...then Weekend Fun

I had a really good time this weekend and had a chance to do a bunch of different activities around the city. As always, the weather was gorgeous and there was lots to do.

On Friday, Stephanie and I met up with our friend Eric who we had met during the two week Space Summer Program put on by the Eisenhower Center in June. He was on a European cruise and in Barcelona for the day. We had great tapas in Plaza Real in the Barri Gotica, and then walked down La Rambla to sit by the water.
Stephanie headed back in time for afternoon class and attended a really interesting lecture on Chinese history and culture and how it has affected their space program. The Chinese people in our group were in the lecture and commented on various aspects, which was really cool.

After class we went back downtown to Jeff's apartment and hung out on his terrace having snacks and relaxing. My friend Amanda came into town (she is living and working in Tarragona this summer). When she arrived, we all headed to dinner at Moon Cafe. It's a cute little place not too far from Jeff's (with a great name) and the best nachos in all of Barcelona. I dream about them now. There were lots of us at dinner - myself, Jeff, Stephanie and Amanda, Jeff's roommate, Victor and Victor's friend Sergei, and also a couple of French guys from our program - Francois and Brice - and their professor that was in town.After dinner I went with Jeff, Amanda, and Victor to a cool bar in Fontana where Sergei works - he had left dinner early to get to work. It had a nice, laid back atmosphere and was a good place to hang out for the evening.

Saturday morning I had class again, which is always a bit difficult on the weekends. But after lectures, we headed into town for lunch at a restaurant near Placa Catalunya called Ciudad Condal. It had great tapas - I really enjoyed the fried mushrooms.After lunch we did a bit of shopping around town, and then I headed home for a nap. In the evening, Jeff, Victor, and Amanda came up to Agora, where I live, to see the second Culture Night presentation. This week it was Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil and Canada. The presentations were funny and entertaining. When it was all over, they decided to head back home for an early night, and I headed out with a bunch of people in my program for some Saturday night Salsa dancing.