up too, travel credits and something else I'll reveal in a bit too!

I rush through security for my surprise second flight of the day and see that my plane is delayed an hour. Ok. That's fine. It's still coming. I can handle this. A half hour later it's delayed another hour. And we were all moved to another gate. 

Another half hour goes by. Another gate      change. At the third and (spoiler alert) final gate, I approach the counter to get my seat. Much to my surprise and delight I was seated in First Class!!! Score!! 

Feeling happy, I sit back down and get ready to board soon. No. Such. Luck. Delayed again. The good news was that the plane was there it just couldn't get to the gate. At least it's not cancelled. First class was cool. Free booze and some snacks! Too bad it was only a 53 minute flight! I enjoyed my popcorn and Gin & Tonic. 

After a pretty boring, albeit quick flight, I arrived in Charleston. 

Stayed tuned next time for Charleston, South Carolina: Part 2!

Last days... Firenze

Day #9

Today we leave beautiful Rapallo and head to historical Florence. This also meant that it was time to say goodbye to my dear Giovanni (our superb driver). We took a picture together, then a hug, then a kiss (on the cheek) and a wink goodbye. Swoon! I shall forever miss that man :(

We arrived in Firenze and explored a bit before our city tour. 

I joined Bree, Jen, Brenda, and Shelley for a bite to eat. As is tradition, I ate an entire pizza, salcitta this time (sausage) and a gelato. I love Italy. As a group, we met at Piazza della Signoria. Surrounded by marble statues, including a replica of David, we awaited our guide. William, our Florence tour guide had a very quick step, some even had trouble keeping up! I found it funny. He would sigh exasperatingly right into his microphone when people would fall behind or lolly gag. We stopped at the Piazza del Duomo to view the magnificent and iconic Duomo. We next visited the Basilica di Santa Croce. This Roman Catholic church is the burial place of some majorly important Italians: Galileo, Machiavelli, and Michelangelo (artist not turtle). There's even a monument to writer Dante Alighieri. It was definitely a cool place. After leaving the church, we quickly walked down the street where Dante lived. Such history! 

Soon enough, it was time to bid farewell to William, but not before a stop at a Florentine leather shop. Yawn. I went across the street to a creepy Pinocchio shop instead. 

It was time to check out our digs for the next 2 nights so we headed to the hotel, NH Anglo American. 

Maryland had THE BEST ROOM EVER (huge balcony/terrace type thing) so we partied there then headed out for a late bite to eat. I had no excursions planned for the next day so I was excited to sleep in and take it easy. 

Day #10

I guess my body and mind didn't agree on how I was supposed to spend my free day. I awoke at 06:15 then finally got out of bed at 07:30. So much for sleeping late :( I went down to breakfast and tried nearly everything they had to offer, minus the jello jigglers (that's just weird). Since I was awake and fed, I decided to venture out alone into the world of Florence. It was raining, I had no umbrella, and I got lost. Florence: 1 Pam: 0 This is not starting out well. I felt like Charlie Brown as I walked downtrodden down the streets. I stopped in a shop to get out of the rain and was pleasantly surprised by the stores contents. Everything was made from glass. Beautiful jewelry pieces and other odds and ends were displayed throughout the store. I bought some souvenirs, then continued my journey. Eventually, I found the city center. I made my way to the Duomo but the line was huge and it was still raining. I opted for a bar where I enjoyed a chocolate croissant and a cappuccino while I waited out the rain. Soon enough it was warm and sunny. I walked back towards the Duomo, determined to climb to the top of Giottos Bell Tower. The guide yesterday said that it was the 4th largest, smaller than the one in Sevilla I had climbed last year. I felt pretty confident that I could conquer that tower. After about a half an hour wait, it was game on. Holy cow was it a tough climb though. Narrow and spiral, the staircase was a two-way, although in all actuality there really wasn't enough room for two at a time, nor was it safe. As I climbed higher & higher, I couldn't help but think to myself "how the crap am I going to get down from here?" The view from the top of the tower was pretty cool, although I was more excited because I had made it to the top. 

Now it was time to get down. I had timed it perfectly (without trying). There were very few people making the trek up as I was carefully but swiftly heading down. Shaky and sweaty, I successfully made it to the bottom. Yo! Girl deserves some pizza and beer after that! I saw a pizzeria right near the Duomo and smiled. I can always count on pizza! It's a this moment, my dear readers, that I must break some bad news to you. This pizza was not good. In fact, it was terrible. I've had some bad pizza before (pretty much anywhere that's not Jersey) but this was BAD. I almost didn't eat it all but then I remembered I was fat, so I chowed down. The worst part was that I was so full afterwards that I couldn't even make room for a final gelato *shakes fist* Why I aughta! 

Filled with bad pizza and still soaked from the rain and sweat, I headed back to the hotel. After a long hot shower, I played dress up until my friends came back from their excursion. We drank some wine in the courtyard and snapped some final pics before it was time to get ready for the farewell dinner. 

Well, I was a blubbery mess during the meal. I couldn't watch people say goodbye, even if it had nothing to do with me! Soon enough it was time to say my goodbyes. Since I had an early flight, I had to wake up at 03:30, it was to be an early night. It only seemed fitting for me to get lost one final time. The Jersey Girls took a few wrong turns and ended up, yet again in another shady area. This is how we do. Luckily Jen came to the rescue and GPS'd us out of there.

Day #11

The last day was just boring plane/airport stuff, so I'll just end it here. I will say though that the gentlemen that sat next to my original flight 11 days prior (Mic) sat in front of me on the way back. That was nice. 

This trip was certainly unforgettable. Plagued with dark times and beautiful memories, this trip will stay with me forever. I met some truly wonderful people with whom I desperately hope to remain friends with. In my darkest times they were there for me and welcomed me with open arms. I will be forever thankful to them. 

So until next time...

Dear Rapallo, I love you. Yours forever, Pam

Day #7

This morning it was sadly time to say "au revoir" to France. We had just enough time to make one final stop in the town of Eze. We had the option of visiting Fragonard (a perfume factory) or climbing to the top of a hill, up 200+ steps to see the views from a fortress. Which one did Pamcakes choose! Since I had flip flops on the choice was obvious... A hike up the mountainside! When I got about halfway up I spied a sign that had a picture of flip flops with a line through it. Ah, so I'm in the right place, good. Rebel Pam continued up the hill. It was a little foggy, so the views weren't spectacular but I was able to get the gist of what it would look like on a clear day. I really enjoyed walking through the quaint little village up the cobblestone paths. So cute. 

After about an hour, we were off to the Motherland... Italy!! Since Tinì and Giovanni were awesome, we had our first Italian stop in Dolceacqua, instead of a gas station. Dolceacqua means "sweet water" and it was just that! A sweet little town near some water. Brenda, Shelley, Jen, Bree and I explored a bit and then stopped for lunch. I ordered the Ligurian  specialty, pesto with gnocchi. Our biggest surprise of the lunch came when Shelley and Bree each ordered a calzone. When the food came out our jaws dropped. No joke, the calzones were the size of a human head, maybe even bigger. It was awesome. We shared a few bottles of wine and then it was time to head back to the bus. At the last minute I decided to buy a bottle of wine for later. The guy at the store asked me if I wanted to try any of the wines. I told him I didn't have a lot of time. He responded with "I can be quick when I want to be." Oh my. I tasted each, made my purchase, then raced back to the bus. We were on our way to Rapallo! 

Let me tell you, Rapallo is beautiful. Molto bello, very beautiful. Our hotel, "Europa Hotel Design Spa" was right beside the sea. 

After we checked in, I quickly got dressed then went for a short walk along the water. I was in love. It was perfect. I think I have a new favorite place. 

Before dinner we had a wine party in Shelley and Brenda's room. By the time we got to dinner, we were already feeling pretty good. The wine was flowing all through dinner too. Cuttlefish and wine is the meal of champions. After dinner, a group of us headed out to the hotel courtyard and continued to drink. We had a blast. I wish there were pictures from that night because my memory is slightly hazy. I do remember though: burpees, an epic selfie, and baby advice, so I like that about myself. I felt terrible in the morning, but it was so worth it.

Day #8

 

Ya know that feeling you get when you wake up still drunk from the night before? Welcome to my life right now. The room was spinning as I laid in bed, giving myself a pep talk just to get up and get moving. Nearly puked in the shower too. Rockstar status over here. It's a good thing today was going to be relaxing. Oh wait, no it's not. Today we were visiting Cinque Terre. Hiking and a boat ride too. Awesome. Just what I needed. We boarded the bus and set off on our journey. Porto Venere was our first stop. We saw the beautiful gothic Church of St. Peter. Stunning views and quite pretty inside, with its candles and high ceilings, the church was awesome to visit. Along the way was Byrons Grotto. The poet Lord Byron used to swim that very sea hundreds of years ago and this grotto was dedicated to him. After a delicious cappuccino in a quaint cafe overlooking the majestic mountains and seemingly endless sea, it was time to hop on a boat to visit the picturesque Cinque Terre. 

Luckily the water wasn't terribly choppy, so my hungover self didn't get too sick, plus the cappuccino really helped a lot. The boat chugged along and showed us the colorful pastel houses that painted the hills. I couldn't help but wonder, "How the heck do people get up there?" Due to mudslides, we weren't able to visit Riomaggiore, Manarola, or Corniglio. So we just sailed past them on our boat. We did stop in Vernazza though. It was there that I had the most delicious pizza I have ever had before (I'm salivating now just thinking about it). I ate it as I strolled along the shop filled streets. I even went back for a second piece but opted for a piece of focaccia bread instead. Back on the boat, we next sailed to Monterosso. Since this was a longer stop we had time to shop and to eat. I met up with Shelley and Brenda and we got our shop on. When it was time to eat, I unfortunately wasn't hungry, on account of the plentiful carbs I had eaten earlier, so I opted for a liquid lunch. One of my goals for the trip was to have Limoncello. I had only had it once before in life and hated it. I figured that since I am so cultured now and super sophisticated (I am, right?) then I'd be sure to like it. Right? I was wrong. So very wrong. I hated it. So much, in fact, that I didn't even want to drink it anymore. Not wanting to waste, I offered it to everyone I knew walking by the table. Soon enough it was gone. So. Gross. 

We hopped a train to head back to Rapallo and I rested a bit before heading back out again. I turned on the tv and what do I see but Vampire Diaries in Italiano! Awesome. After a quick rest, I headed out on my own. I pre-ate with some gelato. So good. Happy Pam. I came upon the Texans from the tour and they were kind enough to let me join them for dinner. I had a "lovely cheese pizza just for me"

After dinner with the Texans, I was back on my own. I had seen a cute shop the day before and wanted to go back to make some purchases. I walked up and down the street looking for my shop. After, no joke, 15 minutes, I was about to give up and go back to the hotel when I finally found it. The woman inside was so nice and even helped me with my terrible Italian.  "Ciao, Ciao!" Since it was vacation, I decided to get another gelato. For those of you at home keeping count, that's 2 gelatos in 3 hours. As I got back to the hotel, I ran into my NJ & MD peeps. They had been looking for me to go to dinner with them. Since I had just had 2 gelatos and an entire pizza, I gladly accepted their invitation, however I abstained from eating. Liquid dinner! Score! What started out as a shaky day turned out to be a perfectly lovely day. 

My favorite days

Day #5 

I had expected to have an amazing nights sleep, due to the fact that there were six pillows on my bed as well as relaxing oils and sprays on the nightstand. I was wrong. Crap sleep for Pam. I didn't mind though because I woke up the happiest I had been on this trip. I no longer felt sad about the phone. I felt thankful to be with this wonderful group of people and to be visiting these exquisitely beautiful places. Such a blessing. #blessed

Today we travelled to Nimes, home to an ancient Roman arena. What an amazing structure. Walking through, we saw the very spots, where hundreds of years ago many, many, many people were killed, either by lion or gladiator. 

We then walked around the city of Nimes and stopped for lunch. I enjoyed a cheese pizza and a pitcher of Rosè. I could really get used to having wine in the middle of the day! 

Next stop, Pont du Gard. French for "bridge over the Gardon River" this Roman aqueduct was built 2000 years ago, in the 1st century. Holy crap was it awesome. Pamcakes even did a little  hiking with flip flops on! It was so beautiful. I'd really like to visit again. Maybe next time with sneakers and a fella ;) The views from the tops of the hills were amazing. 

That evening, we arrived in Nice. I loved, loved, loved my hotel: Hotel Nice Excelsior. Each floor had a different theme associated with transportation. My floor was automobiles. The rooms were wonderfully weird and I even had a balcony!

I arrived in the lobby early for our quick walk about so the concierge gave me a tour of the garden courtyard. Tres Jolie! Very beautiful! Afterwards, I made a mental note to enjoy some wine there later. 

After our walk about, Jen, Bree and myself found a place to eat around Place Masséna. I wish I could remember the name! I enjoyed a plate of cheese (go big or go home right!?) and a few glasses of Rosè. What I enjoyed the most though, was Maxime, our waiter. It only lasted but a night, but his memory will live on forever. ❤️ With a belly full of wine and cheese, I was ready for sleep. 

Day #6

What a wonderful nights sleep I got! I slept like a log in my quirky little room. I awoke with a smile. This was the day I had been waiting for: villas of Cap Ferrat and Monaco! I could not wait. Our first stop was the Villa Ephrussi. Some Beatrice chick lived there in 1905 and designed 9 different gardens, filled with a plethora of types of flowers and plants as well as gorgeous views of the Mediterranean Sea.  Simply stunning. 

We headed next to yet another villa: Villa Kerylos. Built in 1903, I barely walked around inside because I was so captivated by beauty around the building.  With its breathtaking views and beautiful seascapes, this was seriously the most beautiful place I have ever been to in my entire life. At one point, I sat on a bench and just took a moment to to acknowledge how thankful and blessed I felt. Such a dork. 

We made it back to the hotel with a few hours to kill before Monaco. While my camera charged, I joined some friends for cava in the beautiful courtyard. A lovely time was had by all. Soon enough it was time to get all dolled up and head to the principality of Monaco. What up Grace Kelly! I got teared up as we drove along the very road where my beloved Princess Grace lost her life in a car accident in 1982. So sad. Seeing the castle where she lived for 25 years was amazing. We stopped at the cathedral where she married Prince Rainier in 1956 and was subsequently laid to rest. So special. I can't believe I got to experience that. 

After dinner, it was off to the Casino in Monte Carlo. I expected it to be a little more lively, but it was still fun anyways. Bree, Jen, and I "enjoyed" some super expensive, yet crappy wine and did a little gambling. Unfortunately I didn't win anything but it didn't matter to me. This was by far my most favorite day of the trip. 

Side note: Every year, the streets of Monaco are transformed for the Grand Prix of Monaco. We happened to be there during this time. It was super cool to see the roads that will be raced on. I may even watch my first car race!

Bonjour. Bienvenue en France!

I awoke completely disoriented, unable to find neither the light nor the phone to answer the wake up call. Way to go Pam. After a quick breakfast it was time to say "adios" to Spain and "bonjour" to France. I snoozed a bit on the bus while listening to the sounds of Paco Lucia on the guitar. 40 winks later and I was ready for some sights. We drove past Figueres, the birthplace of Salvador Dali, the eccentric and genius artist. We viewed the massive Pyrenees mountain chain, separating Spain from France. One of the highlights, for me, was when we stopped for a "shakesperian moment" (to pee or not to pee) at a rest stop. I brought... Wait for it... M&Ms!!! Dye free and delicious! Well not dye free completely but at least free from the harmful ones. I bought many bags and skittles too! And topped it off with some ham flavored potato chips. Fat Pam is happy! Then we were back on the road. Oh hey France! What's up? I'm in you now!

Our first stop in France was to Carcassone. A fortified city, Carcassone has been restored to its original form. Cobblestone streets, lined with shops and restaurants, allow visitors to explore this fine city. Venders offering samples of chocolates with raspberry and meringue, line the quaint streets. I enjoyed a crepe and some wine while sitting outside, basking in the beautiful French sunshine. I got to cross something off my France list too! I had my first macaroon! I popped that cherry with a strawberry one. Yum! 

Next we arrived in Montpellier. I loved my room. So cool. And I got a robe with slippers! I wandered around before dinner and came upon a park. The sound of children's laughter filled the air. There were beautiful fountains and venders selling hot chocolates, as families and friends enjoyed picnics in the sunshine. Dinner was marvelous. The wine was flowing and we felt great. 

The New Jersey crew: Bree, Jen, and myself decided to go out on an adventure. We wandered around, looking for a dive bar. We stumbled up a Cuban bar offering salsa lessons. This looked promising. It wasn't. After hanging out there for a bit we wandered around some more. Turn after turn, we ended up deeper into sketchy Montpellier. Ok, now we were lost. We started to look for the tram to take us back to the hotel but couldn't find it. We did, however, find a train station and a man peeing outside. So there's that. After awhile, we found a tram station. Not ours, but at least we were on the right track (pun totally intended). A helpful French woman pointed us in the right direction and we were hopeful. Next tram station we found  was the correct line. Whoo hoo! Now we just needed to figure out how to purchase a ticket. I tried to use my credit card but the machine frowned at me. Seriously. A face pops up on the screen and frowns at you if you mess up. So funny. We realize it only takes change , so we head over to McDonald's to get it. I almost got a beer and a ham & cheese sandwich just because it was there and it was weird. Ok. Time to try the machine again. Yes! Smile face! The machine was pleased with us. We hop on the tram feeling victorious, until we realize we are going the wrong direction "Quel dommage!" We hop off at the next stop and purchase more tickets. Ok. Let's try this again. Within minutes we were at the correct stop and we realized how easy it was to get there. Boy did we feel dumb. Way to go New Jersey, lol. All in all, what a great day :)

The Barcelona blues

I awoke to the strange sounds of the room phone ringing. Groggily, I answer and hear "This is your wake up call!" Then I remember. It all comes back to me. I have no alarm. I have no camera. I have no phone. The night befores events come flooding back in. After a quick shower and some grub, I start out on my journey to find Apple. Mind you, I couldn't Google directions, no phone and all, so I had to do it the old fashioned way... A map. Needless to say, I got super lost (no surprise there). Finally I arrive. At this point, I'm actually thinking that everything will be ok. That this was just some sort of test and I had proven myself worthy and would be handsomely rewarded with a fixed phone. Oh sweet, dumb Pam. I was way off. The phone was done. Finito. Dead. There was no way they could fix it. They couldn't even swap it for a new one because they didn't have any American phones in stock.  I burst into tears in the middle of the store.

**Side note**

I put on a brave front when I travel alone. The truth is, I'm scared. It's scary to be away from home with strangers. Even though I have this great group of people with me that is in a sense, my new family for a few weeks, it still gets lonely. I rely on my phone because it is the only way I feel like my real family and friends are with me. It's like a security blanket. I know that when I'm feeling down, I can reach out to someone or even check Facebook to see what's up. At that moment, without my phone, I had never felt more alone in my entire life.

 

When I calmed down and wiped the tears and boogers off my face, I crossed the street and entered El Cort Ingles (like a Macy's). Not to be without pictures on this amazing trip, I needed to buy a camera. I purchased a hot pink Coolpix and felt a little better. I also realized that I had no way of telling time. Since I'm not super good at using the location of the sun as a timepiece, I picked up a cheap sparkly watch at Claire's. Excited to set up my camera, I headed back to the room. What a disappointment that darn coolpix was (or at least I thought). I felt pretty glum as I took pictures and deleted them, not feeling too pleased with the results. Determined to not let this setback keep me down I headed back to the fountain, the scene of the crime, to enjoy the sunshine, people watch and journal. As I wrote the bit about feeling lonely, I got teary eyed. I'm not even exaggerating when I say that at that moment I looked up and there were my pals Karen and John, who had just been talking about me! Everything happens for a reason, I'm telling you! We chatted for a bit then parted ways. Back in the room, I decided to have a siesta when two others from the tour (Shelley and Brenda) rang my room phone and invited me to join them for lunch. We had a blast! A pitcher of cava sangria with tapa after tapa, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Brenda and I grabbed a glass of cava while we waited for a shop to open. At 5, we headed to a small meat market (she and Shelley had been the day prior) they remembered her so treated her like family, and by association, me too!  We tasted many different cheeses, meats, and crackers. He even poured wine, literally, down our throats. "Abre la boca" 

Since we were pretty much family at that point, it was time to make it official. We headed into the back room. With meat hanging from the ceiling, the meat man in his best English and Brenda, in her best Spanish conversed. It was awesome, weirdly awesome. Such a random experience and one of the reasons I love traveling. Later that night, I joined Jeremy and Christine in the lobby for some wine and chit chat. So much fun. Great conversation with great company. What started out as a crap day, really turned out to be quite wonderful. But after all was said and done, I was ready to say "adios" to Spain and "bonjour" to France.  

Barcelona Day 1 & 2

Day #1 

I arrived in Barcelona. After I cleared customs and got my luggage, it was time to see if there was anyone waiting for me. Surprise! There was! And not just one person but a whole group. Wahoo! Once we collected all our peeps, it was time to head to the hotel: The Hotel Catalonia Barcelona Plaza. 

Right on the Plaza Espana, the hotel had wonderful views of a fountain and big building. I made a mental note to explore that later. After checking in, I had just enough time to get some exploring in before the welcome dinner. Perfect time to explore what I had seen earlier. It's called Montjuic. It's a massive hill. A beautiful fountain, called Font Magica, sits halfway up the hill. At the top of the hill is the ornate and opulent Museu Nacional d'art de Catalunya.

 I felt like Rocky when I finally reached the top! The views of and from this hill were absolutely gorgeous.

 On the way back to the hotel, I stopped at a tapas restaurant (Tapa, Tapa) which was right by the hotel. Ready to get a table for one, I hear, "Do you want to sit with us ma'am?" My first thought was, "wow, people are super friendly here." But once I turned around I realized it was people from my group (John and Karen) and they had said Pam not ma'am. We had a ball, the 3 of us, drinking, eating, and laughing. I have new friends!!

Soon enough, it was time for the welcome dinner. My goal for this trip is to do and try new things, so I did. I ordered starry eggs and baby eel. It was delicious. 

After a long day it was time to head to bed. 

Day #2 

Today began with breakfast then a tour of the city. Barcelona really is beautiful. The beaches, buildings, monuments, each unique and special. The views are simply breathtaking. The highlight for sure, La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's unfinished work. Wow. There aren't enough words to describe it, and pictures don't do it justice.

 Spectacular. I would love to return to Barcelona in 2026 to celebrate the finished product. Some tapas and beer and then it was off to the next tour: more Gaudi. We headed to Casa Mila and Park Guell. So quirky and fun! The colors and architecture made me smile.

 I had asked the tour guide for some suggestions as to where I could go to really experience Barcelona's nightlife. 

After a quick siesta, I was ready to explore some more. I decided to get some beer and tapas. I stopped at a wonderful little place: MonDoré Cerveseria Gastronòmica. The food was delicious, the beers were local and the staff could not have been more helpful (and hot!) Sated and giddy, I decided to head to the fountain to watch the light show. Wow, was it packed. I managed to find a spot on the bottom step. I watched some street performers do some crazy good moves. They were really entertaining (and cute too!) Now it was showtime. Well, I should say that the show started, but I missed it all. For you see, at that moment, I dropped my phone. Not from a high distance, but from my knee, as I sat on the bottom step. It didn't crack, so I didn't think anything of it. I didn't notice it was broken until I went to take a picture of the "magical fountain." I tried to turn it on. No luck.  A sense of panic spread through me as I frantically tried various ways to make the phone work. In shock, I headed back to the hotel to see if any familiar faces were around and could offer suggestions or even fix the phone. I ran into a sweet couple from my tour (Jeremy & Christine) and was able to reach TD Tini. She suggested visiting the Apple Store in the AM. My new friends agreed and even made me feel a little better about things. Deciding that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to go out late, Barcelona nightlife was off the table. No dancing for Pamcakes. I went to sleep instead. I needed to be well rested and ready for what was to come.