Barcelona ::: Day 2 ::: Donde esta la playa?

My goal on my second day in Barcelona was to lay out on the beach by the Mediterranean all afternoon. With bathing suit and travel towel in my purse, I head out along the Rambles, which runs directly to the water.

I have a 50/50 shot of picking the right direction. Of course, I pick the wrong way. Instead of what would have been a 10-minute walk to the pier, I ended up walking an hour or so in the wrong direction, where I finally busted out one of the few Spanish phrases I know: Donde esta la playa?

Along the way I did get to see some fun stuff, like the living statues on the Rambles and Catalunya Square.

I did eventually make it down to the beach, around 5 or 6 in the evening. Instead of sunning myself, I walked past a Muscle Beach type situation and to the end of a jetty into the ocean, and watched the water for a while.

I was blown away by how much art permeates this culture. Similar to the living statues, there were a few groups of people creating amazing sandcastles for donations. Street musicians are everywhere, and they're TALENTED. Along the jetty are carvings in the rocks. And from the very end of the jetty I could hear a brass band practicing in someone's apartment (I confirmed where it was coming from later).

Here are some photos from my walk in the wrong direction, and then to la playa: