Friday night: Dinner, Magic Fountain, and everything in between

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 The picture above is of "gegants" which were either finishing or beginning a parade celebrating La Mercè. They are papier maché giants used in many Catalonia celebrations.  I happened to stumble upon them near the MACBA, and they were a wonderful surprise.

This weekend was quite eventful, starting with a whirlwind evening on Friday night.  I went into Barcelona early to meet up with a friend and happened upon a stage in Plaza Catalonia.  This weekend the BAM music festival had stages all over the city where residents and tourists alike could enjoy free music.  It seemed like around every corner, there was a massive stage set up in an open plaza.  It was so exciting to see the city transform into an outdoor venue.  Unforunately, the evening was supposed to start with a walk through of the museum, but it was closed for the holiday (La Mercè).

Next was gelato and pizza while trying to figure out the Metro, and then the Magic Fountain.  The Magic Fountain is a beautiful fountain that has choreographed water shows to music.  We got some great photos of the show... until Sunil's wallet got stolen :-( Then it was a trip to the police station and we said goodbye.  Despite the damper at the end of the evening, it was nice to hang out with an American and get to know the city better!

I then ventured to meet up with my roommates for some shisha which ended up getting me lost for over an hour.  I traipsed through a neighborhood called "the diagonal", trying to find the street that I now believe does not exist.  I was stressful, but ultimately helpful to get lost, and eventually find my way back.  I feel much more comfortable with the city, and luckily there are always plenty of people walking around.

Then it was back home on the bus to rest for the next day....