Street performer on La Rambla in a costume inspired by Guillermo del Toro
Encounter 1: La Rambla
We saw many street performers in Spain. Most of them didn’t perform so much as pose in outrageous costumes. As we walked down the tree-lined promenade that is La Rambla, we stumbled upon a rather intricate and scary costumed man. The outfit was really quite impressive and almost dared you not to stare!
Encounter 2: La Rambla
Afterward, I had an unfortunate encounter on La Rambla. Remember how I told you about my “poop finger” in the United Arab Emirates? For those of you who recently joined us, “poop finger” was a henna tattoo with a blob of brown on the end of my finger.
Poop on Ms. HalfEmpty’s sandaled food on La Rambla
My encounter on La Rambla was not with a tattoo artist, but with a bird. A bird who gave me “poop toe.” Poop is a really funny word until someone else’s is on you!
“Poop toe” made Ms. HalfEmpty super half empty!
“Poop toe” did not help me see things half full. I was a grossed out Ms. HalfEmpty.
Of course, it wasn’t a total disaster and was much easier to remove than “poop finger,” which took weeks to fade. But it still made me feel gross. All day, I thought about when I could get back to the hotel to disinfect my foot and shoe.
Encounter 3: The Subway
Spain thanks us for a heart attack on a bun
On our way back to the hotel via the subway, we saw a huge billboard underground thanking America. Well, you’re welcome Spain! How lovely.
It all seems pretty awesome…until you see the full advertisement. It’s a Burger King ad for the Rodeo Whopper. Instead of raw onion, they put fried onion rings INSIDE the sandwich! Of course, the sandwich also contains a beef patty, cheese, bacon, and the oh so American barbecue sauce…wait, don’t forget the mayo. Yes America, thanks for spreading unhealthy eating and obesity to the rest of the world. Nice work!
Ms. HalfEmpty with EVERY dessert @ La Masia Del Rocxi
Encounter 4: Dinner
That night for dinner, we went to a lovely restaurant, La Masia Del Rocxi. I think menus are one of the toughest things to read as a tourist who is unfamiliar with the language. There is so little context, and each word counts. Sometimes in my own country, I have to ask my waiter what a particular word on the menu means. Perhaps it is a special cooking technique or even a spice I’ve never encountered. The potential for unknown words is endless.
Now multiply that potential by my lack of Spanish and you have a nightmare for my server. We asked so many questions about the menu and tried to scope out dishes on the tables of other diners.
By the time dessert rolled around, I think we had fully exhausted our waitress. She didn’t even ask us what we would like or bring us a menu. Instead, she brought us EVERY dessert!
Encounter 2 + 4
I guess you win some (dessert), and you lose some (poop toe).
- What wacky street performers have you encountered?
- Have you been pooped on? Where were you? How quickly were you able to clean it?
- How do you feel about the Burger King ad?
- Have you had trouble communicating at a restaurant?
#1 by BigLittleWolf on July 16, 2012 - 1:27 PM
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Can’t help it, but the Poop Toe made me chuckle and the Dessert Platter made me hungry.
(Remember the scene in “Under the Tuscan Sun” where the main character gets the villa because a pigeon in the rafters poops on her head and the owner, an old woman, says it’s a good sign?)
Your Poop Toe made me think of that. Is it a good sign – perhaps of all those desserts to come?
#2 by Ms. HalfEmpty on July 16, 2012 - 2:19 PM
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BLW, I’m glad you got a chuckle out of my poop toe!
Thanks for the Under the Tuscan Sun reference; I had completely forgotten. I certainly didn’t think it was a good sign at the time, but maybe it was in the end.
#3 by Sarah P. on July 16, 2012 - 9:28 PM
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Hmm, I am pooped on regularly, in my own home, by Mr. Patchy, Lucy’s parakeet. I’m think I’m his favorite…
My beloved Uncle Jacques used to BE a street artist in Barcelona for years. His was visual art, though, not performance. In high school I got to invite him to Philly and be his apprentice in street art. It was definitely a crazy experience. For one thing, a lot of people thought we were homeless.
And I would also find it stressful to order in a restaurant where I can’t understand the menu! I remember doing a lot of surreptitious dictionary-checking in Italy. At the time, we were supposed to avoid all beef because of Mad Cow Disease. But one time I accidentally ate TRIPE of all things (having no idea what it was until later), when I bought food at a market stall… Thankfully I did not contract Mad Cow!
#4 by Ms. HalfEmpty on July 17, 2012 - 10:39 AM
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I’m not sure I would want to be the favorite person for bird poop! Didn’t your mom make you a poop poncho too? Are you still grossed out by Mr. Patchy’s poop? Or has it just become expected?
What do you mean by street art? chalk on sidewalks? another medium? Why did people think you were homeless? Did your Uncle Jacques financially survive on street art?
Didn’t it get tedious to check the dictionary repeatedly in Italy? I’m glad you survived the Mad Cow scare.
#5 by Kathleen on July 17, 2012 - 9:02 AM
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It is always good luck to have bird poop on you!
You seem to attract that.
#6 by Ms. HalfEmpty on July 17, 2012 - 10:33 AM
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Why does good luck have to be so gross??? It was strange because it was a very populated area and I was the only one who got pooped on!
#7 by Eugene on July 21, 2012 - 6:53 AM
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I am headed to Barcelona in Mid August so I thank-you for your blog as an appetizer.
As kids we would say that it was good luck when a bird pooped on you… good luck it wasn’t me!
For me the glass is always full… 1/2 liquid, 1/2 air (Acquired from an unknown source)
#8 by Ms. HalfEmpty on July 21, 2012 - 10:10 PM
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I’m glad you enjoyed my Barcelona post appetizer. What a great expression!
Yes, a lot of people are saying that bird poop is good luck. But I’m with you that it’s mostly good luck if it’s not on me!