Travel By Jury

Two strange things happened to me as soon as I arrived in Barcelona: 1) I saw the city’s old bull fighting ring in Placa Espanya being turned into a mall and 2) three guys attempted to rob me in a crowded Metro station. The juxtaposition was interesting; Barcelona is undoubtedly an interesting experience – it’s a harder, more bawdy area of Spain than it’s Atlantic-side sibling Madrid (yes, Madrid is inland, but in terms of size…), but it’s also rowdy and beautiful. The area’s strict adherence to Castillian Spanish (Catalan) might confuse even good Spanish speakers, but everyone knows Spanish – they just prefer the regional dialect. The Barri Gotic area is filled with corners and alleyways that beg for further exploration, not to mention the Picasso museum and the Cathedral de Barcelona, a gothic wonder that was only enhanced by the (rare) rainy weather I experienced. The beaches were rained out while I was there, but the rows of tasty tapas and fresh seafood restaurants at the shoreline would likely be great spots on sunnier days; similarly, Mont Jjuic, the famous grand fort, probably has better, less foggy views (and a less harrowing cable car ride) when the clouds aren’t out, but definitely walk down and check out Olympic park. Pass the Mirador de Colom up Las Ramblas, which boasts a fabulous fresh market, flamenco (Tablao Cordobes is pretty damn good), and souvenirs, but its seedy atmosphere can make you uncomfortable – dive off the main drag for great pizza and bar times, if you’re game. A visit to the Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell, the famous Gaudi park, are definite musts when going to Barcelona, if for no other reason than there is nothing else quite like Gaudi’s art in the world. La Ciudadela Parc, however, was probably one of my favorite parts of the city – there’s a paddle-boat pond, and it’s just a beautiful spot. Barcelona is choc full of stuff to do – the Maritime Musuem, the University area, Avegnida Diagonal, soccer (futbol – the home team is Barca, pronounced “Bar-Sa”) etc. etc. – and it’s a city for living loud and large, so have a great time… and watch your belongings:)

Filed under: Europe | Tagged: avegnida diagonal, Barcelona, Barri Gotic, bullring, castilian spanish, Catalan, Cathedral de Barcelona, Europe, flamenco, fresh fish, fresh market, fresh meat, fresh vegetables, Gaudi, La Ciudadela Parc, Las Ramblas, Maritime Museum, metro, Mirador de Colom, Mont Jjuic, Olympic Park, paddle-boat pond, Parc Guell, Picasso Museum, pickpockets, Placa Espanya, Sagrada Familia, shoreline, Spain, Spanish, Tablao Cordobes, tapas, theives, university area | 1 Comment »