From Tolstoy to Tinkerbell

Random pieces of information you do not need to know at all but which I feel nonetheless compelled to share:

My hostel dorm room is on the third floor, and so far I have used the stairs every time. It has a balcony. It is currently entirely filled by British people - myself, two guys and a group of two girls and one guy. On the street wherein lies my hostel there are several tiny 'supermercados' otherwise known as Spars. At one end there is the 'Bagdad,' advertising 'Porno-show.' The Bagdad also has many pictures of scantily-clad women emerging from genie lamps, and an advert for 'el haren del internet', which is apparently interactive. Also on my street there is a ferreteria, which sadly does not sell ferrets. My nearest Metro stop is Paral.lel, and I do not know what that dot's purpose in life is. I cannot tell the difference between Spanish and Catalan, but I know that 'exit' is sortida in one and salida in the other. If you go into a farmacia and say 'ibuprofen' in a hopeful voice, they understand you. My new bag is khaki but otherwise looks like this. I am tempted to buy ashtrays made from drinks cans even though I don't smoke and suspect the corners of said ashtrays to be nastily sharp. For Rian: someone else has taken a photo of the head-on-a-platter man. Today there was also a not-so-static statue being Michael Jackson, which was bizarre. There was a small child running around down by the harbour chewing on her balloon animal, and the sound made my skin crawl. Barcelona is probably the only city ever to have made me really want a shopping spree, even including clothing. Zara here has a home section where I bought two tablemats this morning. Gaudí is still beyond my comprehension - I walked past La Pedrera this morning. But I did like one of the other modernist buildings I passed - isn't Casa Amatller gorgeous? I bought myself pear juice this evening - I used to love the stuff as a kid (too many holidays to Italy) and used to get it at home on special occasions until M&S stopped stocking it. It's just as yummy as I remember it. And today I was unable to escape noticing the strange resemblance that juiced kiwi has to frogspawn.

I think I am beginning to get Spain now. Barcelona itself may take a day or two more. :)