Jamon, Tapas & Old Dames in Barcelona

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Barcelona 9th April



Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia and Spains second largest city.





Everywhere you’ll see the ornately works of Antonio Gaudi, 20th century Modernism emblematic constructions declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.





I make no apology for this Travel Blog turning into a food blog but you cannot come to a city that prides itself on its cuisines, with many different styles including Catalan.





So starting out from the statue of Christopher Columbus at the bottom of La Rambla we headed up to the Plaza Catalunya.





We were meeting friends for lunch, including 8 other fellow travellers who are travelling with us QM2.





But first some sites, including the famous market of La Rambla, Mercat de la Boqueria where all the locals shop in particular for fresh produce including fresh fish, Jamon, meats and all the different vegetables available in this part of the world. The market is surrounded by Tapas and coffee bars of all shapes and sizes.

Strolling around the streets of Barcelona will bring surprises at every turn, and it did for us. Looking for coffee we found a small cafe that had some Jamon banquettes inthe window. It was a treasure trove for lovers all things made from the finest Iberico ham. In particular the black pig Jamon fed on acorns allowed to run free range among the forests.





Have I sold it to you yet, well we sampled three types of ham from the mass produced to the king of Jamon along with som Caco bread (never had it before) and some local wine which was pretty spectacular.





By the way we did sample the coffee beforehand and that was pretty good as well





And we bought some packs to bring home!!!!





Before lunch there was some time to admire some of the Gaudi architecture, although we didn’t venture up to Sagrada Familia, too many crowds as there were at the Cathedral. The Cathedral is in the heart of Barri Gotic and was only completed in 1892 (it was started in 1298).





Back to Plaza Catalunya and meeting with old friends.

Taken to a local Tapas place where all the locals go and we were not disappointed, the choice was phenomenal from the Menu del Dia and you could also sit around the bar area picking and choosing from the variety of Tapas that were available.





Walking back down La Rambla after lunch, pedestrian streets in the old quarter, green spaces, and a splendid seafront with a range of modern facilities are a reflection of its multi-faceted character. Barcelona has cleverly succeeded in embracing its past and we look forward to coming back soon and maybe spend a bit more time looking at the sites.





Or maybe not, sitting in a cafe eating Tapas and drinking local wine with friends isn’t a bad way to pass the time of day.

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