Managed a decent sleep last night. A solid 6 hours and woke up feeling a lot more human than yesterday morning I can tell you!  

Today we visited Monsteratt Monastery.  So the story goes ... the Monastery was built because shepherds saw a light from heaven pointing to a place on the mountain. This was seen many times and finally they climbed the mountain and had a look and found a carved wooden Madonna and child statue.  It was an unusual effigy as both had black faces and so they christened it the “Black Virgin”.  

Funny tour guide today with a lot of personality (in a good way not a hmmm you escaped from an asylum way). 

After a 1 hour bus ride into the countryside we caught a cogwheel train up to the monastery which beat the hell out of going by donkey.   One of our tour group brought a special demure offering to the church ... “Boobs O’Hoolihan” brought her twin orbs to be blessed by the black virgin.  Seriously every time we turned around they were there looking at us (and it wasn’t a nice rack either).  

Very scenic up in the hills and we also had time to check out a farmers market where we tried mato cheese (like ricotta) with honey on top. Delicious!  Then we tried the local hooch the monks brew. Four samples and the first was 31% proof.  Pretty potent stuff!

The top of the mountain where the monastery is has a serrated ridge and the spiel is that angels from heaven came down and used a golden saw on the mountain to make the shape. Sure thing, think someone’s been into the herbal tonic the monks make ...

Next stop was a castle for a tapas lunch with vino!  On the drive down the mountain we passed a nunnery with its own swimming pool. Our guide said he has never seen the nuns swimming but he says they wear nunkinis when they do. 

Our lunch was four glasses of very nice wine paired with cheese and then a light tapas meal of cold meats, cheese, olives and tomato bread. Bought some wine ... will see if that makes it home to Australia!

As usual the booze loosened the group up a bit but not enough to make us like Boobs O’Hoolihan any better.  

Siesta time on the bus back to Barcelona. 

After a bit of a rest at the hotel we headed out again and walked down Las Ramblas to the coast. People watching here is fun. Have decided we are too monochrome. Dressing like a parrot seems to be in fashion, they’re not big on wearing bras and couple that with exposing as much cleavage as possible and you get the idea.

Walked to find Fernando Botero’s giant metal gatto (cat) which was in a less scenic neighborhood. Think we stumbled into the red light district after this judging by the number of “ladies” standing around on corners and in front of shops! 

Our walking pace increased significantly until we were back to Las Ramblas which looked like the least sketchy place on earth by comparison.

Went out to dinner after having a rest. Tried to get into the last place we went on our walking tour but it was full so have booked that for tomorrow night. 

Ended up at a restaurant that had average food but very good sangria.  Had two massive lunch bowls of it for EUR 6 each. 

Home to bed after this. Pretty tired again.