I have already marvelled at the efficiency of the metro underground rail system here, but it is not the only good public transport. The buses also run all around the city with surprising frequency, and that includes the airport bus which goes past us about every five minutes or so.
I get the distinct impression that no one would care so greatly as we do at home about missing a bus or train as there will be another one along within minutes - and not within 30 mins or more. There is no hanging around on half empty stations as there always seem to be people about. I know there is a lot of talk about thieves in the Metro but I cannot tell them from the passengers (which is what they hope of course) and so just believe everyone is a passenger.
A couple of times we have had buskers on the train, each time a man playing an accordion accompanied by a bored looking woman with a tambourine. The second time they also had an amplifer with a pre recorded bass line on the go. The trains don't have many seats so there is room for them to move up and down the train, and all the carriages are connected - no doors between.
The favoured form of motorised transport is the moped and you have to duck out of the way sometimes as one mounts the footpath to park. They zip in and around the cars driving through the streets. The drivers, of cars and mopeds, seem to have no control over their speed - they are in go mode or stop mode. Go mode can be pretty quick so pedestrians who don't pay attention had better look out. The pedestrian crossings have clear green lights so you know when to go, but they only flash three times quickly before they turn red so it is easy to get caught in the middle of the road. There are notices on the road surface at some crossings saying that two out of three road deaths are pedestrians who didn't pay enough attention to the road.
And, I am loathe to say it, but the cyclists can be a bit of a hazard too. Riders are not
required to wear a helmet, nor to stay off the footpath. There are over 100 kilometres of bike lanes in Barcelona, some on the road, some on the footpath and some down the centre of the road alongside pedestrian walkways in the shade of the trees. But plenty of cyclists ride among the pedestrians with gay abandon and flagrant disregard for anyone's safety. One take's one's life in one's hands one and off the bike on the footpath. I haven't seen anyone crash yet, but I did have one rider have a go at me for not seeing him coming from behind. Bells are not de rigeur either.
The constant transport here is shank's pony - on foot. We have spent a lot of time just walking through the various Barrio's enjoying our surroundings, going in and out of places of interest as we come across them, either by design or by chance. The streets are often tree lined which makes it comfortable in the heat, or the lanes and back streets so narrow that they are also shady. I miss my bike, but am enjoying the walking pace tours of our own design.
Getting out of town we have only ridden the very fast train so far, so will have to add more as we experience the range of regional and local trains elsewhere.
A couple of times we have had buskers on the train, each time a man playing an accordion accompanied by a bored looking woman with a tambourine. The second time they also had an amplifer with a pre recorded bass line on the go. The trains don't have many seats so there is room for them to move up and down the train, and all the carriages are connected - no doors between.
The favoured form of motorised transport is the moped and you have to duck out of the way sometimes as one mounts the footpath to park. They zip in and around the cars driving through the streets. The drivers, of cars and mopeds, seem to have no control over their speed - they are in go mode or stop mode. Go mode can be pretty quick so pedestrians who don't pay attention had better look out. The pedestrian crossings have clear green lights so you know when to go, but they only flash three times quickly before they turn red so it is easy to get caught in the middle of the road. There are notices on the road surface at some crossings saying that two out of three road deaths are pedestrians who didn't pay enough attention to the road.
And, I am loathe to say it, but the cyclists can be a bit of a hazard too. Riders are not 
required to wear a helmet, nor to stay off the footpath. There are over 100 kilometres of bike lanes in Barcelona, some on the road, some on the footpath and some down the centre of the road alongside pedestrian walkways in the shade of the trees. But plenty of cyclists ride among the pedestrians with gay abandon and flagrant disregard for anyone's safety. One take's one's life in one's hands one and off the bike on the footpath. I haven't seen anyone crash yet, but I did have one rider have a go at me for not seeing him coming from behind. Bells are not de rigeur either.
The constant transport here is shank's pony - on foot. We have spent a lot of time just walking through the various Barrio's enjoying our surroundings, going in and out of places of interest as we come across them, either by design or by chance. The streets are often tree lined which makes it comfortable in the heat, or the lanes and back streets so narrow that they are also shady. I miss my bike, but am enjoying the walking pace tours of our own design.
Getting out of town we have only ridden the very fast train so far, so will have to add more as we experience the range of regional and local trains elsewhere.
1 comment:
I recall riding on footpaths in old Barcelona. The bike paths in the middle of the road are great. No helmet is great, I don't recall abusing any pedestrians.
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