Today was one of our ‘planned’ outings to the outskirts of Barcelona and Parc del Laberint. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not really one for parks and open spaces, so this blog may be a tad biased. I found the park underwhelming. It’s well laid out and probably has enough variety to keep a horticulturalist happy for hours. It’s centrepiece is a small but quite intricate maze, which has a statue of Eros at it’s centre. We tried to find our way to the middle, but after finding the path hampered by large muddy puddles we sensibly turned back to the entrance. Along the way, we spied a couple squeezing through the bushes, obviously desperate to escape. The maze was also invaded by groups of infant schoolchildren, herded along by stressed looking teachers. I did wonder if bringing the children to a maze was a deliberate ploy rather than a fun outing, though I can’t imagine even the most harrassed teacher wanting to lose a few badly behaved infants.

Escaping the maze we headed back into town, had a quick mooch down Passieg De Gracia (with all the chic and expensive boutiques) and came back to the apartment. We had a date at ‘Tickets’. Two years ago we had a meal there and it was an unforgettable experience. This year, I think it was even better. Eighteen courses including three desserts. Some are literally mouthfuls but what mouthfuls!!! Each course had been cooked perfectly and was a delight. The desserts were heavenly, especially as they’re served in a special room. It’s all very theatrical and more than a little showbiz. We were first through the door and were greeted by all the staff. It’s a definite date for next year..