BARCELONA...a perfect dream

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Barcelona….Barthelona !!!! It’s a song….its a city….its happening.

The day of 7 November got off to a lousy start. The elevator in the Berlin apartment building wasn’t working…..I had to schlep that heavy suitcase and 2 carry-ons down 3 flights of stairs. Once on the ground floor, I walked it all the 3 blocks to the U bahn (subway) station at Nollendorfplatz….went 3 stops changed subway lines (fortunately there were escalators) and rode another 45 minutes on the subway to the Rudow station…found the elevator up and the connecting bus right to the front of the airport terminal building. I was slightly overweight on luggage, but the check-in girl at EasyJet let it slide.

I had paid an extra 7 Euros for early boarding ‘cause there are no seat assignments on this airline. The gate had not been assigned so I took out the computer and worked on the travel blogs you’ve been reading so far. I looked up and….oops….they had started boarding !!!!! Fortunately, when I got onboard, I found an open aisle seat and settled down for the 2.5 hour flight. A glass of water? A micro-mini pack of pretzels? A nice hot Panini that can be ready in 10 minutes? Its all available on board…FOR A PRICE !

Landed in Barcelona 10 minutes early and took a transfer bus to Plaza Catalunya then a cab to the Marina Barcelona Hotel. Dick had already arrived so a couple hours later we set out to find dinner which turned out to be salmon and very nice. A little walk around then bed.

On Saturday morning, we found a place to have a continental breakfast and bought a 10 trip Metro pass which could be used by 2 people and also a day pass on a hop on/hop off sightseeing bus which covered the northern and southern parts of the city. I looked u real good with my head wrapped in my scarf on the top open deck of the sightseeing bus. We got back to the hotel around 5 PM, took a nap for an hour or so, then headed out again to Plaza Espana where there there was a sound and light show at the huge central fountain. I’ve been listening to the song “Barcelona” for years, so hearing it set to a water fountain display was pure magic. Afterwards, we found an Italian restaurant on the Ramblas…where we rambled along with thousands of other people at 10 at night.

Today, Sunday, November 09, 2008, we took an hour long suburban train to the religious mountain site of Montserrat. Well…..we got there after a 6 minute cable car ride. What scenery!!! We got to the Basilica in time to hear the end of a small choir then walked around checking the place out. I wanted to ride another funiculi-funicula up to a higher level, but was unable to take the time to do it if I wanted to stick to our return schedule.
Tonight for dinner, we found a restaurant where I had paella, fried chicken w/ fries, a little salad, a bottle of water and for dessert, some Catelan version of cream brulee from which the sugar will probably keep me up all night…..all for 11.90 Euro..around $15.00 US.

So tomorrow will be NAVIGATOR OF THE SEAS boarding day. But first thing in the morning we want to go to the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) church designed by the architect which gave meaning to word “gaudi”.

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Photos

Concentration camp entrance
On the gate: Arbeit Mach Frei (work makes you free)

Berlin newspapers
"Berlin headlines on November 5th

a Berlin apartment
I stayed here my last night in Berlin

Newpaper headline
a Berlin paper on the 6th of November

Berlin street view
A look out the apartment bay view window

fountains
sound and light and water.....magic

Montserrat
From the cable car to the Basilica