Well, I get internet access and a strong need to rest my feet, so greetings from Barcelona. It´s as great as I expected (but as hot as Bill feared)--wonderful tapès, including cuttlefish and such savoury olives, lovely fresh and also cured anchovies, potato tortes, etc. I do find myself drinking beer rather than wine because of the heat, but late in the evening it cools off and then the vino is welcome. We´re staying near the great Gaudí cathedral, Sangrada Familia (actually very near the Hospital St. Pau--both buildings are wonders of the imagination, incredibly rich with details but also impressive in overall design. I will post pictures eventually). In between is the Avignudo Gaudí, a broad street almost closed to cars with cafes lining it and tables in the center, so we can sit and eat and drink and see the buildings all at the same time, without having to go very far.

Today we did go further though, and wandered around the old medieval part of town, the Barri Gothí (I´m not checking the spelling so forgive errors in Catalan) with tiny winding streets (but of course that doesn´t stop the scooters from scooting along them) and great little shops and bars. We ate (more tapés) in the St. Catherine market, a huge indoor market with wonderful displays of meat, cheese, fruit, etc. and went to the Picasso museum.

Although there are lots of kids doing the summer thing, one thing I´m really loving here is how the people my age and older are out and about, so much more than I see in cities at home (maybe I´m just choosing the wrong neighborhoods--maybe there´s an Avignudo Gaudí in Chicago I´m missing). But I love seeing a table full of people in their seventies still dressing up and out in the evening having a good time. And they do dress up--especially this year, with skirts in style, everyone wears such lovely patterns and colors, and such flowing lines.

Hopefully the combination of feet and internet will strike again, but if not, more when I get to Florence, Rome, or home. Hope you´re all well--miss my LJ!

From: [identity profile] c-mantix.livejournal.com


Sounds like you are having a magnificent time! Barcelona is a very dynamic place, as I recall. Enjoy!

From: [identity profile] rachelmanija.livejournal.com


Thanks for posting. Please post more if you can!

From: [identity profile] midnightsjane.livejournal.com


I visited Barcelona waay back in 1969. I haven't been back since then, but I recall that I was impressed by the city...although not by the Guardia Civil, who kept ordering the dumb tourists like us off the grass at the parks! I do remember being impressed by the zoo there as well; it was the first zoo I'd seen where most of the animals were in naturalistic habitats.
Glad you're having fun! Keep us updated...I'm travelling vicariously through my flist this year..

From: [identity profile] mamculuna.livejournal.com


Well, post-Franco, the various police seem mainly to circulate and try to keep down the pickpockets--but also, the end of Franco meant the return of the Catalan language which is beautiful but hard--lots of x´s and q´s. Would make great Scrabble words,though...

From: [identity profile] wombatina.livejournal.com


oh that sounds wonderful! I'd love to see Gaudi architecture in person. And you're right about more people out and about. The evening stroll is such a wonderful thing. I remember it well in Sienna. The whole family out and about. We don't have that here.

From: [identity profile] mamculuna.livejournal.com


I´d been longing for Gaudí in real life since I first saw pictures of it. And it is so much better in real life. Headed for the park where there´s more of it, this afternoon.

From: [identity profile] angeyja.livejournal.com


Thanks for the update! You are missed.

The note about the variety was what I liked about Montreal too. The city seemed to have a kind of energy because of it. I am probably being too woo woo but it does have me feeling good everytime I visit. So glad to hear you're having a great time also. Any chance of pics when you get back? she says hopefully.

From: [identity profile] mamculuna.livejournal.com


Pictures will happen, definitely! And I definitely think cities give off specific feelings and energy. And sometimes it can change, but here it still seems to be very positive indeed.

From: [identity profile] altaego.livejournal.com


I went to Barcelona with my parents last Christmas and they really loved it. They met a couple from Germany who lived there and my parents started making plans to buy a condo there. I think it was just a vacation fantasy kind of thing, but it fit into their dream of a perfect retirement city.

From: [identity profile] altaego.livejournal.com


I'm interested to know if when you are Rome you keep hearing the song Volare.
.

Profile

mamculuna: (Default)
mamculuna

Most Popular Tags

Powered by Dreamwidth Studios

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags