October 10 Checked into the sleek and modern Pension Peiro in the lively Poble Sec neighborhood. It’s an easy walk to everything. Tapas bars nearly at the doorstep. The convenient Parallel metro stop right down the street.  I arrived on Flixbus around 8pm. Didn’t do much the first night except grab some fried squid and a glass of wine at a nearby tapas joint. Breakfast was not included so i picked up some ramen to accompany my coffee packets. At least the Pension had a kettle and cups! October 11 Got an early start to soak up the big city energy. And it was a beautiful day. I headed first to Las Ramblas, only a 15 minute walk away.  I hadn’t been there since the eighties when it was lined with flower stalls. Now it’s mostly cafes. There were some tourists milling around of course but it wasn’t oppressively crowded. Then I wandered the streets of the Gothic Quarter starting with the handsome Plaza Real. There were surprises in every corner. Loved the Aragon Archives exhibit which showed the original document from Queen Isabel to Columbus thanking him for his service and showering him with gifts. Safe to say the … Continue reading →

Started the day at the big Boqueria, truly a visual feast although I’ve learned that locals view it as way too touristy. I strolled through and picked up some empanadas for lunch later.   Then on to the Museum of Catalan Art. My pension was  close to the funicular that brought be up to leafy Montjuic park. Such a change from the hub  of the city! And with such great views.   As soon as I  walked into the museum I knew I’d spend the day there. The building itself was grandiose with a vast domed entrance hall. These Catalans think highly of themselves. I started with the Romanesque collection, a style I wasn’t much familiar with. The angular faces and clean lines seemed so modern. The figures of the holy family and saints seemed to exude a spirituality that seemed to fade as greater naturalism took over in the 14th-16th centuries. The baroque and Renaissance collection was also impressive showcasing Velasquez, Rubens. By the time I tackled the Modern collection I was tuckered out but I like how it segued from Picasso and Miro to Republican propaganda during the Spanish Civil War and then in to Symbolism which is … Continue reading →

October 18 Well I sure messed this one up. I wanted to get to Girona before noon but I couldn’t find the right trains at the right price. So I spent a couple of hours chilling in the Barcelona train station and arrived here at the immense and modern train station at 1:30. Maybe because I was tired I got hopelessly lost following Google maps, trudging around for nearly an hour before a taxi driver and the Pension Borras finally got me here. It should have been a 1O minute walk. I was exhausted, hot and hungry. Not a good start. I’m a big fan of Spanish trains though. The two that I took today were bullet trains running at around 200km/hour. So comfy and efficient. The scenery was like so many train rides in Europe. Fields, orchards, greenhouses and every so often some mysterious splotch of low buildings. Around them are odd machines, shipping containers or metal towers with tubes and pipes that may or may not emit smoke. It’s always in the middle of nowhere and often marked by a big sign with an unrecognizable name: Axxol! Crexxon! Spizzfor! Fertilizers? Farm equipment? Industrial supplies? Who knows. After recuperation … Continue reading →