Read More: Seven Gothic Tales

I picked up Seven Gothic Tales by Isak Dineson when we were in Ithaca. There is a big, wonderful used bookstore downtown, just like every college town should have. I have always thought that Isak Dineson is a pretty fascinating woman. I loved Out of Africa (I know Megan probably thinks it's just another dumb memoir of a white person in Africa), and Isak Dineson/Karen Blixon seemed to have such a fascinating and tragic life.

This book was completely different than Out of Africa, but it did not disappoint. The seven short stories in the collection are haunting, the language and images are beautiful... it's really a masterpiece. I guess in Blixon's native Denmark, this is a pretty famous work of literature, but I'd never heard of it before. Now I think it is a shame that it's not better known here. I don't think I can really do justice to the writing, so I won't say too much. However, I will warn that the first story is probably the hardest to get into, so I would just encourage any curious reader to keep going. It's worth it! I know that I'll be thinking about these stories for a while.

One of the stories reminded me of another eerie, gothic tale I heard recently on Radiolab (one of my favorite podcasts). It's definitely worth a listen, and it's not long at all.

-Kristin

Special Report: Where's the Filth?

The night we ate Pringles on the sidewalk we carefully looked down and around before we sat down on the curb looking for glass, roaches, gum, rats... The sidewalk was immaculate. At one point I dropped a chip in the street and almost popped it right back into my mouth because it looked so clean. It was then we realized just how clean this country is.

In the states at night roaches and rats come out to play - not just in overcrowded New York, but in Florida and St. Louis as well. Here we haven't seen one. We rarely see bugs at all.

The trash cans are always empty instead of overflowing with rubbish The subways look as if they've been freshly swept instead of coated with a trash filled ooze. It's amazing.

- Megan Leigh

Day Ten: Barcelona

We left Mallorca and headed back to Barcelona today. Just as you would expect the weather turned nice just after I left. I don't know what I did to deserve this. I'd say it was because of those couple times I ate muffies in front of Kristin, neglecting to get her one of her own, but this bad luck began even before that! Why???

We dropped our stuff off at the hostel and headed out to Pull & Bear in search of these pants I've been pining for since Sevilla (like the hippie pants, but more refined). They had my size. I tried them on. They were awful. Tarnations.

We headed over to Parc Ciutadella and walked around. Cat made me take stalking pictures of a man on a bench. It felt like old times. The park had an amazing fountain that wasn't working. The park also had an amazing smell because it housed a zoo. There were a lot of Quaker Parrots hanging around so I did the creep and got up close for some pictures and noticed that they all had big circular tags around their necks. Poor little guys - let's tag Conrad!

Hunger rumbling our bellies, we went in search of a tapas restaurant. We found one and were again not impressed, but the waiters were joking men so that was a slight redeeming factor.

- Megan Leigh

1. At least today was our first day of rain, and it was just a light drizzle
2. The man I wanted to stalk seemed very familiar, and was talking about hanging with directors and producers, so it was for work purposes- I just got too nervous to bug him.
3. So many joking men in this country- how could you not love it!

- Cat

Day Nine: Palma

Today we had a relaxed day. Sick of riding the bus, we decided to stay close to home. We woke up with a craving for churros and crepes after passing a restaurant frequently on the bus that advertised both. We walked and walked and walked and finally got there to be told we were thirty minutes late for churro time. Crepes, however, were still available. Because we like to order the same things we both got chocolate banana ones. Ohhhh my. These things oozed chocolate. For a chocoholic to say 'too much' you can imagine how gushy they were.

We walked and walked and walked back to the hostel area where we decided to play gin rummy on the beach. I taught Cat the game and she's very into it. She's been getting very daring. Since the beach was so windy cat constructed us a special gin rummy arena that worked out quite well. She said she couldn't do anything about making the weather warmer, so we played all bundled up.

I am not going to admit what we did for dinner, but afterwords we had a pitcher of sangria and watched Barcelona vs Chelsea and felt like real Spaniards.

- Megan Leigh

My gin rummy arena was inspired by the Hunger Games arena, in the first book that is. Even had the mountain range to the north, where Peta camouflaged himself oh so well.

Our tour guide in Sevilla kept saying that Spaniards are very lazy, and after today, I finally feel like one. But that feeling wont last long- shortly we'll be back to the hustle and bustle of the city that never sleeps. What a drastic change it'll be!

- Cat

Day Eight: Palma

Today we headed out on a bus to the other side of the island to the Caves of Drach. Unfortunately no picture taking in the caves was allowed, so you'll have to google them if you're curious. However, if you've been to Meremac Caverns, you've got the gist of this cave.

They let in about three hundred people at once. It was crazy - tour bus after tour bus kept arriving. We let all of them go in first and waited to hop in at the end of the line, which made for a much nicer experience I am sure.

At the end of the tour we sat in an auditorium type place where they put on concerts. The lights went down and three lit up boats came out onto the water. One had a couple violinists, a cellist and an organ player who played us a few appropriate cave tunes. It was like Phantom of the Opera with better music. Then to finish the tour we got to take our own mega quick boat ride to the exit.

We took a short walk down to Porto Cristo. More expensive, crappy food, but the water was beautiful - exactly what I was expecting from Mallorca. There were some crazies sun bathing and playing in the water while Cat and I were bundled up in our coats.

For dinner we went back to the place we usually do that has the most decent food. We tried to get tapas off the beaten path, but everything closed early tonight.

After dinner and drinks we went to a bar closer to home where we finally had a good night out that included dancing. One bartender decided his mission was to make Cat blush. I won't say more because she'll blush. "What a weird, weird place" I just heard her mumble as she gets ready for bed.

- Megan Leigh

I tried to scrub it off- but I still smell like men's cologne. One blushing attempt was to spray me with the lovely pungent spray. Made me gag more than anything. At least my dreams will be filled with bizarro bartenders rather than Michael Meyers type hostel workers- like Megan's dreams.

- Cat

Day Seven: Palma

Today we headed up the mountains to a little town called Valldemossa, Mallorca's highest town. The bus ride was pretty and the town was so cute. I wonder what the residents do up there for work. Maybe they commute or just go there in the summer? Our bus journeys have tainted our feelings towards Germans. Although I've never quite felt that Germans were an okay bunch because of the whole Hitler thing, I now actively (insert a less strong word than hate here, but only slightly less) them. Getting on the bus they refuse to wait their turns and smash their enormous bosoms into you trying to knock you aside. It's an awful experience, so I was a little satisfied to see German after German trip over a step on the way off the bus. Little karma.

We got off the bus in Old Town Palma and wandered around there for a bit. We got another sad lunch, which at least we expected this time. Then we stumbled upon the beautiful cathedral and waterfront.

Cat keeps getting her hand caught in the Pringles cans (There's been a lot of chowing down on Pringles) and we've decided to call it Pooh Bearing. I'd really like her to Pooh Bear while Porky Pigging (or maybe just go full Pooh Bear?), but she needs to do that on her own time.

After a nice little nap we went out for more awful food and more good sangria. I'm thinking we give up on food and just survive on sangria from here on out.

- Megan Leigh

I'm pretty sure Megan has pooh beared once or twice- its time to admit it, lady. Another thing she's left out is when we've made friends! We've gone out of our comfort zones and talked to other people. Why, today we went back to the same restaurant as yesterday to get sangria. Everyone remembered us and chatted us up. They even look forward to seeing us tomorrow. Look at us now! Socializing!

- Cat

Special Report: The Dogs of Spain

The dogs of Spain are amazing. They are the most well behaved dogs I've ever encountered. On leash, off leash, in Barcelona, Sevilla or Mallorca. The few who did bark did so because it was the only outlet for their extreme joy. What is their secret??

- Megan Leigh