Arrival In Barcelona

Thom and I were early birds in a late-night town.  The aeropuerto bus dropped us off at La Placa Catalyuna.  After checking our luggage at nearby Barcelona Lockers, we headed to the Columbus monument, which overlooks the harbor.

We walked along the nearly deserted La Rambla.  Graffiti and drying laundry decorated the narrow side streets.

An elevator took us to the top of the monument, hardly bigger than a walk-in closet.

It offered wraparound views of the city, including the tree-lined La Rambla and Montjuic, which we would ascend by foot the next morning, and again at twilight by cable care three days later.

Don't let the palm trees and sunny skies fool you--it was chilly.

 

The new co-exists easily with old in Barcelona, which the Catalans pronounce "Barthelona."

Dan flew in from Paris just in time for our first tapas at Bodega La Palma (de la Palma d Sant Just, 7) which had been highly recommended by a local, not a guidebook.

If there's boudin on the menu, Dan orders it. Here it's stewed with white beans and calamari, an odd but tasty combination!

We meandered through Barri Gotic, the old town, on our way to meet Chris at the aeropuerto bus stop.  Traveling makes me feel like I'm seeing for the first time.  Everything looks interesting, from the architectural details

. . . to the signage

(have you ever seen a thermometer this big?)

. . . to the store windows

. . . and even the scooters.

What is it about food markets in Europe?  Everything looked yummy at La Boqueria St. Joseph on La Rambla.

Especially the candy displays--don't you wonder what the fried eggs and dolphins taste like?

Dan and Chris stocked up on non-perishables that we could take back to the apartment that Chris found on AirBnb, just a 5-minute walk away.

Four bedrooms, 2 baths with a balcony at $300 bucks a night.  Not bad, eh?

Thom thought it could be a little warmer.

Apparently, lack of heat has a long history in Catalonia as we discovered the next day at the national museum.