SPAIN-BARCELONA-1026 THRU 1101

Barcelona, Barcelona!!!
Thank you for all your recommendations...The city has exceeded my expectations...
From the Ramblas to the "La Boqueria" Mercat San Josep, to the Gaudi apartments, to the Sagrada Familia, to the Park Guell, to the Cathedral, to the old Roman walls...This is a spectacular city...Easy to navigate, great to do shopping at, wonderful to walk in the parks or along its docks...This city does not sleep, the food is spectacular, the people are friendly and courteous, and I am thoroughly enjoying every moment of it...I am staying until Sunday...Tomorrow checking out the Barcelona Pavilion at the Montjuic Park and the Park de la Cuitadella...
Till later...
I will be adding to the same entry...
M

Did you know:
Las Ramblas in Catalan comes from the Arabic word ramla, which means the dried up bed of seasonal river. Apparantly, the city's medieval walls were constructed along such a river...
M again

10/29/09-Thursday night:
At the small, stony chapel of the Iglesia de Santa Maria de Pi, named after the pine tree (Pi in Catalan) that is in the plaza in front of the church...A spanish guitar player playing old Spanish tunes...and the opera singer at the Plaza of the Cathedral serenading...There was music everywhere...I could not imagine a better way to celebrate the end of my thirties...I got very emotional...Thinking of the years from Iran to the US, and now in Barcelona, of family and friends, old and new,...I have come to the end of my Spanish/Portugal trip...I have to say a part of me will remain in Barcelona and I really hope to return to it soon...
Gracias for now...
I will write later...
Check out the three new pics...
M

10/30/09-Friday
If you ever visit Barcelona, you should definitely check out the Picasso Museum...It is a great collection of Picasso's work, depicting his evolution...It is not a grand collection, but enough to wet your appetite to want more...The museum is housed in a row of 5 Gothic Palaces in the Gothic neighborhood of Barcelona...
Paris is my next destination...
I am taking the train through Montpellier, so hopefully there will be some coastal scenery...

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