Strolling La Ramblas - the most famous street in Spain

The streetlife of Barcelona - La Ramblas
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So what are the sharpest memories of my first day in Barcelona?

The tang of olives and tomato garlic bread in a pavement cafe in the sunshine? The narrow streets of the Bari Gotic where the overhanging streets are so narrow they almost touch each other? Listening to the chirping of finches while lying in the grass at Parc du Citadella? Or the sight of row upon row of sailboats as the yachts nestle together at Marina Port Vell?

Once in a while you visit a city and curse you were not born one of its inhabitants. Barcelona is one such city.

The start of La Ramblas
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All of the above I suppose...

Once in a while you visit a city and curse you were not born one of its inhabitants. Barcelona is one such city. The quality of life is wonderful in this sunshine laden mellow city. In Barcelona there is nothing better then sitting at a cafe sipping vino and enjoying calamares while the world wanders by..

Everyone starts their day at Placa de Catalunya. This is the centre of Barcelona where all buses and metro trains meet. On the surface is a pretty green square with gardens and fountains. 'La Ramblas' starts at its southwest corner. As soon as you step onto it you are aware of that mixture of atmosphere, architecture and people that make it so special. Traffic is contained to one lane either side while the centre is paved over with tiles and lined with plane trees. Tourists, beggars, performance artists, human statues, flamenco dancers and news vendors all compete for your attention. Even at 10.00am in the morning it is one hell of a show.

Paella in the sunshine - the Praca Reial
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The Upper Ramblas holds a pets market and the chirping of birds fills the air. Then comes the flower market and you can smell the wares as you pass stall after flower laden stall. The next stretch has endless cafes and restaurants where tired tourists catch a cold coke or paella. The far end of La Ramblas where it hits Barri Xines is infested with pavement artists and trinket stalls and it finally opens out at the harbour. The great soaring monument du Colom stands between the sea and La Ramblas.  A marble statue of Colombus stands fifty feet high with his hand pointing out to the Meditterranean.

Across Plaza du Colom and Port Vell marina is laid out before you. To the west is the green mountain of Montjuic and the cream baroque of Reial Drassanes. A small market leads onto the quay where small boats can be caught for trips across the harbour. But most of the crowds followed the continuation of La Ramblas with a high tech bridge leading to Port Vell shopping mall. To the left are the sails of hundreds of craft and to the right were cable cars climbing up to the heights of Montjuic. A very impressive Mediterranean vista..

I enjoyed the glitter of the sun on the water and reached Maremagnum shopping centre. Plenty of outdoor restaurants here as well as FC Barcelona shop and pricey tapas bars. There are more attractions such as an IMAX and an impressive L'Aquarium. But I wanted dry land and headed into the tension filled but touristy Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter). Just off La Ramblas was the Praca Reial - a 19th Century Italianate square dotted with fountains, palm trees and wrought iron lamps. Today there was a coin and stamp market spread across the cobbles and the Guardia Civil watched over tourists and the usual desperate characters that survive in the Barri Gotic.

I'd promised myself a classic Spanish meal in a classic Spanish setting at one point in Barcelona. The sun was out, my feet were aching so I took a front table at an arcaded restaurant and ordered up pollo paella. The entree was garlic bread and fresh olives, washed down with a Portuguese sherry. The sizzling paella was delicious, the wine gorgeous and the sunshine relaxing..

Life doesn't get any better then this..