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Catalonia Travel Blogs

Background: Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

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By pumanomada
September 20th 2009

Mediterranean ramble Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Barcelona

Ramblas humanity

Museum fail, beautiful Mediterranean Sea win My plan for the day was to see the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC), but I should have done my homework; it is closed Sunday. So sad! I decided to go see the beach and wander the Barceloneta and Barri Gotic areas instead. Definitly a high point of the trip. The palm trees, and gorgeous colors of the neighborhoods. The melding of Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and Catholic people all in their finery and standing around in the plazas chatting with the children running about playing and laughing. It made me very happy to be [View Full Entry]

By DeniseBrian
September 20th 2009

Day 9 - Tossa de Mar with the Lo Prete's Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Barcelona

Jenn and I in Tossa de Mar

The Lo Prete's arrived at around 1pm and we walked down the beachfront and found a little "snack bar"/pizzeria. We all had lunch before heading back to our hotel to go to the beach! While heading to lunch we noticed a lot of bikers appearing to be getting ready for a race. We kept walking and figured it was a triathalon. We thought it was a little late in the day to be starting a race and figured the race must be tomorrow. We sat at our restaurant and watched them start the swim at 3pm in the afternoon! At home [View Full Entry]

By pumanomada
September 19th 2009

Barcelona Ramblas Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Barcelona

Ramblas Plaza

Just how does one photograph chaos? Wandered down Rablas again this morning with the intent of taking pictures. My photos do it no justice! There are flower shops with an amazing array of orchids, roses, palms, hybiscus and geraniums; pet shops with birds, turtles, and some little striped mamal I could not identify; performance artists of all sorts; scam artists galore; and, on a Saturday morning, an ginormous swarm of humanity. Part-way down Ramblas is a covered market called Boqueria, with a few hundred shops. It is so huge they give a map at the entrance. When the kind young ma [View Full Entry]

By NiallandDee
September 19th 2009

And it Starts! Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Barcelona

Kate and Andrew's Wedding

And It Starts! And so the trip has FINALLY begun!!! We are on the road since Wednesday, 9th September. August was brilliant, we spent the month enjoying rainy Ireland catching up with all those who would make us a cuppa and listen to us bore them with plans for the next year... I swear we haven't been talking about our upcoming trip at all. Otherwise, Niall spent the majority of his time on the golf course trying to beat his father-in-law. Beyond that we had an absolute ball at the weddings of the year - Andrew & Kate, Louisa & [View Full Entry]

By RPR
September 19th 2009

Barcelona Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Barcelona

Barcelona! Its definitely all too much too see in one day. Went to Barcelona Cathedral which was great and got to go all the way to the roof so I could see the City from the roof which was fantastic. Saw Gaudis unfinished cathedral (100 years and still going....) visited the Dali museum which was fantastic, could have spent so much more time there but could say that about everywhere. Barcelona has the 2nd largest Scooter population behind Rome so very crazy on the roads. Saw a Flamenco Show with Dinner, amazing dancing, made me tired just watching it, and visited [View Full Entry]

By RPR
September 19th 2009

Montserrat Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Monistrol de Montserrat

Saw Montserrat early morning, visited the Black Madonna, and climbed the mountain to the Monastary, amazing place, cant wait to load up some of my pictures! [View Full Entry]

By BENJIcampoverde
September 19th 2009

Coros de Barceloneta Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Barcelona

Coros de la Barceloneta1

El ultimo fin de semana de mayo fueron los Coros de Barceloneta o fiestas patronales de la Barceloneta. Esta fiesta parece empezar el ultimo sabado antes de Pascuas y dura de sabado a lunes. En la Barceloneta ciertos bares, restaurantes o locales tienen sus agrupaciones corales, o "coros mudos" ya que no se canta, sino que marchan con sus instrumentos como las "bandas de guerra". Para entenderlo mejor se puede describir como un carnaval de Rio (en escala menor) por las calles de la Barceloneta. Las bandas por la tarde se marchan de la ciudad para pasar el fin de semana [View Full Entry]

By DeniseBrian
September 18th 2009

Day 7 Monteserrat Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Barcelona

Monteserrat

Monteserrat was not worth the journey it took to get there and back, it took all day! We had to transfer metro stations, had to buy an expensive 22.5 package for the train and funiculars to the top of the mountain. We got off the train at the 1st Monteserrat stop to find out that that was only for the tram...we pre-paid for the funicular which was the next stop. OK no problem right....WRONG...the trains only come once every hour! So we waited. Only 15-20 people made the same mistake as we did...about half of them paid for the tram even [View Full Entry]

By DeniseBrian
September 18th 2009

Day 8 - Travel by car to Tossa de Mar on the Costa Brava Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Barcelona

So we have our entire life packed back up in our 9+ bags and Brian is walking to the National car rental office to pick up our rental car. I asked Brian if he'd ever driven in a foreign country...he said, "Yes, I drove a scooter in Vietnam", um yeah I don't think that counts! Jenn highly recommended getting the GPS, because it is very hard to get around, especially in the area she lives in. The houses are in a neighborhood where every house has a little wall around it. Every street looks the same and the streets are poorly [View Full Entry]

By majik
September 17th 2009

Barcelona Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Barcelona

Barcelona paella

We drove for 6 hours and arrived in the centre of Barcelona at Hostal HMB. Once again our trusty laptop "googled" our way there by directions online. That evening we walked down to Las Rambles and checked out the street performers and the local scene. We spotted a couple of Gaudi's famous buildings along the way. We ate paella at a traditional Barcelona bar in Barri Gotic and soaked up the atmosphere. The next morning we hit the streets early to visit La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's masterpiece. It is amazing to see the thought processes that have gone into the [View Full Entry]

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