Poptarticus

Shannon’s Super Sexy Blog. Music. Travel. Randomness. And a Lot of Wine.

There are lots of suckers born every minute

So, here we are in Barcelona. After Granada, which for the past couple of days has been a green and relaxing place of magic, with chirping birds and cherry blossoms flying through the air, I need to shift into big city mode again. We’ve walked a lot today and discovered, to my delight, a couple of great wine shops and a kick-ass cheese shop. Two cheeses (WHOLE cheeses, not hunks o?cheese) for 4 Euro! Good cheese too – a great mild goat cheese with pepper and a cylinder shaped Brie type cheese. I’ve already bought several bottles of wine causing my mom to have a furrowed brow… hmmm, how will we drink all that? Whatever we have left I will sneak onto the plane to drink on that longass journey home. We have been a bit shocked at the price of wine and tapas in the bars here so far. I think we got pretty spoiled. Which brings me to the point.

Cal Pep. This tapas bar/diner is in every tour book and also, has been written about plenty on internet sites I trust (like Chowhound and EGullet.) So, I was practically peeing my pants to go. So we went and were the first to get in. It was 8 P.M. They open the big metal door and everyone goes in and sits at a long counter that seats about 20 people I’d say. All the seats were immediately taken. Mr. Pep came over, and since I knew you just tell him if you want fish, or veggies or meat, I just said, “Pescado.” I didn’t even finish that one word before he shoots out this volley of words in whatever trippy language (Catalan? Basque?) AND in his ultra weird voice (a cross between Barry White and Mr. Magoo). So, we figure let’s just see what happens. First one of Pep’s helpers (and there are a few) pours red wine for mom and white for me, and the bottles remain – they will keep refilling as we drink. Then the food starts coming – rapid fire. First a couple of toasts with tomato (boring.) Then some fried artichokes. (Just OK.) Steamed clams. Tortilla, which was runny – I liked it but mom hated it. Fried fish. All the diners were being served rapid fire like this. It was like, McPeps. We were starving and ate fast, and all of a sudden we were done – in TWENTY FIVE MINUTES. Some diners left before us! And we were in and out in under thirty minutes.

This would have all been fine and good, but the bill was 32 Euro. We walked back home saying, what the hell was THAT?

When we left there were at least twenty people waiting to eat. I am not so sure Pep was asking us/telling us what to eat. I am thinking, Pep was saying:

“Ha HA! I have not seen you before. Suckers! I will give you the McExperience you are used to, but the Basque way! And for a nice price! Nice for ME! Ha HA!!!”

OR:

“Ha HA! I am needing to put a second wing on my beach house in (enter pricey Mediterraean town here). I think you will help me to pay! Suckahs!”

At any rate, it was fascinating to watch Pep and his crew working and all the diners snarfing everything down really fast.

Barcelona is fast, I am trying to catch up. Our apartment is fantastic – the owners have taken special care, I think it is the nicest vacation rental I have ever rented. We are on a cool street with lots of shops and bars. There are two Japanese restaurants on our block! Also, today something very special happened. I found LIME POPSICLE COLORED LUGGAGE. Sadly, I no longer need luggage. But I did buy a Lime Popsicle backpack, because it exists. I think Barcelona is one of those cities that has many of the things you have always been searching for. So, in the next three days I could be finding alot.

One Response to “There are lots of suckers born every minute”

  1. the yankee Says:

    I was just in Barcelona and i have to say that Cal Pep was one of the finest restaurants we ate at on our whole trip. I thought the artichokes were delightful! If you didn’t want to eat at the counter you should have asked to sit in the dining toom where service is much more relaxed.

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