I had planned my morning carefully. I wanted to attend Mass, pick up the key to my apartment, check out of the hostel and move to the apartment. I found a church about 3 blocks from the hostel and attended Mass at 8:30 am. (I was among 15 people there). The Hotel Indigo where I was to pick up the key, was a half a block off my route to return to the hostel, so I stopped there after Mass. I tried to ask all sorts of questions of the girl who gave me the key, but she did not know any answers. I asked her if anyone was already in the apartment or if there was a manager on site who could help if there were any problems and she did not know. As you will see later, there was one big question I should have asked her.
I decided to make two trips to the apartment just in case I did have some problem with the locks or whatever. (By the way, I have found Barcelona to be quite walk-able so I walk just about everywhere) I took my backpack and found the apartment with no problem. One of my two keys opened the front door to the building with just a little fumbling. The key ring I was given was only marked Roma 1 (the apartment is on Avinguida Roma) so that made sense. But did the 1 mean apartment 1? There was an apartment 1 right on first floor but the key did not fit. I decided to check names on the mailboxes and try the key in apartments that had no names on the mailbox. I won't tell you how many doors I tried, but on the 4th floor, my key fit in the door of apartment 3. And there is no one else here yet. Maybe no one is coming this week. I don't know.
The apartment has 2 single rooms (I picked the one I liked best) and 1 double room with 2 single beds and its own bathroom. There is a living room with two couches, a table and 4 chairs, some shelving and 2 TVs that I have not figured out how to turn on. There is also a kitchen with all appliances and another table with chairs and a laundry room. You will notice that I have figured out the wi-fi! So even if I get 3 roommates, the place is quite spacious. Oh, I have a balcony too that overlooks Avinguida Roma and faces other apartments with balconies.
After I managed to actually find the apartment and get into it, I wrote a note in case any roommates arrived while I was gone and then went back to the hostel to get my suitcase and check out. By noon, I was back (no sign of any roommates) and pulled most of my stuff out of my suitcase and backpack. I was hoping the medium sized grocery store I had seen yesterday would be open but no such luck. As Joan and Elaine warned me, a lot of stores are not open on Sundays. Little stores comparable to convenience stores are open, however, so I bought some juice, milk and sandwich fixings. Now I am more or less moved , resting after my two hikes and catching up on my email and blog.
After I rested a bit, I remembered that I am close to a bullfight ring that has been turned into a shopping center (Las Arenas) I decided there weren't enough steps on the pedometer yet, so I walked there--about 8 blocks, I think. The stores were closed, but the eating places were open and I was able to get up to the top and see a gorgeous view of the city. I have to go again because I did not take a camera.
When I got back to the apartment, I still had no roommates, but then it dawned on me that only one bed in the apartment had been made up by the cleaning people. I think it means I am the sole occupant this week. Since it was unlikely anyone would be arriving to interrupt me, I got busy dealing with my laundry (I had to google the washing machine model to get instructions on how to turn it on). There is no dryer, but there is a clothes line and clothes pins and I know how to use them!
It is nice to have things unpacked and organized so I can find them again. Well, I have to be at the language school at 8:30 for a placement test so I am going to wind down and finish this post.
(If you are wondering about my pedometer, I have one from the 10,000 steps program that I wear each day and write down the steps I take. Today was an all time high 23,002. )
Such an interesting week! Thanks so much for sharing the details, Peg! We have boring details like 3 inches of snow here! LOL!
ReplyDeleteWhen my son Nick was 2, we lived in Germany, and they had Daylight Savings Time a week earlier than in the U.S. that year. As Nick and I were out walking around on Sunday morning, I figured it out. Workers had already set the clocks ahead one hour, in a move of German efficiency. The church bells rang an hour earlier, and I remarked to Nick, "Someone set the clocks earlier." He then demanded to know exactly who had done this. Not satisfied with "some workers," I had to make up names. I told him Hans, Diete and Uwe had done it. Sometimes little kids get stuck on details!
ReplyDelete