Barcelona Revisited

Eugene and I visited Barcelona last year when we were scouting out places to live. We had heard all this hype about it and then when we got there we were a little disappointed. However, this trip we started to see what people were talking about. A big plus: fewer tourists = higher level of enjoyment. But also, we were able to see more of the sights, since last time we spent much of our time looking at neighborhoods and livability issues.

We actually tackled a museum on this trip too. We simply had to bite the bullet and drag Eva's wiggly butt into the Picasso Museum. It was really interesting to see Picasso's evolution from more "traditional" art through various phases and periods and then to what he is best known for...I call it wacky, but cool, and some of it flat out child-like. Is my lack of art braininess apparent yet? But they say (something like) that art is what it is to the one who's looking at it, so there.

We rode on another cable car up a big hill to a park called Montjuïc, which includes a castle, many of the Olympic venues from the '92 games, museums and a choreographed fountain where they put on a show on Friday and Saturday nights. Mom called it a birthday cake fountain since we were celebrating her 60th while we were in BCN. Ooops! Did I just reveal my mother's age all over the internet????? Soooorry Mom!

Oh, here's a little tale of my parent's first real experience getting Spained...we walked FOREVER to get around the port of Barcelona to a tower where they have a very high cable car/gondola that gets you to Montjuïc. It closes at 5:45 and we got there shortly before 5. There was a group of tipsy Aussies in front of us having a jovial time and we were just kind of waiting around for the elevator. All of a sudden the guy running the place says "Finito!" Uh, excuse me? The Aussies were flirting/begging with the guy to let them go up and he said OK after much persuasion. He counts off 10 or so people, including 2 from our group and say finito again. By then the other 5 in our party joined us and he said no, no, they weren't there (in Spanish). I said that they were with us but the guy was getting really frustrated and basically cut everyone off. The Aussies begged some more and got in, but he didn't let anyone else in and didn't explain why. Then a very nice English guy walked up and talked to him very politely in Spanish asking him to tell us the problem. Apparently there were about 200 people waiting upstairs in the tower and that would fill the gondolas until 5:45, or whatever. All that walking for nothing! Well, OK, we did get to see the port and the not-too-fabulous Barceloneta beach.

Walking along the Rambla, a pedestrian zone that is over a mile long, was interesting. Lots of street performers, most of whom stand on some sort of pedestal, dress in widely varying costumes, each with a different shtick. Jolie almost died when this lady got ahold of her...

When in Barcelona, one MUST see the Sagrada Familia, a Gaudi-designed church. We only looked from outside as fees to get in were high and we were a large group, short on time. But wow...even from outside, very impressive!

And of course, a little time out for a swing! Eva has taught herself to not only keep her swing going with her legs pumping, and not only how to start herself swinging, but also how to go as high as the crossbar on any given swingset! I wouldn't expect anything less.

This is La Pedrera, an apartment building Gaudi built. The balcony railings are gnarly [man]...literally! And this was our typical scene, us all looking at stuff and me reading the guidebook to those who were interested. My audience was usually small.

I generally don't like kitchy souvenir type things, but these little flamenco dresses were irresistible!

And here's proof that Eugene was on the trip! He just was behind the camera most of the time!

OK, Barcelona, you won me over this time!