BARCELONA

Tomas finds Hassad in Barcelona, and they spend their four weeks of love there before Kenitra, Hassad's sister, causes the relationship to self-destruct.

Quotes are by Tomas from "The Falcon Room."

LAS RAMBLAS FOUNTAIN
"In the afternoon, we walked down a portion of Las Ramblas, a promenade in Barcelona where one went to talk, walk, see and be seen. The avenue had seven different sections, each with its own name and style and long list of things to gape at. The upper part was La Rambla de Canaletes, named after the fountain. It was said that any visitor who partook of its waters would one day come back to Barcelona."

LA RAMBLA DE LES FLORS
"Shops of every sort, stalls jammed with multicolored blooms in La Rambla de les Flors. Street buskers—musicians, jugglers, mimes and even fire-eaters performed all along the promenade, wherever they might catch the most coins."

BARRI GOTIC (GOTHIC SECTION)
"We wanted to remain in the oldest part of the city—the Barri Gótic, or Gothic Section. The cramped, ancient streets filled with friendly and wise old structures that leaned so far over they could practically shake hands..."

BARRI GOTIC (GOTHIC SECTION)
"Hassad showed them sections of the original Roman walls and towers, plus part of the original Roman aqueduct that once brought water to Barcelona."

BARCELONA CATHEDRAL
"When we got to the cathedral, I pointed out details from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and the facade, rebuilt in the nineteenth century in Neo-Gothic style."

"We grabbed the next train to Sitges. Hassad made a beeline for the tourist information center; I could hear him inquiring about lodging. Wonderful! I had figured we would just go back that night. He returned, that mischievous smile warming my heart and heating up a few other places, as well."

"Hassad led me to a fine old Victorian edifice, probably once a townhouse for one family, now a hotel. Across the door it read: Hotel Romantíc.

“Oh, no, you’re kidding! This is not a real place! And you were able to get a room here in the middle of tourist season! Only you!” I was already pacing about, committing her—the building, to my memory, loving her beauty, already searching out her intimate parts."

"One of Sitge’s distinctions was as a gay resort town, as far back as the 1950s. Beaches stretched through town and on out; a good hike away and well out of sight were the nudist beaches—I was curious about those! There was a gay beach and we headed for it."