We wanted to spend most of our day visiting the area around Montjuic.  Montjuic is the site of the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.

It is also the day we are going to eat-eat-eat-eat-eat-and-eat.  That is going to be a lot of eating.  Contrary to our readers’ impression, we are not big eaters.  Really.  Honest.

We took a leisurely stroll to around the neighborhood where our hotel was.  Our hotel was not in a touristy area and so the restaurants here are very much patronized by the locals.

The one we went to was just around the block.  It was like almost all local restaurants, people are smoking inside.  We only decided to eat here because there were no one smoking outside at the patio.

The folks here does not speak English at all.  But over the last few days, we learned a bit of Spanish … he he he.

Clearing my throat, I confidently say “Hola!”.  The owner replied “Hola!” and proceed to speak Spanish.  Ahh … but I know what he was saying to me.  He said we could either take the tables inside or outside.  I know because he was pointing to the tables inside and the outside.  I smiled and said “Gracias!”.

So far so good.  

The owner thought we know Spanish.  I guess he was asking what we wanted.

Spaniards have a habit of saying “A” (pronounced like the alphabet A) the same way we say “ah …” when we are trying think of the right word to say.

So, I told the owner, “A … cafe con leche … A … dos … A … croissant … A … un … A … tostada … A … un”.  He understood me!!

Except when he asked if what bocadillo we wanted.  Giving up, I just said “ham and cheese” and pointing to the board at the entrance to the bar.  I think he appreciates that I tried to speak Spanish to him.

Spanish croissant is very good … very flaky and very light.  As a matter of fact, I find that European bread and pastries beats North American ones anytime.  Even small restaurants serve very good pastries.  This is a perfect start for me because I wanted to eat light for the first of six meals we are attempting to eat.

Suanne said she wanted the ham and cheese toast.  I tried to discourage her saying that it sounded like a “savory breakfast” and should only be eaten at the second breakfast.  She still insists on it saying a croissant is too light.  *shrugs*.

On the menu board, the Spanish word for the above is called Bikini.  Was it because it is cut shaped like a bikini?

The breakfast is €7.40 which is about $11 Canadian.