Barcelona Revisited

Well, the heading is a bit of a lead-on. I visited Barcelona in 1987 and didn´t like it and left after fifteen minutes.

This time, I had some ideas about where to stay, got good  information from the tourist office and have enjoyed the city much.

Barcelona Excess

There is energy here and a friendly spirit. It may have to do with the widths of the sidewalks, which give space for rambling and the incredible diversity of people.

To mention some of the things I have enjoyed, in no particular order:

Las Ramblas, a one mile long walkway in the center of the city. There is one lane of traffic on either side but the center area has ¨stautues¨(I guess it´s good if that is the skill  one chooses to make a living), pet shops, florists, street musicians and sometimes young men cheering some soccer team from Barcelona. This street is fun to wander every time. My second hotel, the one I´m in now, is quite close to this.

Passeig de Gracia is the upscale shopping street with all the fancy stores. Also two of the msot bizarre buildings I have ever seen. Most of the architecture I´ve seen has been based on rectangles. Remember Frank Lloyd Wright? Well, this is based on circles and odd protrusions form walls. They seem to have something to do with Gaudi but I´m not sure exatly what. I find this street off-putting.

The Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia was started in 1880 or so and still has not been finished. They are working on it. It will have 16 steeples and will be quite ornate. I did not like it. Too much. It seems to be that many of the sights I have seen in Spain have been based on excess. Maybe this relates to the Spanish mentality we studied in calss this fall. All for the glory of God.

The tapas bar where one chooses appetizers by picture was fun. I thought of a low tech revolving sushi bar but the waitress was high tech in her hand held computer.

The University is just  what I would have imagined a university was when I was a child. Gray stone walls, open patios and learned looking people in small groups, discussing ???? Great ideas or the soccer game results.? I will never know.

The mover Beyond the Sea about Bobby Darin was unusual. In the style of a ´50´s musical but a sympathetic portrayal of his life.

Several photography exhibits. One on 2005 news events and one on Africa.

I enjoy the city in the morning. By about 6pm, there are so many people.

After Granada, I was tired for about a week and the Valencia expereince with hotles was not good. I´ve got the spirit back!

And I have clean laundry!

THis morning, Sunday, I walked by the beach and there were no crowds.

Later went to the history museum and it was great. Told the story of the people in the area from prehistoric times up to abou the end of the Franco regime. Very nicely organized and not many pèople.