Day 5: Cosmos European Masterpiece: Barcelona

Woo hoo!  Our first full day of sightseeing in Barcelona.  I was looking forward to this.

We were herded onto our bus bright and early and introduced to our local guide, Somnia.  Nicknamed “insomnia” by some of the embarrassing Aussies in the group.

Driving through Barcelona the first sight spotted was an old bullfighting ring.  Apparently bullfighting is now outlawed in Barcelona.  This ring is currently not being utilised but later in the day we saw another that had since been converted into a shopping centre.

Not long after we alighted from our bus and we could just see the spires on the famous Gaudi-designed cathedral, Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family).  It is just amazing! It won’t be finished until 2020-30.  The amount of detail on it is mind blowing.  I can’t even remember all the imagery on it.  You could spend hours walking around it and in it (we didn’t get to go inside).  I recall seeing ceramic fruits on it to represent the various seasons and what looked like a game of Suduko.  No matter what row you added up, it came to ‘33’.  The age Christ was when he was crucified.  I really want to go back there!

After the Sagrada Familia we drove through some streets and were shown some more buildings designed by Gaudi.  Unfortunately we could only “try” and photograph them from the bus (if you could get a good view of them).

Our next stop was up at Montjuic.  The site of the 1992 Olympic Games.  We were shown where the Olympic flame was, and we could peek into the main stadium before being let out at a vantage point where we had an amazing view of the entire city.  Unfortunately it was pretty foggy so the photos don’t look as amazing as they could have been.

Back on the bus again we drove around the city seeing the Marina before being dropped off at the Holy Cross or “Cathedral”.  We had a walking tour around it which included seeing part of an old Roman Wall. We also visited the old Justice Building that featured a tortoise on the letterbox.  Legend has it if you rub the turtle you will receive good luck.  Yes, jax had a grope of the tortoise.  Bring on the good luck!

Next up was our optional tour of Montserrat.  It was (is?) the site of an extremely old monastery.  It is amazing.  The scenery around it is nothing short of spectacular.  I took heaps of photos.  Montserrat is also a place of pilgrimage.  Located in the church is the “Black Madonna”.  I wanted to go and see it but unfortunately the line was really long and we didn’t have a lot (well, enough) free time so in fear of being left behind I didn’t attempt it.  I’m thinking if Montserrat is offered as an optional on my tour around Spain/Portugal I might go again and just head straight for the Black Madonna.

We made it back to the hotel with about an hour to relax / get ready for our second optional of the day, a Flamenco Evening!  When we arrived at the Las Ramblas Leo gave us 15 minutes to have a wander along to take in the scene before heading into the restaurant for TAPAS!!!!!!!!  Finally real Spanish food!  The sangria was also “on tap”.  Each table was given a jug.  Fortunately at our table it was only my roomie and I who were drinking it.  Woo!

After dinner we were moved into another room for the Flamenco show.  The show was done my authentic flamenco dancers and they were mindblowing.  Watching their feet made me think flamenco is a bit like Irish dancing, except they are far more expressive with their arms.  The male flamenco dancers were also very easy on the eye – or that may have been the sangria talking?

The only downer to our stay in Barcelona were the “incidents” at our hotel.  The Greek couple from Melbourne were on the receiving end of it.  It appears on the first night someone changed the locks on their suitcases and they had a jacket taken.  Then both the Greeks and a few other people had hotel staff just barging in and upon seeing people from our tour in their room would go out and knock and then come in again and ask if everything was alright.  My roomie and I left a do not disturb sign on our door.  The cleaning staff ignored it.  At least they were honest, because we both had our laptops on our beds, and my roomie also had a kindle laying on her bed as well.