Barcelona

Barcelona is a lovely city that I have visited often.  Many cruises sail from here or stop here if you are in the Mediterranean at the beginning, middle or end of your trip.  We have all spent time here, Carol and Elva more than me as they were here on land tours or self-guided trips.   We arrived at about 5:00 a.m. since for most of the people it was their day to head home.  Only 23 of us are staying on and of that number 2 continue on to Bergen. So glad we didn’t do a one week cruise after traveling this far.  About as sinful as a 3 night Caribbean one would be!

We enjoyed the luxury of breakfast upstairs but without our carry-ons like most of our fellow travelers had.  All but 23 guests are going home today, some with stopovers for a few days in one of the capitals of Europe. We stopped at Guest Services to add our credit card info to the new room keys we had already been given and headed out for the day.  Sunny Spain once again was working in our favor.  We were on the first shuttle bus which dropped us at the terminal quite near the Columbus statue which is a port landmark.  We started to walk up Las Rambla which is notoriously busy, chaotic, and dangerous, especially because of pick pockets.  The stalls and human statues create a perfect distraction for tourists which also makes these same tourists perfect targets!

Iconic Statue of Columbus at the foot of La Rambla.

Quiet!  Very quiet!  We could hear a church choir singing on this, the Feast of the Three Kings.  Sellers of souvenirs and artists were just arriving to open their stalls but mostly they were visiting with each other.  After a short distance we cut onto a side street because I could see a bright square at the other end, and because it was in the general direction of the Gothic Quarter and the Cathedral.  Here were dozens of men setting up a flea market!  Such a surprise.  The women must have been in church or home cooking the holiday lunch!  The old men were comparing their wares and beginning to barter and dicker over prices.  What a treat we had stumbled upon.

We pass a young couple having professional wedding or engagement pictures taken.  The groom sports the most fashionable pants style we have see everywhere in Europe.  They are cuffed several inches above the foot, sort of at the top of the ankle.

I kind of like these felt hats.

We left the square, not by the way we came, and we arrived at a street that took us to another bright square which then had a narrow lane going off of it.  Down the lane there was a bridge above the street and we all commented almost in unison that it reminded us of the Bridge of Sighs, the iconic Venetian landmark.  As we stood beneath it we realized it connected the Bishops house with the government offices.  If not still in use, it was that once upon a time.

We approached the Cathedral and saw that there were men checking to see if you were entering for the Mass, If not then no entry this morning.  As we stood admiring the façade I noticed that a free tour was starting.  These are enthusiastic young people who work for the tips and are generally good tours.  Some people leave toward the end just to avoid any payment.  They generally avoid eye contact too.  Everyone stayed with Daniella, she was that good.

Remains of the Roman city wall and aqueduct seen here.

We learned about the Roman wall and aqueduct against which the Cathedral stood.  As we stood beneath the same bridge that attracted us in the first place we heard the story.  The architect wanted to do an overhaul of many of the city buildings but the town council didn't want to as the money was not available and interest in the project was even less.  To appease him and sort of get him to stop petering them, The council agreed to have him construct this small bridge in the neo-classical style for which he was famous.  The lacy sides of the bridge are pretty but the underside tells the story.  symbols are for the king, the Bishop, the city, and for the architect himself.  He added a skull with a sword through it.  They had killed his ideas and would always be reminded of that!  If you stand beneath the skull, the legend has it, and you look up into its eyes and make a wish, the wish comes true.  I will let you now if it does!!  

Church, state, king, and angry architect.  The skull and sword are on the left.

Unicorn and goat gargoyles on the Cathedral.

We learned about the two patron saints of Barcelona and why they are both women.  One of them is Eulalia of Barcelona.  When it rains here they say it is her tears because she has been forgotten.
Street corners have decorative tiles that indicate what or who could be found in that location.  And yes, three D breasts indicate exactly that.  Women can be found for your pleasure on that street.   Spain also has the same legend of St. George and the Dragon that England does.  Did one pass it along to the other?  In the square named for St. Phillip Neri we saw the evidence of both the Civil War and the bombing of World War II.  It is a little funny how directly and targeted bombing can be.  The church was not damaged but the surroundings of the school were.  This square is seen in many movies and so many movie stars have sat at the same café that we did!

A private home's altar in honor of the forgotten saint.

The cafe seen in so many movies.  Woody Allen and so many others took advantage of the tight but unique space.

Two wars could not destroy this school and church nor the spirit of the people of Catalonia.

This rabbit mural was a protest against police surveillance.

There is actually a square, very empty at his time of a Sunday morning, that is known for drug dealing. 

The lower floors are drug businesses and the upper floors have bricked windows.  Why would anyone brick windows shut? Because there is a law that if someone moves into a vacant property for even a day it becomes rightfully theirs.  These owners moved away but not been able to sell their old homes or apartments so protect their ownership by bricking them in!

The bottom street sign lets you know exactly what to find down this way!

In the courtyard where Isabella and Ferdinand and their judges decided the fate of the Infidels!

With garage space this limited, it probably takes forever to get your car serviced!

 

Fine art and churches are literally around every corner!

For 2 ½ hours Daniella regaled us with details of old Barcelona life as we walked downhill toward the port.  Occasionally Elva or I would lean against a wall or perch on a pillar but the young lady was very engaging.  She was informative and friendly so the time passed quickly.  I have never been disappointed in any brand of the Free Tours I have taken and we tipped her generously
  

Protester setting up to proselytize climate change.

Since we were close by we decided that it was a good time to head toward the shuttle for the 2:15 pick up and go back to the ship for lunch.  While eating at the Pool Grill we continued to talk about what we had seen and heard.  The bright, warm sun had added to the delight of the day and I was really tempted to use the main pool but the air was a little chilly.  Also it would have been only me flailing around as all the newcomers joining the ship for the Barcelona to London leg would have been gawking, I think.

Port Vell.  BArcelona architecture is filled with great old, massive buildings and of course the whimsy of Guell.  No time today to take the Gaudi tour --- next time!  Besides we have been walking about 4 hours by this time!

 
There were not many activities planned as it was a changeover day but the three of us can always find things to occupy our time.  Even though we had a late lunch I enjoyed afternoon tea.  At 5:30 we went to Drew's Port Talk for for Cartegena (Murcia).  The room was pretty well filled up as for many it was the first and I think they wanted to know what it would be like.  The good thing is that the talks and lectures are all recorded so that if you miss one you can watch it on the large screen TV in your cabin.    Elva took advantage of the fact that no one would be doing laundry and made the time to get her washing done.  On cruises I don’t usually do wash but why not take advantage of the free service.  And by ‘free’ I mean things included in the price because you know somewhere it is!  

For dinner we went to Manfredi’s.  The Chicken Parmesan was excellent. But all the main dishes are much too large.  Wish I could take a 'go box' but even if the room fridge kept it cold we don't have a microwave, only a coffee pot. Turns out all our reservations were lost so our only other specialty dinner is on the last night.  And we were lucky to get that added on. 

The only entertainment tonight is another showing of Bohemian Rhapsody so we listened to music and met new people.  Good night!

Orange You Sweet!

The lighted gingerbread village in the Atrium

We wanted to get pictures today because tomorrow, December 6, is the Feast of the Three Kings.  For Catholics it is traditionally the end of the holiday party season, particularly in countries based on Catholicism.  December 7 things do not immediately return to normal as the children have more time off school.  But I think the decorations of gingerbread, white deer, snow and trees will soon be gone.

Yes.  Real gingerbread baked here on board.  Their bakery is great!

Today, January 5^th we are greeted by the sweet smell of oranges.  The air of Valencia is distinctively scented but more by an ornamental orange than the edible kind.  Every street is lined with well-trimmed, glossy trees, laden with orange spheres that are bitter and better for perfume than breakfast.

I have been here before twice so saw nothing really new.  The beautiful park district placed to make good use of a diverted river bed is clever and nice to see.  Everything is very walkable if you were not in a 50 passenger bus having to carefully maneuver through heavy traffic and narrow side streets.  In these streets cars are often parked on both sides and sometimes up onto the sidewalks to avoid being hit by the moving traffic.

In one section of the long narrow grass strip across the city is the Opera House, and the Oceanographic Museum which is a very large, modern aquarium.  The Faller Museum, which perhaps I will have time to visit on another visit is here.  This really is the cultural heart of the city.  A glass covered arboretum tops the underground parking to allow for ventilation of it and along the edges are tiled cove seats that also are open in a way to permit exhaust fumes to escape.  Beautiful, distinctive and will definitely be my destination area, next time.

We enjoyed time in the bustling market after learning the history of it.  Throngs sampled the wares and were buying everything from soup to nuts and especially King Cake for tomorrow’s celebrations.   Lunch will be the big meal and the children will finally get their presents.  Atop the Market Square sits a weather vane that is a bit unusual.  It is a parrot.  Why you ask, as did we.  Because the men who own the space say the women go there to shop but also to talk, talk, talk!  This market is especially nice to me of the many I have visited because the fish are in a whole separate building.  Usually the odor is overwhelming but here the colorful fresh vegetables, fruits, breads, meats, and treats can be purchased with no fishy odor interrupting the experience.  Once outside again we could see that the fish market is distinctly identified by the large fish weather vane above the roof.

You can see how big this Nativity display was compared to the people near it.  Central to the Market and about 8 feet in diametervit was quite a site to see.  The littlest children were more interested in the Parrot character handing out sweets!

Something caught their eye.

Kids are kids!

Across the street is the Gothic Silk Exchange.  I was reminded that here was the most important business of the early city.  I was also reminded that it was a dirty business and that many cheats and schemes were uncovered in those years.  Hence, the upper floors in the back are barred jail cells.  The prisoners were taken there if they stood at the broad window on the street out front and were judged to have been unfair.  These would not only be merchants but bankers and money changers who dealt with the silk traders and were found to have skimmed funds or made unfair currency exchanges.  Since traders came from all parts of the known world to buy and sell silk and fabrics currencies had to be converted just as today.

Further along we learned that the Gargoyles on the Silk Exchange also gave directions.  One looked like a fish and pointed, yes, to the Fish Market.  Others gave similar instructions. A ship pointed the way to the docks and a tree towards the outskirts.  One most interesting was a woman holding her private parts.  Brothels this way gentlemen!  After all, you have been traveling a long time and away from the comforts of home.  I guess you could say the traveling salesmen legend began here!

Hidden gardens can be found everywhere.  I toured this one at the Silk Exchange last time I was there.

All the included ship tours allow for shopping time which Carol, Elva, and I interpret to mean wander around and admire the architecture, gardens, and people watch.  Much better way to spend time than searching out magnets in tiny, dark, crowded shops along café lined cobblestone streets!

Back on board our routine included lectures by both the historian and art expert.  Today she gave a great but brief overview of the history of Spain and why it became a mix of so many cultures.  His talk was on women in art.  Not as models but artists.  There was no Port Talk because tomorrow is the end of our first one week cruise.  We booked Back to Back, better known as B2B in the world of cruisers.  First week was Rome to Barcelona so tomorrow we will be on our own and I am really looking forward to it.  We have been doing included tours – free for all who are on board.  But you know you have paid for them in the cruise price somewhere so we like to take advantage of that.  When we first booked we understood that we were to overnight in Barcelona so were looking to go far outside the much visited city to Andorra but then when we realized the day would be shortened by the need to be back by 4:30 for the 5:00 sailing we decided against risking that.

No entertainment tonight as the Assistant Cruise director who was to perform is and we did not want to see the movie Venom.  Not sure who they thought that was coming aboard that would enjoy that!  We played Air Hockey, and other games, got a late night snack and enjoyed the music in the Explorers Lounge.  Very pleasant to sit in big chairs under the constellations mimicked in the ceiling and listen to soft guitar music and a very nice quiet voice singing.