Barcelona Turistica

Up early - again!
Sue drove us to Bristol airport
Chilled out, had breakfast
Flight was just like easy jet on TV - loads of stag groups and hen groups. Sue embarrased to be english.
Arrived in Barcelona - hot, got airport bus to city centre.
CULTURE SHOCK
Never really had culture shock like this before but spent the first couple of hours struggling to enjoy and see the delights of this spanish city.
Was a bit overwhelmed with the dirty ness - dog poo and the stinky drains and the a wee bit irritated by heat and crowds PMT didn't help.
We were staying in the Gothic quarter - which is medieveal alley ways etc and when we first arrived it was siesta time and shops all bordered up and graphiti etc so I struggled with that too.
Had a lie down and food and then changed and went out and the city felt much better. Cnaadles were lit, People were eating outside, music, people out walking, shoppping. Very cool.



anyway to keep things short...
Sat - did local shops, tourist bus, drove past big gaudi landmarks, went to suburb near top of hill, bit like merivale. then back on bus and off at La Ramble - the main shopping street. Great buskers!! went to fab market and bought olives and bread etc.
wlaked towards water and had picnic under the palms
back on bus turistica and wnet round the olympic area and teh new stadium for Fotbal Barcelona. Up to top of hil and looked across at hazy skies over meditaranean somewhere out there is emirates team nz
got off again at marina and walked back home via gothic quater.
Home to apartmetn to relax and later in evening walk arou8nd shops. Had delicious chocolate with basil and tomato, and of course had to ahve gellata.



sunday.
Having done shops, day was cdevoted to Gaudi.
First Sograda de Familia. THe big gaudi cathedral.
Amanzing to think this is a big cathedral still under contstruction just as exeter and salisbury have once been too. 20 years to go, Its crazy and like the other gaudi buildings, unbelievealbe to think gaudi was an architect who began in victorian times and his designs are totally organic and crazy even now. People must have thought he was mad and yet somehow there is something about this city that encourages crazy art forms and creativity and modernistic design. Picasso was from here too and even now the conntemporary architects and designers have a unique freshness that seems unique to this city.

Next stop Park guiello - sorry I'm not able to check the spelling at them moemnt.
we walked slowly to the top, stopping off to see Gaudi's home. then we had awonderful picnic half way down and listenjed to a guy playing the Hang - looks a bit like a wok or a ufo and sounds like a harp. Wonderful sounds.

Back on bus - sitting upstairs in full sun, walked to Pedera. Big apartment block designed by gaudi. Amanzingly light and airy and very contemporary even now. Would move in, in a nano second and take up residence! Crazy audio though, had sue and i in fits of giggles.
Then onto the 'blue house' as we called it.
(I'll try and put the proper details in later))




Quite a lot of art deco and arts and crafts movement influence here. Loved the coloured glass, shaped wood doors and tiles. the natural light was just lovely, and so cool and spacious.

finally wandered back through the city to our medieval corner and changed befre watching dancers and having tapas dinner. wandered through the botanical gardens and listened to music ,
one more gellato before home to repack again!!