CHOCOLATE AND FISH!

Good evening everyone,

We are keeping an eye on the weather in the US and it is looking brutal.  Sending warm wishes to all of you...it looks really nasty.  Be safe...

Today we had another day of rain but it was in the 50s.  No complaining--we promise....

We had another goof off day.  First stop was the Barcelona Post Office.  What comes to your mind when I say "Barcelona Post Office?"  Chaos, lines, an hour wait?  Poor service?  Surly postal attendants?

Well, first we found the Post Office and it is a gorgeous building.  Absolutely beautiful.  

We walked in and it was quiet and orderly.  Very few people.  There was a number system--where you had to take a ticket from a woman who looked like a local librarian, sweet and be speckled.   She had a pleasant smile.  Next we filled out the envelopes and in less than 5 minutes our number showed up on the board and we went to number 6 and a lovely gentleman helped us and we were on our way.  The interior is like a museum.  A post office experience unlike any I've ever had in my life--If you want a bad experience just go to the Boardwalk Post Office in Fort Collins.  There is a postal employee there who yells at people.  He's been yelling for years.

We also hit our special latte place called Bubo and got a latte and a goodie.

Then we explored a bit of the area adjacent to the Playa Catalunya.

With the rain still spitting we decided it was time to get adventurous and try out a "fish" pedicure.  Off we went to "Aqua Bliss."  We got a "fish" treatment then full pedicures.  Let me explain the fish treatment.  Your feet are washed and then you get into a cushy couch and put your feet in the tanks below.  The tanks have ___ fish in them.  Yes, Gary likes pedicures too!  See excerpt from the spa's website below....

"For centuries garra rufa have been used as a natural skin healing treatment in the rivers and hot pools of Turkey and the Middle East. Our fish are experts in nibbling away layers of dead epidermis, leaving rejuvenated and healthy skin feeling fresh and smooth from the regenerating diathanol enzyme the fish leave behind. How does the fish pedicure feel? Like dipping your feet into a bubbling champagne jacuzzi. Our ictiotherapists just love eating dead skin, so wherever your problem areas are they will go to work straight away. We also give our fish specially formulated fish food and some cucumber to give them a balanced diet. Our healthy fish mean you will have healthier feet.  

Garra rufa kangal are tiny freshwater fish, native to Turkey and the Middle East. They can live in temperaturas ranging from 18º to 45º and are renowned for their healing properties, hence the nickname ‘doctor fish.’ Dipping your feet in a jacuzzi or a bucket of champagne…you may feel a bit ticklish for the first minute or so, but it soon becomes an uplifting and unusual massage sensation. Apart from the smoother and softer feet, garra rufa fish leave a healing enzyme called diathanol that makes the epidermis healthier and more hydrated. It is well known as a treatment for psoriasis and other skin disorders, and is also considered by many to help relieve stress and raise natural endorphin levels in the body – fish pedicures are a great natural buzz for people suffering from tiredness and feeling burnt-out. No. The 275 litres of water in our tanks is constantly filtered. The water passes through a variety of filter systems and anti-bacterial treatments more than six times an hour. Water is never shared with another customer, and all the water is filtered several times before the next customer is allowed to use the tank."

Check it out at these links:

http://english.aquabliss.es/english/

Gary's feet...

Ellie's Feet...

Ummm...these hairy legs below are Gary's!

When the rain stops we will be able to go to the Gaudi sites...

Off to get ready for class tomorrow--it's all about classroom management!

Until then,

Warm hugs being sent your way,

Love Ellie and Gary