If I don't keep this up I will forget from one day to the next what we actually did. I know that we went out, we had lunch, we walked around, we had a rest and we went out again - that is the pattern of our days, unless we stay in for the evening.
I have said before how wonderful it is to be with Kate and Stig who are now familiar with Barcelona and who take us into interesting spots just to look at the ceiling, the decor, the food - oh, especially the food. It is as colourful as the clothes and every bit as appealing. One such was the Bosc des Fades cafe, with its forest glade interior, complete with the odd fairy or elf and an odd collection of magic parphernalia. It was very low ceilinged and quite dark inside - the forest tree branches brushing the tops of our heads.
Then there is the wall near the alley which housed the seedy side of town, oft frequented by sailors, against which the local prostitutes are said to have rested their feet - you can see the indentations where they wore away the stone.
However, today we set out alone for the Segrada Familiar, the Gaudi Cathedral. It is perhaps the best known building and landmark of Barcelona, and it certainly dominates any view of I have see of the city. I was surprised to learn that the tallest spire hasn't been built yet. The only thing to say as you walk around it is WOW. It is WOW. We joined the inevitable queue (on the shady side thankfully) and eventually in we went.
Though there are huge numbers of people moving through no one is rushed. The scale of the building is extraordinary, the internal structure rising on columns that seem to be growing into the ceiling.
It is fascinating to see something on this scale under construction - and it is under construction. The tourists are kept to particular areas, the workmen above us on scaffolds and huge 'curtains' of shade cloth or similar to contain the dust and protect us from each other I suppose. We didn't join the mile long queue to go up into the spire. There is a small altar on a scaffold high above the floor, but Mass is apparently usually in the chapel in the crypt. Beneath the cathedral is also the Museum, where you can marvel at Gaudi's original drawings and follow the history of the construction, and the collaborators with Gaudi who have been involved from the beginning.
We eventually came away and immediately felt we should sit down, have a cold drink and debrief before heading off towards Casa Battlo - another Gaudi house. We got out our map and away we went, down new streets, past new buildings - and a market we hadn't heard of. I love the markets, the food looks so very good, and they are cool, spacious and clean. The chickens all look sallow, they are all corn fed; the meat and fish so fresh they could get up and walk out with you and the fruit and vegetables bright and colourful. There was a small supermarket at the end
which is where we saw the parking bay for shopping trolleys. Apparently you are not allowed to take your trolley inside and so they are left chained to the wall to prevent theft. Theft is a big problem here, and one of the ways the local government tackles it is to prevent bicycle theft by providing very big numbers of hire bikes. There are bike 'stations' all over the place and riders subscribe to the system and pay for the hire as they use them. The bikes are intended for locals rather than visitors and the scheme is structured and priced accordingly. For an annual fee of a bit over 25euro you get the first 30mins of any ride gratis and then pay about .43 per 30 mins, with a maximum of 2hrs per ride. Sounds like a good commuting option to me.
This evening we have been invited by Kate's friend, Carmen, to join her in a picnic on the beach to listen to some Habanero music - songs brought back by sailors who supported Cuba during the Cuban War of Independence at the end of the 19th century. The links are still strong. We met up at Port Olympic, so called because so much of it was built for the 1992 Olympic Games here, and walked the length of the beach before settling down to our picnic. Carmen supplied the most delicious Spanish omelettes, tortillas, and bread with gazpacho and some ham. I will never be able to look at the ham in Australia without longing for spanish ham - they are very different meats. Wine also provided, including a white wine from her native town - La Mancha. It was a veritable feast.
We joined the crowds as the singing performances started and finished our meal on our seats with a traditional cake for dessert with a glass of cava. Kate had bought a couple of versions of the flat cake, one of which was topped with sugar and pine nuts. We were trying to work out what the paste in the middle was made from - perhaps pine or other nuts? Fortunately Carmen was on hand to tell us that no, it isn't made from nuts but from pig skin! Well, talk about you could have knocked us down with a feather - who would have thought it could be so nice? There seemed no more fitting end to the night's repast than the local speciality of Cremat - a drink of rum, coffee,sugar and cinnamon heated and set alight then served with a coffee bean or two in the glass. I am not a rum drinker at all but those who are told me that it is very good indeed.
And then FIREWORKS! Right over our heads a magnificent display of crysanthemums, rockets, sprays of colour over the water and noise - from the fireworks and from the crowd too. Hip Hip Hooray.
Though there are huge numbers of people moving through no one is rushed. The scale of the building is extraordinary, the internal structure rising on columns that seem to be growing into the ceiling.
It is fascinating to see something on this scale under construction - and it is under construction. The tourists are kept to particular areas, the workmen above us on scaffolds and huge 'curtains' of shade cloth or similar to contain the dust and protect us from each other I suppose. We didn't join the mile long queue to go up into the spire. There is a small altar on a scaffold high above the floor, but Mass is apparently usually in the chapel in the crypt. Beneath the cathedral is also the Museum, where you can marvel at Gaudi's original drawings and follow the history of the construction, and the collaborators with Gaudi who have been involved from the beginning.
We eventually came away and immediately felt we should sit down, have a cold drink and debrief before heading off towards Casa Battlo - another Gaudi house. We got out our map and away we went, down new streets, past new buildings - and a market we hadn't heard of. I love the markets, the food looks so very good, and they are cool, spacious and clean. The chickens all look sallow, they are all corn fed; the meat and fish so fresh they could get up and walk out with you and the fruit and vegetables bright and colourful. There was a small supermarket at the end 
which is where we saw the parking bay for shopping trolleys. Apparently you are not allowed to take your trolley inside and so they are left chained to the wall to prevent theft. Theft is a big problem here, and one of the ways the local government tackles it is to prevent bicycle theft by providing very big numbers of hire bikes. There are bike 'stations' all over the place and riders subscribe to the system and pay for the hire as they use them. The bikes are intended for locals rather than visitors and the scheme is structured and priced accordingly. For an annual fee of a bit over 25euro you get the first 30mins of any ride gratis and then pay about .43 per 30 mins, with a maximum of 2hrs per ride. Sounds like a good commuting option to me.
This evening we have been invited by Kate's friend, Carmen, to join her in a picnic on the beach to listen to some Habanero music - songs brought back by sailors who supported Cuba during the Cuban War of Independence at the end of the 19th century. The links are still strong. We met up at Port Olympic, so called because so much of it was built for the 1992 Olympic Games here, and walked the length of the beach before settling down to our picnic. Carmen supplied the most delicious Spanish omelettes, tortillas, and bread with gazpacho and some ham. I will never be able to look at the ham in Australia without longing for spanish ham - they are very different meats. Wine also provided, including a white wine from her native town - La Mancha. It was a veritable feast.
We joined the crowds as the singing performances started and finished our meal on our seats with a traditional cake for dessert with a glass of cava. Kate had bought a couple of versions of the flat cake, one of which was topped with sugar and pine nuts. We were trying to work out what the paste in the middle was made from - perhaps pine or other nuts? Fortunately Carmen was on hand to tell us that no, it isn't made from nuts but from pig skin! Well, talk about you could have knocked us down with a feather - who would have thought it could be so nice? There seemed no more fitting end to the night's repast than the local speciality of Cremat - a drink of rum, coffee,sugar and cinnamon heated and set alight then served with a coffee bean or two in the glass. I am not a rum drinker at all but those who are told me that it is very good indeed.
And then FIREWORKS! Right over our heads a magnificent display of crysanthemums, rockets, sprays of colour over the water and noise - from the fireworks and from the crowd too. Hip Hip Hooray.
1 comment:
You are certainly making me hungry.
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