The excruciatingly slow Barcelona travelogue continues! Honestly people, it was never the intention to string these trip reports out for as long as it has, but what with work, guests, B's unexpected job offer, our upcoming move, procrastination, etc., etc., it's been an interesting last 2 months. But hey, let's get back to Spain for a bit and talk some more about that great food culture.
One of the must-see destinations of any Barcelona itinerary is the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, known universally as La Boqueria, situated just off the main tourist street La Rambala and quite close to our hotel. In short, La Boqueria is an open air food market frequented by as many locals as it is tourists. But to leave it at that would be doing it a grave disservice, because La Boqueria is so much more-- it is a temple to food in all of its many forms, a social gathering hub, a place to eat and drink, and a crossroads of commerce and cultures all under one sizable roof. I didn't know what to expect (and the travel shows really don't do it justice), but it was amazing-- the sights, the smells, the colors, the people. You name the food, and you could probably find it at La Boqueria with a little bit of searching. Operating something like a farmer's market, La Boqueria has hundreds of independent businesses operating their own stalls (really microscopic individual stores, complete with below-ground storage, refrigeration, etc.), each with its own specialty or genre. Shopping for offal? There are 5 stalls. Do you really like olives? Salted fish? African spices? South American specialties? Yes to all. La Boqueria is also something of a grazer's paradise-- forget trolling the endcaps at Costco on a Staurday for corn dogs, you really need to be here for fruit so fresh that it nearly explodes in your mouth, artisan cheeses, fresh squeezed juice, sweets, all manner of meats (including many stalls dedicated to the near mythical Jamón ibérico: ham from black footed pigs fed a diet of acorns with the meat being cured for 36 months) nifty micro bars and so much more. I spoke of tapas in my last Spanish post, and there are also a few sit-down tapas bars serving food all day at the market-- they are justly famous, and we enjoyed lunch at both Bar Pinotxo and Kiosko Universal (if you watch the linked video, you can see why I'd use the term "sit-down" advisedly--these places are tiny, and I actually ate my lunch at Bar Pinotxo standing up, balancing my plate in one hand and my fork in the other, being jostled by the crush of humanity all the while). Some of the pictures we took in La Boqueria would be upsetting to some people who find skinned animals and severed heads a bit off-putting, so I'll won't post them here, but maybe on the linked photo site when time allows. But it was a great time with some fabulous food. If you find yourself in Barcelona and have 2-3 hours to spend, go to La Boqueria and definitely bring your appetite.
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