The Barcelona Three

There are a few things that enter my head when I think back about our time in Barcelona: Paella, Tapas, Architecture, Carlsberg, Non-stop Partying, German School Groups, Pigeons, Architecture, La Rambla, Bob Marley, Maoz Falafel, Winding Streets, who could forget Sangria, Relaxing, Street Performers, Gelati, Internet Cafes, Regular Cafes, Handbags in Sacks, Architecture, Pizza, Placa Reial, Frosties and Chocolate Cereals, Bananas from my stall in the Mercat de la Baqueria, Flowers and Birds, Sleep, No Sleep, and more things of that nature...
In fact, a big portion of our 2 weeks in Barcelona was spent relaxing in Placa Reial - the placa into which our hotel faced, the placa that never slept (up until at least 5am every single day there were people sitting in the cafes and restaurants outside our hotel window drinking, laughing, singing anything from classic 80s hits to happy birthday..
This city is just full of life, everywhere you look the streets are bustling, there's always something happening, something colourful to catch your attention, a busker playing an accordian or guitar, sitting still as a statue only to jump out at unsuspecting curious passers-by scaring the daylights out of them, dressed as a clown entertaining crowds at the expense of innocent bystanders, or maybe even pumping out a dance beat or two to complement his juggling routine aimed at the outside-dwelling patrons of a nearby restaurant..
The weather was fine, the people friendly (and pretty damn good looking too, I might add - both guys and girls), the views over the city spectacular from the cable car to Montjuic.. It is just generally a great place, and one quite high on my list of favourite cities :)
While getting lost amidst the web of small alleyways flanked by towering 4-storey buildings - many of which date back to medieval times and where washing hangs out of the open windows over balconies that provide a home to numerous flowerpots and weathered wooden shutters - was definitely a highlight for me, we also managed to fit in a bit of sightseeing too. Some of the most memorable places we visited were.. Get ready for it: the Egyptian museum (Museu Egypci) with a very interesting display of photographs from the uncovering of Tutenkhamen's tomb; the Ethnological museum (Museu Etnologic) displaying info and artifacts of several indigenous cultures from around the world (including Australia, which the museum had quite an interesting viewpoint of - see the photo); another Olympic site, this time from the 1992 Olympics; La Sagrada Familia, the enormous and visually exciting Roman Catholic church that has been under construction since the 1880s and is still not expected to be completed until about 2026 (!); the Picasso museum, devoted entirely to the man everyone has heard of, and including an exceptionally interesting special exhibition on the famous painting, Las Meninas, and Picasso's (and others') various interpretations; the wonderful and huge fresh produce market, Mercat de la Baqueria, which reminded me a lot of the Adelaide Central Markets, brilliant; taking in a flamenco performance in a very intimate club called Tarantos; and last but definitely not least, the Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat built atop the very picturesque mountain Montserrat just outside of Barcelona. Phew....
Above all, though, it was lovely hanging out with my mum and sis for the last time in what I suspect may be a while as we all split up to go our separate ways on the 29th of May. Mum flew home to Australia, Lee moved on to Granada in the south of Spain and I took the train northeast about 4 hours into the south of France!!! This Thursday was a particularly teary day...

A few small facts that you may or may not have known: Barcelona is in an area of Spain known as Catalunya, which also used to include a small region of France. It has its own language (Catalan), separate from Spanish and sharing many similarities with French, and is considered essentially as a separate nation. Bullfighting is not a Catalunyan tradition, but a Spanish one, and as such is not practised within Catalunya (except when the Spanish government decides to take the arenas under their jurisdiction - which they can do - at certain times in the year, when even the Catalunyan authorities are replaced by Spanish).

Photos:

Placa Reial by night

the fountain in the centre of our placa

in the Museu Etnologic - the world's view of Australia

graffiti is quite widespread through this city

La Sagrada Familia - notice the cranes in the background

an alleyway

another alleyway

an interesting way to make a few dollars...

healthy breakfast options

Monument a Colon (Monument to Colombus) at the end of Las Ramblas

one of the best markets I've seen...

on the cable car from Montjuic

at the top of Montserrat!

we found this small church also near the summit of Montserrat

hide and seek