Architecture, Culture and Life... Barcelona!

Arrival in Catalan land

We arrive at El Prat at 10:30 pm, collect our luggage and after a bit of difficulty with the ticket machine....we get on the bus that in 20 minutes takes us to Plaça Catalunya. 800 meters with the suitcases and we're at the Hotel in the Gothic Quarter.......the room is small and spartan.but clean.......a refreshing shower and we go down to the Ramblas 30 meters from the hotel......the street is full of people......quite derelict......the neighborhood is quite run-down.....the people are in a bad way but calm......we have a quick drink with sangria and we go home around three...........during the night a huge racket under our balcony.Luckily our sleep is very heavy given how tired we are.

Barcelona opens up to us

After breakfast we go down to the Rambla looking for Palau Guell......which however they tell us is TAPADOS.....in fact it's completely invisible behind the scaffolding......oh well.....we visit the Boqueria market....the Cathedral de Pi.....a classic Gothic cathedral.........and we head to the Passeig de Gracia........we visit Gaudi's beautiful houses.....Batllò........and La Pedrera......we head to the beautiful and very relaxing Parc Guell......but our camera jams.......the photographer tells us NO BUENO.....camera and film to be thrown away.....oh great! we buy our first disposable.......we take photos at Parc Guell and since on the way back there are Gaudi's houses we photograph those again too......we go back to the hotel dead tired......shower and fresh for dinner.............Dinner in Barceloneta in an old fishermen's refuge where we eat an excellent paella and a fateful crema cat

alana that gives me indigestion.......with the result that between the tiredness and the dinner at one o'clock we're in bed.

A wonderful Sunday

Wake up and breakfast, we realize that on Sunday Barcelona is a ghost town, everything closed and people at home recovering from the evening's excesses.........we do the whole beautiful Gothic Quarter.....the oldest in the city among narrow cool alleys......with evocative corners......we visit the Barcelona Cathedral which would have a beautiful facade but alas this one too is TAPADAS.......we move on to the beautiful Eixample district...much more refined than the Gothic one......beautiful venues and wonderful little streets.........we visit the cathedral built in honor of the conquest of Sardinia......a classic Gothic basilica.......the Picasso Museum which we skip given the very long line........and we head to the Parc de la Ciutadella.....beautiful and peaceful......a fine building at the entrance....and a scene of peace inside.....with an enormous fountain made by Gaudi......and a sma

ll lake surrounded by palm trees.....that inspires peace just at the sight of it.......coming out you come across a sort of triumphal arch in Moorish style......we take the bus and head to the Sagrada Familia......an open construction site.......beautiful anyway in both facades.........

In the evening dinner at the Passeig Maritim de Barceloneta......where the beach is, just to be clear.......a little street along the sea lined with small restaurants..........we choose a very nice one.........the setting is perfect.........an outdoor table in front of the beach the stars and the full moon.....what more can I say..........after dinner we walk along the beach and since the buses are no longer running we take a bus to the Ramblas........we'll spend the evening in a pub at the counter drinking Guinness and talking crap..........until they throw us out....we head to the hotel to recover from this long wonderful day........

Last day

we have breakfast in a place where I order two brioches and four arrive..........the Spanish thing is the logo where I had the biggest problems making myself understood......I speak English and French but they only speak Spanish.........the girl is also quite annoyed......but let's leave it.........we visit the aquarium.....very interesting and quite expensive (15.50 euros) we buy some souvenirs we have lunch with something edible.......and we head to Plaça Catalunya..around 3 pm the bus will take us.........to the ENORMOUS Barcelona airport.......when you disembark you get out right away but to find the check-in desk and the boarding gate it's better to allow plenty of time.......our plane takes us back to our sad and grey little country town........at least I've come back in love with this city.