Ahh...Barcelona...

Il 23 aprile

Barcelona

A 5:00 am wake-up call and a quick coffee and then it was a short bus ride to the Lisbon Airport; lots of people, but well-organized and calm. The flight to Barcelona on TAP airlines was uneventful, which is always appreciated, and after being served sandwiches and wine on the plane, we arrived in Barcelona. (Was 9:40 am too early to drink?)

It didn't take long to reach Hotel Fira Palace, my lodging for the next three nights. Having some time before the afternoon city tour, I explored a bit of the neighborhood in search of a tapas bar. Not finding one, I settled for the local bakery where the aromas just pulled me in. Today is Saint Georges Day (He is the patron saint of Catalonia) and also the Day of the Book and it is customary for men to give women a rose and women to give men a book in exchange. I don't know how the custom started and if it's a reflection of women wanting their men to read more, but, in any event, I saw a number of flower sellers with pails filled with roses. Now, getting back to the bakery where I purchased some walnut bread baked with cheese, (a traditional food eaten on this day), and a large cookie and then found a grocery store where finding a cold Spanish beer was my goal. When I told the owner that I wanted local beer, he suggested Moritz, a Barcelona staple since 1856. Even though low in alcohol, I am now feeling the effects of an early rising and my lunch. It's a good thing that there is a scheduled tour; otherwise, I might not make it out of my room, which is quite lovely and very inviting.

Later...

Barcelona is a big and very beautiful city and today, because of the holiday and most people not working, it was filled with people. La Rambla (a main street) was a wall of humanity, filled with book vendors and flower sellers and what seemed like thousands of men and women, boys and girls out and about making their purchases; how wonderful to have a day devoted to the joy of reading literature (a celebration of the lives of Shakespeare and Cervantes who died on the same date) and to chivalry (St. George slaying the dragon.) Tradition says that from the dragon's blood arose a rose which is how the custom of giving this flower originated.

Our tour started with a drive through tree- shaded streets and past the Botanical Gardens to a view point where all of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea spread out before us; then down to the marina and experiencing the architectural beauty of the city. Facades with sculpture and intricately carved wrought-iron balconies abound.

Our main stop was at the church of La Sagrada Familia. In 1882 the foundation stone of this massive edifice was laid; initially designed by the architect Franciso de Paula del Villar, the work was taken over by Antoni Gaudi a year and a half later and is still going on today according to Gaudi's models. I am at a loss to describe the size, splendor, and intricacy of the innovative architecture...the church has become a landmark of Barcelona and an artistic and spiritual symbol of Catalonia.

On the way back to the hotel we passed by several homes that had been designed by Gaudi. Playful and whimsical are the two words that come to mind when I try to describe the houses; again, just something that has to be seen.

Dinner was with friends at a lovely restaurant where we ate and drank, talked and laughed. Our waiter treated us to two rounds of after dinner liqueurs; the first, he said, was a digestive, and the second was for getting a woman's phone number. Ah...these Spanish men...