On arrival in the Plaza, Ivan and Claudia were there waiting for me and in no time we were on a night bus heading to their apartment in Rambla de Prin. It was great to see them and our visit to the apartment was a quick one to drop off my case, swig a quick beer and then get on another bus to the beach. At the time of booking my flights I had forgotten about the Festival celebrating San Juan. I would have booked an earlier flight had I remembered!
All over the city - in fact everywhere in Spain - people were letting off fireworks and you could smell the gunpowder in the area. Some of them were really loud too. Ivan told me that every family would have spent at least 50 euros on fireworks so you can imagine what it was like. On arrival at the beach, the one near the piers, we were amazed how crowded it was. We found a good spot close to the sea’s edge, spread out two large blankets, lit a load of candles, made ourselves comfortable and really enjoyed the celebration. They had brought a huge San Juan celebration cake and a bottle of pink champagne with them which we enjoyed whilst listening to music and enjoying everyone else’s fireworks as well as our own. We didn’t get back to the apartment from there until just before 5 am, just about 24 hours since I got up the previous day, so I was quite tired by then.
We spent a quiet leisurely day at home the next day as we got up late, and then enjoyed a few good films on television, which was ideal as we watched them in the original English version, along with Spanish subtitles, which suited them as they are learning English. Although my Spanish is quite good, I do still get lost following films in Spanish as they speak so quickly.
On Sunday we did lots of walking - visited a little city farm not far from their house. On the way we came across a man who was feeling faint and we helped him to a nearby seat and Ivan crossed the road to a supermarket to buy water for him. We managed to get hold of his wife by phone and she came to fetch him. What amazed me afterwards was that just 2 days later the supermarket was held up by 3 gun men, which is a very unusual event. There are occasional robberies but usually with a knife, not guns. We heard that a retired policeman was injured during the robbery and that the culprits had been caught. Also in another local shop I managed to find aji Amarillo, a Peruvian chilli spice that I am running out of and not easy to find even in London. I bought two jars and later bought two more so won’t be running out again anytime soon.
At the city farm a kind lady showed us round. All the plants growing are tended by disabled or challenged children and young adults. Although there used to be lots of animals as well, nowadays there is just a few ducks, geese and chickens and a few goats and a couple of sheep. After the farm we walked to an ancient church which is approximately 1000 years old (11th century). It was an incredibly hot day so that even I was seeking out every possible bit of shade. We finally ended up in a new Carrefour restaurant to do a bit of shopping before heading home for a late lunch (more like tea time!) This was the third supermarket I had been in and I was especially amazed at how cheap beer and wine is compared to back home. I bought rioja rose several times at around 2 euros a bottle and it was delicious. You could also get packs of six 330 ml beers for around the same price.
During my 12 days in Barcelona they showed me lots of interesting places and we had two wonderful days on two different beaches. The first time we walked down to the beach from a huge plaza with the beach on one side and we could see the yacht marina on the other. We had gone armed with everything we could possibly need, a beach tent, blankets, a parasol, a large delicious picnic, beers etc. Claudia and I stayed on the beach until about 8 pm, rejoining Ivan later who throughout my stay was watching various football matches of the World Cup in local bars. When we finally left the beach we went looking for the bar he was in, couldn’t find it, and ended up in a fantastic Arabian Restaurant and Bar, phoned Ivan and he came and joined us. I had a delicious cold beer while they enjoyed a pot of mint tea and watched the end of the game. Ivan didn’t even mind that the commentary was in Arabic!
On the Monday after my arrival we went by bus to a huge market area called Encants. This used to be a huge street market but they have now had a huge area built so that all vendors have their own stall. This is covered by a huge roof mirrored on the underside. I was very impressed with what was on offer and bought a number of items, but what thrilled me the most was a stall selling tunics and tops in various shades of pale pink, ivory, white, denim blue and taupe, all lavishly adorned with crochet or lace. I bought one blouse but fully intended to go back another day and explore everything on that stall. We stayed until the market closed at 8 pm by which time Ivan had rejoined us from the latest football match on screen, making our way back home to cook dinner. I cooked a few times during my stay but the rest of the time Claudia cooked some really delicious meals. Even some of the breakfasts she prepared were unusual and really delicious.
Overall I was really impressed with Barcelona which is a really modern, cultural and vibrant city. The transport system is amazing and much cheaper than home. A ticket costing 10 euros gives 10 bus journeys, each ticket valid for 75 minutes so even changing buses twice on any journey, the total cost per person is only one euro. This ticket also allows you to travel by underground or on the trams. I especially enjoyed the trams but these were mainly available in the centre. I was amazed at how wide the roads are - with roads either side going in opposite directions, with a lane or two as well as parked cars. Then in from these a cycle track going in each direction and down through the centre a wide walkway, avenued by trees with benches every 20 metres, little park and amusement areas for children, and other children enjoying skating or skateboarding on such smooth surfaces. Above in the trees a variety of birds could be heard, including some green parrots who also live wild and free. For local people, there are cycles for which an annual fee of 45 euros is paid and using a card, cycles available all over the city. Ivan often travelled this way. There were also similar cycles, pay as you go, for tourists use.
I was impressed with the architecture of the buildings. The most impressive one of all is the Sagrada Familia cathedral which has been over 100 years being built and is still going on. The current estimate is that it will be completed in 2030. We also visited another Cathedral on a different day and were lucky to be able to go inside for free which only happens occasionally. Unfortunately it was closed soon after so we only got to take one photo inside but I believe it included the beautiful rose window. Prior to visiting that church we had gone to a Latin American shop, which was laid out with products by country - Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia. Claudia and I bought some very interesting items, but sadly for her she dropped her pot of guava jam on the steps of the cathedral and by the time we cleaned it up we only had less than 10 minutes to view the inside. We later rejoined Ivan in a local bar and caught the last of the football match, and then found an Italian restaurant where we enjoyed some Italian tapas and cold beers.
There were Ramblas (avenued walkways) all over Barcelona but the most touristic one is called Las Ramblas which starts by the harbour area and goes right up through the town to the centre. We walked it in reverse one evening, ending up by the harbour. If you are able to access my timeline on Facebook, there are around 130 photos of my visit to Barcelona viewable.
Just over a week after my arrival, on the Saturday, there was another big festival - The Pride of the Gays - centred around Plaza Espana. Claudia and I went into the shopping centre called Arenas (Sands) which used to be a bull ring but has since been transformed into a modern shopping centre on several levels, the last one being a dome with a walkway all round the outside with amazing views. There is another bull ring in Barcelona which now that bull fights are banned has been converted into a Mosque.
Then we went down to the Plaza where the Gays parade was going on. It was very crowded and many of the gay men were dressed as really beautiful ladies in towering high heels and very elegant dresses. Ivan rejoined us after the match and we spent several hours making our way through the crowds until we arrived at Montjuic, where we climbed several escalators leading up towards the palace with fountains everywhere but on one of the topmost levels below the last fountain area below the palace, we were thrilled to watch the display of fountain sprays, and colour, hundreds of water outlets spraying in diverse directions, changing colour and all set to music. We stayed watching that for well over an hour and by the time we finally got home it was around 3 am as we stopped in a café bar and had bacon and cheese toasted sandwiches before the long bus journey home.
The day after this we decided to go to the beach again, the one near the yachting school, and we enjoyed Sunday lunch in a covered open-air restaurant. I chose delicious spicy fried chicken breast slices with salad and chips. The restaurant is situated by the edge of the nudist beach and we could see a few people from our table! I loved this beach and we found a good spot near the sea’s edge and Claudia and I walked along the seashore although it wasn’t easy, what with the beach sloping quite steeply into the water and one’s feet sinking a few inches into the sand as we strolled along. We enjoyed several hours on that beach and although we intended to go back there another day, somehow we ran out of time.
One of the bars we went into, near the wax museum, was called the Fairy Wood, and was decorated like an enchanted forest with fairy lights and trees. We saw other Plazas, the Arc de Triomphe, several parks. One evening we went to see Ivan’s Mum who lives in an apartment building 7 floors up near Plaza Espana with amazing views. She really looked after us, filling a table with lots of delicious snacks for us including jamon iberico, delicious goats cheese, salted almonds and cashews, crisps, almond cakes, rustic bread, and ice cold beers. When we left we took two bird cages with us, one containing a finch and the other a canary, so that I could enjoy their singing during the remainder of my stay. I was really charmed by the little finch which is one Claudia rescued from being eaten by a seagull earlier in the year and which doesn’t even mind being held by her. And the canary sang beautifully, especially when outside on the balcony.
A couple of days before my journey home we went back to Encants where I bought three more pink crochet tops, a khaki crochet skirt, a long colourful tunic. We also went into some Chinese mini markets and bought useful items and I stocked up on a few groceries not easy to find back home, including fig jam, fine breadcrumbs mixed with parsley, used for making homemade croquetas, wild boar pate, Crema Cataluña liquer. I also bought canary grass seed, one and half kilos of it, from a health food store. This version is okay for human consumption and Claudia knows how to prepare it to make a milky drink which partaken daily lowers chloresteryl and aids weight loss. Who knows, maybe I can lose a bit more weight!
On my last day I got up at 4.30 am as I knew it was a long journey to get to the airport and I wanted to be there by 8.30, roughly two and half hours before my flight. We left the house at 7 am, and it was pouring with rain with thunder and lightning and quite a long walk to the nearest metro station which was the quickest way to get to Plaza Cataluna. However, by the time we exited the metro in the Plaza, the storm had passed over at least. Soon I was on the A2 bus and kissing Claudia goodbye and on my way to the airport. My Easyjet flight was going from terminal 3 and I got there in plenty of time. Unfortunately my case was 3 kilos overweight which cost me 39 euros, the money I had set aside to buy ciggies for my sons. Due to that I was unable to buy the cigs, having only 10 euros left to buy a snack on the plane! By 10.30 I was in my seat on the plane but due to some problem with flight deck instruments we were unable to take off at our allocated time. The problem had to be checked out which meant we were on the tarmac quite some time, although they kept the engines running so that the air conditioning was on. We finally took off about 45 minutes late and had a smooth flight home. I was just glad that the pilot didn’t tell us the reason for the delay until we were halfway home as I am sure I wouldn’t have been the only one worrying otherwise! Colin met me at the airport and we were soon on our way home. I had a few hours at home to unpack and unwind before going out that evening. I am now looking forward to three more Weymouth holidays this summer and maybe another visit to Barcelona within the next six months.
