Jesus Is Just Alright

The apartment is full of energy with the arrival of The Friends from Seattle. Not only are the Boy and I excited to see them, I am especially happy to have some added "adult brain power." After only three weeks of Spanish immersion, my brain is hitting the saturation point of culture shock. Between the new country and the language barrier, living in Spain has become an episode of "Unsolved Mysteries." Here's a sample, of the accumulating unanswered questions:

Is there coffee in Spain that is not thick as night and served in a

thimble? How I long for a French press and some coffee grounds.

Why is there no salt in Spanish grocery stores? Bland food is no bueno.

How can I get limitless blazing fast internet in our apartment? I need to video conference for work. (And also how nice would it be to watch Season Two of the Crown on Netflix?) This is urgent.

Where can I get a pedicure and an eyebrow wax in the village?

Why doesn't the door handle to the bathroom in our Airbnb apartment unlock the door? Are we destined to be trapped in the cuarto de baño?

Within 48 hours, the Friends have banged out the answers. French press-found. Coffee grounds-found. Salt-Check. Some olive oil in the door handle-check. I work the internet with a local friend. And BAM. My brain is back on cruise-control.

It is time for more actividades turísticas. So off to Barcelona we go.

To get to Barcelona from Castelldefels where we live, we take the Rodalies commuter rail. There's an app for that on my phone. The trains run every 30 minutes. They connect into

Barcelona's Metro subway system easily. The trains are clean, on time, and fast.

But, there's a swastika drawn on my seat. I decide to sit somewhere else. [Ed. Note: Spaniards are in hot debate over who are "The Nazis" in the push for Catalan independence: unionists or independents? This swastika says "ANC", which is the influential grassroots independence party. So this must be drawn by a unionist. Attributing the democratic independence efforts to Naziism is deeply offensive to Catalonians. Still . . .] I've never lived in a place graffitied with swastikas. I'm quiet on the train.

Finally, we arrive in Estacio Franca at the end of the line near the sea. We stop into the Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi. The Basilica is a 14th-century church that stands at the heart of three little plazas in Barri Gotic. This is a classic Gothic church. All stone, sharp spires,

expansive glass, intricate sculptures, and vaulted ceilings. The ornamental stone serves as a "Poor Man's Bible" containing the teachings of The Church on its walls. I mostly feel small. I guess that's the point. It is spectacular and eery.

Back in the daylight, we meander, find a bit of coffee, then visit the bizarre Museu Frederic Marès. It is an art and sculpture museum assembled by the obsessed collector and sculptor. The museum is housed in the former palace of the royal Counts of Barcelona, just behind the cathedral. The top floors are filled with collections and curiosities including whole rooms of keys, pipes, and old photos.

And bonus, the museum pamphlet promises a "beautiful collection of crucifixes" on the bottom floors. And does it deliver. If you are into Medieval Christian Art this is your place. The entire first floor and basement are full of religious sculptures from the 3rd and 4th

centuries, a collection of life-size crucifixes, statutes of the Virgin Mary, and other religious artifacts. Climbing down into the catacombs of the building, it is one nearly-naked bleeding Jesus after another . The imagery of early Christianity is unsettling if not downright terrifying. This place is wall-to-wall crucifixion. It is a wonder there any crucifixes left in the world. The gang's all here.

To lighten the load from the early Christian energy, we head up through Las Ramblas. A large crowd is gathered on the promenade. As we get closer, we can see teams of human towers rising up from the crowds. This is another of those "only in Catalonia" moments. Teams called colles compete to build the tallest and most complex tower made only of human beings standing atop one another. Some have reached 10 stories high. Teams are considered successful if they can build and deconstruct their towers without a fall. Here, each tower is topped by a little girl in a helmet. Amazing.

We duck inside my favorite Gaudi building -- Casa Batlló. This is a renowned building in the center of Barcelona and is one of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpieces. We have planned ahead and arrive with timed entry tickets on our phones. The outside looks like a dragon. The inside is ornate, playful, and magnificent. There isn't a straight line in the house. The Boy is impressed. We each have an audio guide Iphone with 3D animation that augments reality when held up in each of the room. It's trippy and fun to see what the house looked like furnished and with a roaring fire in the fireplace. The Boy races ahead. I hang back with The Friends. The house is hip. It's colorful. It's happy. It's magic.

After dinner, for dessert, we try leche frita, a warm custardy fried milk. Think of custard in a crusty outer shell. Exquisite. The crescendo of just another day in Barcelona.