Barcelona

Barcelona is a great place to visit, at least were we stayed and spent most of our time. It is one of Spain's historic cities, originally founded by the Romans in the 15th century, it has survived medieval times, occupation by the Moors and the Spanish civil wars. Some of the old Roman city walls still exist, although most Italian, Spanish and French cities can show you some remnants of the Roman Empire. Spanish cities, at least the ones we have been to, all have a number of open squares or plazas, some of which are central to the city. In Barcelona that plaza is Placa de Catalunya, centered between the two pedestrian areas La Rambla and Rambla Catalunya. Both of these pedestrian areas are full of sidewalk cafes, shopping and exciting to walk down. La Rambla is touted by tourist books as the one to use, but it was much too crowded and hectic for us, we much preferred Rambla Catalunya, quieter, less people and more charming cafes. 

As in most cities we visit, first on our agenda was the Hop on-hop off bus, as these are a great way to see a cities attractions and to determine which ones you want to visit and which ones you don't want to visit. One of the famous attractions in Barcelona is La Sagrada Familia, a cathedral designed by the architect Antonio Gaudi, Barcelona's "rock star" of architecture. The Familia was started in 1915 and is still under construction. People line up for a block or so to be able to get into the cathedral, we passed on the bus and not being real big art appreciators opted out of visiting. 

La Sagrada Familia portrays a lot of suffering

Architectural style of Gaudi

Our most fun was exploring on foot through a few different areas of the city, that reflected the architectural style of the period that section of the city was from. Barri Gotic, some areas as old as 2,000 years was a delightful walk, through streets so narrow that only pedestrians, two wheeled transportation and in the past probably small carts could move. This area still functions uniquely as every street or two has a produce shop, a bakery, a butcher shop and all the other things required to  enable the purchase of the requirements for the evening meal on the way home.

Barri Gotic Street

or La Reberia, a merchant area from the 13th and 14th centuries. Streets are wider, single car capacity, the shops here are high end shopping and restaurants. What a good area to sample some Spanish beverages.

A beer each and we shared the Sangria.

or to visit one of the many butcher shops selling one of the specialties of Spain, hams almost as many types as there are regions in Spain.

You just get the butcher to slice off enough for your next meal

Cured hams, foot and all at the market 

While on a hop on-hop off boat tour of the harbour area we observed one of the many statues of Christopher Columbus, it seems that Europe has as many monuments to Columbus as the "new world" has to Cook.

Columbus pointing somewhere!

And while in Spain one should try two dishes that have originated there, paella and tapas. 

Both are great.

Seafood Paella in Barcelona