Barcelona - Day Two

Today was officially a wandering day with a few chosen highlights to hit. La Rambla, frankly isn’t all that interesting. Just a series of touristy/bad to meh restaurants and shops. I do like the hustle bustle but not that.

We stumbled upon a celebration set in one of the many public squares (Saint Jaume) for May 9th or Día de Europa. The next day a huge music performance with Sufi dancers covered the plaza.

First stop was the expansive La Catedral. It seemed less packed with dead guy stuff and more mother and child/Mary and baby Jesus/The Virgen and Child. You get the picture. The Choir seats are my favorite, each carved with different stories and people. Everything is so old here. Some dating back to the 14th century. Each successive century leaves its mark culminating in a record of the times and manners of worship.

We went to the roof to take in the views across Barcelona and hear the bells chime in 11 o’clock. We could hear the singing from the Europa festival too. Nice.

After a good Greek food lunch we went to the Basilica de Santa Maria Del Mar. It felt unhurried and peaceful as I made my way around each of the stalls (I’m sure they aren’t called stalls). We googled the difference between a church and basilica. It’s the shape of the building (no cross) and that it was used as a marketplace with evenly spaced aisles - I think.

I visited the Picasso Museum alone. I loved it. It took you through the progression of his different periods and study. He started at 13 producing incredible works. It held few line drawings and only one of what I call his “twat series”. Those works are just for shock value to me. The portraits of his colleagues and friends in art school and salons captured personalities with obvious affection.

Gail graciously agreed to accompany me to an Argentinian restaurant which had rabbit on the menu. My favorite. However, they only have rabbit if you order it one day in advance. False bunny. I ordered it for tomorrow and we left for a tapas place nearby where I got a pisco sour and Gail got her caipiroska with scant vodka and sweet maracuyá (passion fruit). We were both happy.Read more