Day 3 has been all about exploring some of the diversity in beauty that this city has to offer. Our first stop was the beach, where the Sunday crowd was out in force to enjoy the sun and the sand. Not too many people were in the water though, which was pretty cold. But the beach was a fun place to hang out, and the fact that it was right there in the city (it didn’t take a 1 hr drive or 2 hr train ride to get there) was awesome.

We also enjoyed some excellent fideuàs (paella with noodles instead of rice) at the grand Can Majó. Sipping sangria while enjoying the food, the sun and the view of the blue water was exactly what this vacation needed.

This was followed by a trip up the mountain of Montjuïc, the largest green zone in the city and home to a castle, the Olympic park and lots of greenery. But be warned – don’t try this trip with a stroller or you will be dead by the time you are done!

In the evening, we descended to the base of Montjuïc for a unique spectacle. Dancing fountains may be all over the world now, but the Magic Fountain outside the MNAC is pretty spectacular, built as it was  for the 1929 world’s fair, and still one of the best (better than anything in Vegas, even if the musical set started with Disney tunes).

Excellent tapas at Taller de Tapas rounded out the night, though their attempt to solve the mystery of tapas by spelling everything out in English does need to be matched by understanding service. Even getting caught in a downpour on the frantic walk (run) back to the hotel did nothing to dampen our spirits from the day of fun.

Again, random photos from our trip have been uploaded to this tag on my flickr account.