Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Barcelona, Florence, Amsterdam

I miss Ibiza.

Barcelona was great. A really cool place with a good vibe. More insane people. Just when you think you have seen all the quirkiness that life has to offer, there's more. We shopped; ate "the world's most delicious sandwich" (Mark Bittman) - the flauta of rich dark fatty jamon iberico between perfectly crunchy bread, which was so good we went back for more; went to the amazing Parc Guell; ate ridiculously good tapas at Paco Meralgo (a day after Pim) and Ferran Adrian's brother's Inopia, and I finally had a paella that I enjoyed - more than that, swooned over every last grain of rice.

Then a few days in Florence. Mostly to shop. Two pairs at YSL that make me very happy, and plates of pasta and Tuscan bread that possibly make me even happier. Florence is a nightmare though. Never again. The heat (36C), the tourists, the crowds. Not finding Grom. Enough.

Now, Amsterdam. We arrive a day earlier because our flight was cancelled and it is 16C and raining. Nothing to wear, cold. The deep tan looks nuts. The staircases are so steep and tiny. But we are in love. We share a joint in a coffeehouse with boys playing dice games and today in a rasta bar. We eat too much but it is so delicious. Everyone is on bikes. We feel good about this place and feel it is somewhere we could live. Who knows?

Time for the red light district. Be good.