Good old Dave's Coaches once again provided the organized trip and we set off in the early hours for a five day, four night trip to Barcelona. On these coach trips they always sound quite long but you have to lop off a day at each end for the journey.
Unfortunately most of our photographs were taken in dull weather so have been omitted.
The weather was not too kind for the first two free days in the City and it was cold and raining. Trust us to pick that week. We made the most of it and got around using the fabulous and modern Metro. By buying a single ticket for less than ten euros we had ten journeys between us. The first person activates the entry gate then hands the ticket back to the second person. It is quite unique to Barcelona in that a single journey can comprise of a ride on the Metro and then you can complete your journey by bus as long as the bus ride takes place within a few hours of leaving the train. Not bad for less than one euro a journey.
We had the usual city tour upon arrival and were taken to the usual places to pay homage such as the Barcelona football ground, Las Ramblas, the Gaudi buildings, the Apple store and the sea front with the statue of Columbus. The Sagradia Familia is out of bounds to buses so we had to miss out on that. A bit of a moan here in that after a nine hour bus ride, a two hour city tour makes the day very long. Maybe it should have been optional.
A beautiful modern four-star hotel was our eventual destination. We were booked on a bed and breakfast package and although the food was plentiful in the mornings we found the usual Spanish habit of serving everything tepid. I complained to the boss and was given a plate of piping hot breakfast but I cannot understand this love of tepid food which seems to prevail here in Spain.
We went out to see the sights and started off at the Old Bull Ring. A massive structure which has been converted into a beautiful shopping mall/cinema complex. It is a huge structure and must have held a lot of bloodthirsty spectators in its time. Being so high, the views from the top were quite something, spoiled only by the dull weather. Bull fighting is currently banned in Catalonia.
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The Old Bull Ring. Climb to the top and you can
walk around the whole open-air viewing platform |
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| The National Palace of Barcelona |
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| Inside the Old Bull Ring |
We visited the usual sights as may be seen from the photographs.
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| Two of the Gaudi designed buildings |
The Gaudi Park was a great place although somewhat of an uphill climb for us old gimmers. When we left it we took a taxi back to the Metro station. Only 5 euros and wished we had hired one to take us up the hill in the first place. The views from the Park were amazing.
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| Shame about the weather - but look at the view! |
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| Who needs straight lines? |
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| You can see the permanently-under-construction Sagrada Familia |
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| The famous Gaudi lizard |
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| Three scenes inside the Gaudi Park |
One of the things we wanted to do was take a cable car from the port up to the Olympic Village but high winds and poor visibility prevented it. A reason to return!
Another reason to return is to eat food in a restaurant we came upon called "Tapa Tapa". They serve absolutely wonderful tapas, all freshly prepared, and each comes out looking like a mini-meal. Bit expensive but a decent meal with wine set us back about €25 for the two of us and we were very happy with it.
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| The extensive menu at Tapa Tapa |
On our final day the trip included a visit to the monastery at Montserrat, about an hour's drive in to the mountains. What a spectacular place. We had views over to the snow clad Pyrenees as at last the sun had come out and made a spectacular day. We met some Americans on a tour with their choir who gave a performance in the main church just before the regular singing from the famous boys choir belonging to the school in the monastery.
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| A distant view of the Pyrenees, tinted by the coach window |
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| The gateway to the monastery |
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| A monument to the construction |
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| The monastery sitting at the foot of the mountains |
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| Kathie and her love of high places |
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| The Black Madonna, way up behind the high altar, see next picture |
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| The American choir |
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| The choir from the boys school |
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| A monument to the fallen |
We had one last look around in the evening now it was dry again.
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| The Old Bull Ring |
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| Looking across Plaza Espana to the National Palace |
Barcelona is a great city to visit and we shall return. The only question is do we fly, take the train, or take once more the long coach ride? We will see.
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