Adiòs a nuestro grupo: Barcelona Day 1 (6 Sep 2103)

Most of this day was taken up with another long train trip, during which Sue managed to catch up on post writing, though not much reading. We left our hotel at 8am and reached our Barcelona hotel around 3pm.

After the usual 30 minutes to freshen up, it was off for our last orientation walk with Cyra. She took us, among other places, to:

• Las Rambla: the busiest pedestrian street in the world, she said. It has some 3,500 people walking it per day, of whom Cyra warned 3,000 were up to no good. An exaggeration from what we could see, but she wanted to impress upon us that Barcelona has a lot of pickpockets and that we should watch out. Las Rambla is not our kind of place – full of tourists and of people trying to get tourists to eat at their place or buy their things – but you have to see these places don’t you!
• Plaça de Catalunya: a large square in central Barcelona that is the city centre and the place where the old city (including Barri Gòtic where we were staying) and the 19th century-built Eixample meet. Cyra says it’s where people often arrange to meet.
• L’Eixample: the area built in the late 19th century by the middle to upper class when the older town was getting too crowded. It includes many great examples of the architecture from the modernism movement, including …
• Casa Batllò, our first glimpse of Gaudi! It was built between 1904-06, as a home for a family. The only stipulation in the commission, Cyra told us, was that they must be able to get a grand piano in! Gaudi failed to deliver on that – but who cares when you get such a distinctive, inspired building? Anyhow, it was exciting to see our first Gaudi. We hope to walk the street again at a slower pace during our stay.

More linguistics

Many of you probably know about the Catalans and their relationship with the rest of Spain. It’s often fiery and based on a desire for independence (particularly from Madrid and the Castilians!) They have their own language which is once again, post-Franco, being taught in schools. And so, as in Galicia, we have needed to learn a few new words such as Carrer not Calle for streets (though some maps use Calle while street signs use Carrer which you need to be attuned to!), sortida not salida for exit, plaça not plaza for square. You can detect the French influence can’t you?

Farewell dinner

And then the time finally came to say goodbye. Cyra took us to a restaurant that our friend Jenny had recommended, the restaurant in the Mercat de Santa Caterina. (That is, it’s in the historic Santa Caterina markets which, though recently remodelled, have been operating since 1848). Jenny was right. It’s a great place. It has four kitchens cooking different food from around the world and the food comes out when it’s ready. Sue chose Mediterranean dishes – Goat’s Cheese with Grilled Vegetables, followed by Cod with Garlic Mousseline. The former was yum, while the latter was beautifully moist but a little salty for her liking. Len chose heartier dishes  –  Baked Provolone Cheese with Tomatoes, followed by Roast Suckling Pig with Potatoes. He enjoyed both his. Several of us tried some Cava, Spanish sparkling wine that can be white or rose. It was nicely dry.

But that wasn’t the end, as Cyra had a dessert place to take us to called Bubo. Wow, was that a beautiful place too. Pastries, macarons, mousses and the like. A few people, including one of the Wherries – but we won’t say who – had two desserts!

And still, Cyra had more. You’d think she’d have had enough of us, but no, it was off to a Wine Bar, where some tried another Cava, before we hit cobblestones for home. We said our sad goodbyes to what had been a great group. Everyone was always on time (though we always knew who’d be the last and who’d be the first), no one demurred at any shared costs, people kept an eye on each other when we were out in a group, no one whinged, and differences were respected. Oh, and the ACT beat Victoria by one as the most represented Aussie state/territory in the group. All in all a good bunch of courteous, reasonable people who were always ready to have a go – and an enthusiastic leader who had plenty of things for us to give a go!

Three-words

SUE: Crowds, Modernism, Replete
LEN: Slowly, Narrow Gothic

and the stills…

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