Backtracking to Barcelona

Well, shoot.  In my rush to get to Livorno, I missed a day in Barcelona and it was a day I wanted to tell you about.  And, by the way, let me just save you some embarrassment should you eventually visit this amazing city by giving you the 411 right now:  it’s pronounced Bar-THA-lona and please be aware:  the locals will correct you should you choose to say it in a way that sounds less…lispy.

One of our favorite parts of this whole trip was a little discovery we made about two weeks before we left.  While looking at shore excursions, we were unhappy with the price and the size of the groups.  We didn’t want to be loaded into a bus with a hundred other people and stand in long lines to see the sites. However, we also knew that with a very limited amount of time in each port, the great distance from the ports to the main cities, and the fact that we don’t speak the language – we wouldn’t be able to tackle it without a guide.  Also, we didn’t just want to see beautiful, ancient landmarks, we wanted to know the stories of the cultures we were visiting.  So, we started shopping for tours that met all those needs and ran into this company.  I would tell you all the reasons we liked what they offered, but that would be boring and I don’t wanna  be boring in a post about such an exciting adventure.   The tours we found through this company were exactly what we were looking for and were SO much less than the excursions offered by the ship.

The first tour we chose was the Tapas Evening Walking Tour in beautiful Barcelona.  Some in our little group of travelers are foodies, some just love to eat – this tour met all our needs.  We spent three hours exploring the culinary culture of this thriving city.  Our evening began at La Bocqueria.

Inside the entryway pictured above are hundreds of food vendors and a crush of humanity.  La Boqueria dates back to the 13th century and the food stalls offer every possible sort of food from cow testicles to chocolate truffles.  The businesses are all family-owned and have been passed down from generation to generation.  It’s impossible for new vendors to ever set up shop there and none of the established businesses can be purchased.  The history here is deep and you can feel it – and it’s the most colorful place I’ve ever been.  Check it out:

The seafood in Spain is abundant and well-priced.  However, the vendors that are set up at the front end of La Boqueria charge nearly double what the back-end vendors charge.  It’s worth it to walk all the way to the back if you’re gonna buy yourself a lobster (which are squirming around on the ice, they’re so fresh!)

There they are!  The squirmy lobsters!  This photo gives you an idea of the size and scope of La Boqueria.

Fruits and vegetables – one of 20 or 30 just like it inside.

Cheese and olive oil.

Be still my heart.

There’s our awesome tour guide.  Hi, Sonia!

Some things just need a close up.

After La Boqueria, we walked through the Gothic quarter while Sonia explained the deep roots of Spanish history.  I can’t explain how beautiful these buildings are and I’m embarrassed to say that it reminded me of a theme park.  I’ve just never seen anything in the U.S. like this without Mickey Mouse and Snow White being involved somehow.

In the Gothic quarter, every dark alley is a thing of beauty to be explored and discovered.  Little shops and cafes line these streets and make them feel like each one has a heartbeat all its own.  It’s beautiful.

One of the many chocolaterias in Barcelona – this one was established before America.  No big deal.

Casey found this pretty gal.  But he was wise not to talk to her – long distance relationships only lead to heartache.

Most of the restauarants in the Gothic quarter are teeny tiny, with very large outdoor seating areas.  There are many reasons this wouldn’t work in Oregon, but I sure loved it.  The weather was perfect, but as you can see, I’m just getting ready to use my trusty bracelet to put my hair in a ponytail – it was a little hot and humid that night.

Quite a door jamb, yes?

Columns from the Roman occupation in the third and fourth centuries.  Amazing.

Behind those two Americans stands the Cathedral of the Sea – or Santa Maria del Mar – and it is one of the most beautiful and sacred places I have ever been.

It looks austere and imposing from the outside, but it was built in large part by common fishermen in 1350.  The inside is as warm, welcoming and holy as anyplace I have ever been.  I didn’t get very many pictures of the interior, mainly because I was just trying to absorb it all, but here’s one I found online that gives a feel for the spacious strength of this church.

 The good news for single people is:  you can get married here (oh, goodness, can you imagine the wedding photos?)  The bad news:  there’s a four-year waiting list.  I went ahead and put all my kids’ names down so that I could insure a return trip to this fantastic place.

Our tapas tour also involved…TAPAS!  Tapas is the spanish word for “lid”.  It seems that long ago, a government official decided he was tired of men getting drunk and brawly, so he decreed that tavern owners must serve a piece of food on top of every drink.  This was usually a piece of ham or bread or cheese and it was set on top of the glass like a lid or a “tapa”.  These small bites of food became the culinary focus for Spanish cuisine.  Sonia explained the system to us and then took us to two beautiful restaurants where we enjoyed small food in a BIG way.  We enjoyed it so much, in fact, that we neglected to take any pictures of us enjoying it.  Rats.

The next day in Barcelona included an open air bus tour.  While this is undoubtedly a very “touristy” thing to do, it also is a great way to get a fast and thorough overview of the entire city. 

Finally, we ended a very long day in Barcelona the way any good day should be ended…back at the chocolateria.

Yeah, there’s no Swiss Miss in Barcelona.  This hot chocolate is more like a melty, swirly dove bar in a cup.  The churros are perfect because they’re not too sweet…perfect for dipping.

So, that’s our little trip through a beautiful and history-rich city.  I never imagined I would visit Barcelona, but I’m so glad that I did and I can’t wait to go back for Josiah’s wedding.

Next up?  Rome!