Barcelona, Spain



View from the top of Arena De Barcelona

Ever since high school Spanish class, Rex has wanted to visit Spain. It’s taken almost 40 years, but he finally got there with me tagging along. And even though it was February, the weather was gorgeous.
With plenty of sunshine, lavender blooming and green parrots chattering in the trees, I’m glad we didn’t have to wait another 40 years. Barcelona is the only real city Cervantes mentions in his classic Don Quixote because the weather was so pleasant and the people even more so. For our 4-day visit, this still held true.

We arrived Wednesday evening with enough time to walk a few blocks near our hotel and get dinner at an excellent tapas restaurant. Tapas are small dishes of food for sharing with your table mates. Our first go-round we ordered picante avocado bowl, chorizo slices, cannellini, and pickled quail thighs.

Me on the steps leading up to the National Gallery of Catalonyan Art



The next day we walked up to the National Gallery of Catalunya Art and the Fountain of Montjuïc (184 steps, thank you very much).  After wandering around the gardens, we walked a couple miles to the town center to take in a 10th century cathedral, a chocolate museum, and the renowned Gothic Quarter with great examples of Visigoth art and architecture.




Barcelona Harbor

After a quick lunch and still more walking down near the harbor, we bought metro tickets and headed to the Arena de Barcelona near our hotel. The Moorish Revival arena was built in 1900 for bull fighting but the sport fell out of favor by the 1970s and the arena has since been converted into a savvy shopping mall. After dinner on the top floor we went back to our hotel for a much needed soak.  



Inside La Sagrada Familia


Friday morning we hopped the metro north to tour Antoni Gaudi’s catholic cathedral, La Sagrada Familia. Gaudi’s architectural style is described as organic as he drew inspiration from the natural world around him. (The philosophy is similar to Frank Lloyd Wright’s but with completely different results.)

The cathedral’s unbelievably vaulted ceiling creates reverence but Gaudi’s organic touches add a whimsy not often seen in 20^th century churches. Sagrada Familia was begun in 1883; work continues to this day with no anticipated end.

Tapas for dinner included: warm brie on toast with truffles, nachos and guacamole, roasted vegetables, and fried artichokes.

 

 



Rex at the top of Park Güell

Saturday we checked the map and decided to visit the Park Güell which features more Gaudi architecture. Funny thing about non-topographical maps: they don't indicate the steepness of a climb. And it was some haul.

Daily tapas included: chicken skewers, goat cheese salad, tomato and bread, mini chorizos, grilled scallops, Russian salad, ham croquettes, and a potted tiramisu. All washed down with icy Estrella Damm beers and a couple shots of mango-guava liqueur. Small portions, but lots of flavors.


After dinner we spotted fireworks going off in a side street. Then came the drums. Before we knew it we were smack in the middle of a small parade going around the block, for what we may never know. Clearly there was religious significance because some folks were dressed as demons others as priests and cardinals. It looked like something out of 16th century Europe, rollicking, festive, and loud.

 

For more pictures of our trip click here, por favor.

 

An observation

I don’t speak Spanish though I heard it all the time growing up in California. But hearing the Spanish in Barcelona was different (and not just because it was mixed with local Catalonian). I think it was an issue of race. In the states, where Spanish is usually synonymous with Mexican, there is a stigma associated with it. To wit: illegal aliens, second-class citizenry, and migrant workers.  

But in Spain I got the impression its people are fully aware their ancestry includes a once-global empire, that their explorers opened new worlds, reached the far shores of North and South America, that they’re responsible for - among other things - introducing chocolate to Europe. There was a nice relaxed pride vibe going on and it was a pleasure to be there, even for just the few days.