Pick pocketed!

11 AM exactly… Jesus. I’d hoped to wake at 9 and get an earlier start. I don’t exactly have a reliable alarm anymore, now that my cell phone is gone. Yesterday, I think I was pick pocketed. I was trying to refrain from taking ever more pictures on my regular camera, so I snapped a couple pics of an interesting statue and some fountains in the Port Olimpic area using my phone. But then I decided to switch to my camera anyway, so I pocketed the phone and thought nothing of it till about 10-15 minutes later, when I wanted to make a short video on the beach. At that point, it was no longer in my pocket. Determined not to panic (as I’ve learned from the many times I’ve lost my lens cap), I sat down and emptied my purse and my jeans and coat pockets. Nada. I retraced my steps. Still nada. I asked around, approaching front desks and uniformed types. And you know what? It was still missing. I even tried calling myself from a payphone once, but it just kept ringing.

Did you know that it’s awfully hard to find a police officer in Barcelona? It’s a wonder crime isn’t even worse. After some searching the area, I only located a security guard, and he couldn’t help me at all. Finally, a receptionist at a local hospital gave me directions to a police station somewhere in the area of La Rambla. When I *finally* got there (the first two busses in that direction failed to stop… then I ended up going down a creepy road where I was leered and begged at… finally, some people pointed the way and after a few vague interpretations, I made it), I called home to make sure my phone was disconnected, and then set to answering lots of questions about my basic identity details, filling out loads of paperwork. I had to sit in a waiting room, awaiting a copy of the form so I could use it for insurance purposes if I need to. They told me I’m highly unlikely to ever get my phone back. I noticed a little black market activity going on behind the fruit and meat market on La Rambla the other day (I even snapped a picture, to their great annoyance)… I wonder if I’d find it there.

Well, that’s just the most distressing part of yesterday. I did have a marvelous time at the Sagrada Famila. It’s the strangest/most amazing building in Barcelona… it’s like a giant pointy sand castle. I took loads of pictures, many of which I think came out rather nicely.

So. It’s just about 11:30 AM. Gotta dress and go. I’d like to see Park Güell today.

On the Verge of Traveling and Fighting This @#$?% Flu

I’ve come down with the flu, and though I felt completely disgusting yesterday, I went to Greenwich with Kate. It probably didn’t do me any good health-wise, but it was worth seeing, especially as I’d put off going for so long. When I got home, it became much worse (and I’ll spare you the icky details).

The weather has been particularly wild these past few days. I’d gotten the impression that spring was on its way judging on the sunshine that persisted for a while previously, but I think winter just had one last statement to make before it becomes spring properly. About an hour ago, the sky was bright blue; and now, judging by the storm howling and beating against my window, you’d never guess it to have been true.

I stayed up nearly until dawn again, watching some insane post-midnight television programs with Agneta while I took care of some my travel bookings. Usually, we’d be watching some movies or old TV shows through the connection to my laptop, but as I needed my laptop, we just let the TV run its course. I’ve discovered some new films that way in the past; more often than not, they’ve been quite different from the films I’m used to seeing on TV back home. Anyway, this time it seemed to get stranger as time went on. Examples: I’m A Cyborg, But That’s Okay (a Korean film about a mental hospital patient who believes she’s a cyborg and fantasizes about killing everyone, but is cared for by another patient who believes he can shrink); Hello Friend (about a killer computer part); and some stop-motion children’s show with magic poo that transforms into a triangle that teleports people and animals into another dimension. Sometimes we just watched sports (OMG, sports!) to escape from the madness for just a little while. I think Adult Swim will seem quite tame after this.

Anyway, during all this weird TV-watching, I finished booking my flight back to LA (round trip was HALF the price of a single ticket!) and my flight and accommodations in Paris. I still have to book for Barcelona. I don’t think I could have possibly done any more comparing. I’m trying to stick to a very strict budget, as well as I can.

For now, I’ve got plenty to do, but my first priority is to get rid of this flu. I have a bath waiting for me now, and it’s been getting cold. I’ve already had some meds, but I need some tea, too. And possibly soup.