Barcelona

Heading to Barcelona

Thank heavens for the GPS which led us flawlessly to Barcelona, and once we input the hotel, it led us there was well. From our past big city experiences sometimes places in town cost more but you get less. Here we had researched and found a Holiday Inn Express in Molins de Rei a small town NW of Barcelona, It is a 3 star hotel, with breakfast included and accepts our CAA card for a discount. And the staff work their darn-des  to help you out.

Sandra on the Rambla

Woke up to another beautiful day in Barcelona. Today is the big tour day so we get down to the breakfast room early, about 7:30am, knowing there is a school tour bus on one of the other floors. Great meal of yogurt, croissants, cereal, excellent espresso, and meats and cheeses if you so desire. I even got an apple which I took with us in the backpack. Armed with our handheld GPS, maps, our camelback full of water, camera, etc. we caught the train into Barcelona. 3.2E for the 2 of us. In 20 mins we were at Catalunya plaza, right on the Rambla, the major tour walk in town. From there we walked down stopping to tour the outdoor mercato, wow what a place and we promise to come back there for lunch.

 Next onto the Christopher Columbus column, and the new Barcelona waterfront that was done for the summer Olympics . It is very beautiful. 

Sagreda Familia

Onto the Olympic village and finally we realize we have walked to a thoroughfare that intersects with Sagrada Familia, a Gaudi cathedral started in 1906 and won’t be finished for another 30 years from now. We walked up the boulevard to the cathedral then over to the  Block of Discord , named that way because of all the different architectural styles evident there. Then back down the Rambla to the Mercato where we had chicken, potatoes, smoothies that were incredible and garlic pasta. Finally we decided we had walked enough and would come back later by bike to see the fountains at Montejuic which overlooks the city. 

The Detailed Work

Do I Really have to go?

Detailed fruit work on column tops

Mercata la Boquiera

Eating

Fish Mongering area

Fruits and Nuts

Hamon, the meat of Spain

Fruit plates

Delicious Smoothies

One thing that we are having difficulty adjusting to is the work lifestyle and eating habits of the Spanish people. While we haven’t seen any evidence of this yet, eating later in the morning is supposed to be the normal way, then everything stops between 2 or 3 pm until 4 or 5 pm. Everything! At this point they will have a lunch and siesta then get back to work until 8 to 9 pm. whereby they will have supper. As a tourist unless you are in the heavily tourist areas such as downtown Barcelona, you will be exposed to their eating dictates. Just be aware. I love the siesta's, but have a tough time adjusting to the late hours. 

Evening Music

These fountains are magnificent in a few minutes

We stopped at our local mercato, picked up some Heineken and had a nap, readying ourselves for the evening out. We rode back down via Autobahn to the fountain display at Montejuic. Wow it was fantastic! Later we’d come back to the hotel after dark. Not bad for our first day here.