Monday 3 December 2012

chocolate, catalanism, and more catalanism

Photobucket

With Albert and a friend in town for the weekend, it seemed as good a time as any to engage in a winter breakfast tradition... chocolate con churros. I only do this about twice per winter though, to avoid the inevitable heart attack. Below you'll find the typical pudding-thick hot chocolate completely submerged under a wad of whipping cream, plus churros, melindres and an ensaimada. I have a feeling I may have eaten more than everyone else...

Photobucket

Photobucket
colourful tiles on Carrer Petritxol

Then it was time for a lengthy wander through the streets, leading inevitably to my favourite Sunday morning destination, the second hand book market at Sant Antoni (previous posts about this are here and here--they are also documents to the growth of my hair over the past year!) It was time to renew my collection of Asterix in Catalan!

Photobucket

I may as well include this picture, of a Barcelona fashion magazine from the 30s, since the woman whose stall it was yelled at me enough for taking it. :D
Photobucket

Photobucket

It was election day, essentially a one-issue election--shall Catalonia hold a referendum on separation from Spain? (which is actually illegal in the Spanish constitution, which might tell you something about the current political situation). The pro-referendum parties won 87 seats vs. 48 for non-referendum, so I guess we're headed to the polls! Plenty of Catalan spirit on buildings all over town meanwhile.
Photobucket

And then my friend and I went to famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí's Casa Batlló (it's good having tourist friends in town). I'm about to become an insufferable Gaudí expert since I'm currently translating a book about him at work... Casa Batlló was marvellous, and worth the (kind of steep at €20) admission.
Photobucket

Photobucket
Anyway, just another Sunday really!

Photos of me by Albert

22 comments:

Kezzie said...

Bloomin heck I feel sick at the thought of that breakfast (just eaten a large meal!) How fluent are you in Catalan? I have a friend who conducts an orchestra out there called Joan Helluna- he's from Catalan and I think it's in Barcelona!

Anonymous said...

haaaa! You looks so beautiful in red dear :)

Love it!

spoonafternoon.blogspot.com

ZZ said...

Yes, the red looks great on you. Wish I had that breakfast right now!

Closet Fashionista said...

Wow everything is so beautiful there!! And that food looks quite deadly ;)
(loving your outfit too)
And hmm....that's very interesting about the voting
http://www.closet-fashionista.com/

Anonymous said...

wonderful place :) love your dress :)
Irene Wibowo

Anonymous said...

wonderful place :) love your dress :)
Irene Wibowo

Is It Secret, Is It Safe said...

That breakfast looks like the stuff my dreams are made of! What!

Also, I love your outfit! The jacket is awesome!

-Katie

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Kezzie: My Catalan is okay. Spoken, I´m a bit all over the place. I read novels though... not quite sure how to close the gap. Probably insisting on speaking Catalan instead of Spanish at work would help, but work is stressful so I wimp out. :)

beewaits said...

You look super cute and I love love love the dress. Now dying for some curros though. Pretty sure there are some at the Christmas market! x

Franca said...

I love churros! That's interesting about catalonia, I knew it was coming up, but since I finished work, i have lost all track of news.

Annebeth said...

another lovely report of your day. The political part really interests me (I'm having a hard time maintaining my a-politicalness these days) :D

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Annebeth: Excellent! Down with a-politicalness!

Anonymous said...

I adore the dress. Where did you get it?
xx
annie*

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Annie: It's by Ralph Lauren (I think the jeans collection) last winter...

Anonymous said...

oooooh, too much then. Red looks amazing on you
annie

Closet Fashionista said...

(The other brand is Coast London :) )

Ashley said...

Ummmmmmm. When I come can you please PLEASE tell me where to get that hot chocolate? I need that in my life!

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Ashley: Don't worry, we'll go!

Xavi said...

I like mixing with freaks in Sant Antoni 2nd hand book Market. And after market..., arround 13:0, a beer with Squid rings at "tres tombs". Just the best Sunday morning for me.

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Xavi: "geeks" not freaks. Friki is some Spanish corruption, freaks in English is un poco fuerte... ;)

But I agree with you about els tres tombs. Or Rekons, the empanada place, is also excellent!

Emily, Resplendent Tranquility said...

That's my dream breakfast right there! And, Casa Batllo does look marvelous.

Dus of Cuddly Cacti said...

i dont remember it being that that pricey but do remember it being incredible & worth it. i didnt know you translated that sort of work, that is so cool! do you translate from catalan to english? always have to chuckle a little about the catalan spirit having lived in another part of spain (but don't tell Albert that) haha.
http://dusanabotswana.com