Barcelona, Spain

This city’s history has much to do with invasions and conquest. Its history dates back to 988 when Barcelona won independence and identified more with being Catalonia than Spain. By the 1400’s Catalonia was linked with other regions of Spain and this lasted until the 1700’s. Today, the Catalan people still consider themselves independent and not part of Spain.
We meet our new partners in crime, David and Susan and the other couple on our Florence excursion, Dick and Helen on the pier. Our guide, Xavier (Ha vee air), a young man that is Catalonian and is very knowledgeable about Barcelona and probably their most famous resident Gaudi (Gow dee’). Our goal today is to see all the major sites, especially those of Gaudi. We start with a drive around the city with a little history. Then stops at several structures designed by Gaudi. He was such a prolific designer that there is actually a book of just the buildings he designed in and around Barcelona. Our first stop is at Parc Guell, originally intended to be a housing development designed by Gaudi for the very rich. It was to have a total of 60 homes and actually be a complete city within its’ walls. Whimsy is the order of the day as are all of Gaudi’s designs, with swirling undulating walls, tile work, and the telling of what seems to be fairy tales. Walt Disney could have received part of his inspiration for Disneyland from Gaudi, such is the fantasy quality of his designs and work. His most visible work of course is Catedral de la Sagrada Familia (Holy Family
Cathedral). He did not intend it to be a church, but typical of Gaudi, it became an obsession. Begun in 1882, is was far from finished when he died in 1926. The last 8 years if his life he worked almost exclusively on it. It is still incomplete and the estimate now is that it will be another 25 years before it is done. Gaudi was a man well ahead of his time-he even used recycled materials and his work today would be considered very modern. He never married and had no children. He is said to have told his mistress in his early years, when she said she wanted to get married that he “was too busy”. He said that decision haunted him in his later years as he died old and alone.
At the end of our tour Xavier drops us at Las Ramblas, the famous promenade, the infamous tourist trap of Barcelona. We venture forward and off side streets in search of real food. Our goal is a local eatery with few or no tourists, no English on the menu, good house wine and homey atmosphere. After rejecting a few we find our target, a tiny doorway leading past a bar to a widening area in the back. The owner speaks only a few words of English and we a few in Spanish. Using this and sign language we manage to order a variety of his house specialties that we have left to his discretion. The food continues to arrive and finally covers every available table surface. Deep fried anchovies, chicken, pork, beef, potatoes, salad, empanadas made with vegetables and meat. An entire table of “tapas” or “little plates”. Beer and red wine, coffee and a
bottle of cognac with instructions to drink all we wanted. Two hours later, our bellies and brains saturated we ask for the bill. Our host sits down at the end of the table and begins to figure on a piece of scrap paper with a short stub of a pencil that was whittled to a point, probably with a pocket knife. Evidently Tony looked like the man in charge or possibly more understanding of the offerta (offer) of E25 per person. The proprietor asked if we thought that a fair price for our feast. We all agreed and he said “are you sure?”. Our yes reply brought handshakes and many thanks as he insisted on pouring more cognac in each of the coffee cups. I asked to buy my cup as usual and he presented it to me with a flourish. After another round of handshakes, adios, and gracias we departed with full stomachs, light heads and memories of a special day indeed.