joining the gypsies in parc guell

I arrive at Parc Guell ready to go. Armed with a few pieces of my jewellery, maybe seven pendants and two necklaces, a little napkin (stolen from the restaurant in Morocco that charged a fortune for some dips and a chicken pie) to put everything on and some price signs my eyes scan the area for a good selling spot. But there's something missing. Where yesterday it was filled with people selling rows of cheap sunglasses, jewellery, paintings today there is not one seller in sight. Then we spy the police in the corner. This confirms it, it's obviously illegal. But it is a gorgeous day and with a picnic of cheese, mettwurst, strawberries and oranges there really is no better place to be than sitting on a grassy hill in this weird and wonderful Alice-in-Wonderlandish park overlooking Barcelona. Sure enough an hour or so later the police are gone and the hawkers are back out. I join in the fun, pick a spot and lay out my slim pickings. Forty-five minutes with a few glances and I am rather bored. I think the fact that everyone else has about 100 items on offer stands me a slight disadvantage. Time to try a new spot and liven things up with some Spanish guitar playing by Gabriel. The two angels, Raffael and Gabriel, busk in the park. The music doesn't entice the customers and I am about ready to through my napkin over my shoulder and call it a day. But one more spot we try. And success! As I lay out my little napkin and position stones and an orange to hold it in place some tourists check out my wares. I tell them how I make them and a sale… oh yeah. She asks if I study art in Barcelona, oh if only! I tell her "you have come all the way to Spain from Romania and have bought a necklace handmade in Australia from an Australian travelling through Barcelona." Clearly the winning sales pitch as her friend snaps up the other necklace straight away. So I sell my jewellery in Parc Guell. Such a novelty. The other sellers have their eyes on me, the new girl. They come over and check out the competition and warn me to watch for police and to pack up by 4. The risk makes it all the more fun. But pretty elated by the sales I call it a day. Sigrid, Claire and I set off for Gaudi's Sagrada Familia.