Bar Pinotxo

After a long week of Spanish classes—20 hours, to be exact—I figured I deserved a reward.  So I took myself to Bar Pinotxo at the Boqueria for some lunch after class yesterday.  The Boqueria is the mother of all markets in Barcelona, and it is always full of tourists, locals doing their household shopping, and chefs buying supplies for their restaurants.  While most markets have one or two stands where you can sit down and have a bite to eat, the Boqueria has many.  And Pinotxo is the best.  Juan, the old man working the counter, treats you with great care whether you are a regular or a one-time visitor.  He wears a powder pink and baby blue vest with his name embroidered on it.  In the early morning, you’ll find his counter full of vendors who have been up for hours, eating razor clams and washing them down with a beer.

I ordered some sautéed baby squid with beans, a few jamon croquetas, and berberechos (very small clams) steamed and drizzled with olive oil—I have never eaten such juicy clams—and I washed it all down with a glass of fruity red wine.  I read an article about Slow Cities, a new interest of mine.  The future perfect tense, which had made my head throb for the last two hours of class, faded into background.  Then I took myself for a walk around the Raval.  I got a new, very fun guide book this week put out by Le Cool, an online magazine that posts events, places to eat, and stores that are off the beaten track.  I went to an herborista that mixes up teas and other potions and bought some tea to drink before I go to bed.  I popped in to CCCB, the younger, hipper relation to MACBA (the contemporary art museum).  Overall, a good day in Barcelona, even with the future perfect.