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Published: October 21st 2006
Today we were in Barcelona, Spain. What a neat city. Has a lot of old buildings and narrow streets like most places in Europe but they have also modernized and have some beautiful wide streets with walk areas in the middle and vendor stalls. Like most of the cities we have visited, big mode of transportation is motor scooters. Actually with the narrow streets and lack of parking, you can not blame the people for their choice. Quoting from the Princess daily guide, “Although it is one of Spain’s most lively and dynamic cities, Barcelona is really not Spanish at all. As the capital and cultural hub of the autonomous region of Catalonia, the city has a long and glorious history all its own. The Catalan language is similar to Spanish, but also has much in common with southern French dialects. Catalonia was a leading trading power in the Mediterranean during the 14th and 15th centuries, with enterprising merchants and bankers, and no feudal remnants whatsoever. United with the Kingdom of Aragon in the 12th century, the region became part of Spain in 1469 with the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella. The Catalan language was banned by General Franco’s regime in
1939 and was only revived since 1975. King Juan Carlos spoke Catalan to address Parliament in 1978 and again to open the 1992 Olympics, making him a very popular monarch. Picasso, Miro, Dali, Casals and Gaudi have all called Catalonia “home”. The heart of the city is called the Gothic Quarter since most buildings here date from the 13th to 15th centuries.”
The most exciting stop in Barcelona was La Sagrada Familia Cathedral. La Sagrada Familia (The Holy Family) is a large Roman Catholic basilica under construction in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The formal title of the basilica is the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família or Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family. It is the last, and perhaps most extraordinary, of the designs of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. Even though construction is still going on, we were allowed to enter and tour the site.
After touring the construction, we drove to the site of the 1992 Olympics on the top of a hill for a spectacular view of the city. On the way back to the ship, we had them drop us off in the downtown area so we could explore some more. After having lunch, we
walked up Las Ramblas, a colorful boulevard that runs from Placa Catalunya Plaza to the Columbus Monument. This street has a wide pedestrian area in the center that provides space for vendors and living statues. The living statues are people dressed as a statue that will pose without moving. For a fee, you can have your picture taken with them. The Placa Catalunya was filled with people feeding what had to be thousands of pigeons. Because they are fed so often and are protected, they have no fear of people and will be happy to sit on your had if you hold out some feed. On the way back down Las Ramblas, we found our favorite store, Starbucks. After a shot of energy, we continued our walk to the Columbus Monument and caught a cab back to the ship.
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