Saturday 22 June 2013

HOLIDAY JOTTINGS - BARCELONA, SPAIN

After Alicante we went to Barcelona.   Now, I have to say that mostly I didn't enjoy Barcelona.   it was extremely crowded, very hot, and very busy.   The traffic was horrendous!   Added to which there was so much pollution that my eyes and nose just streamed!

However, having said all that, there were some very interesting and fascinating places we went to.   

The Spanish are very fond of architectural structures on their roundabouts and road junctions.   They also use statues and fountains.   Makes the road scene much more interesting that Busy Lizzies trying to survive on British roundabouts - if you get that!


We are approaching Barcelona - you can just see the Gaudi church in the centre, and there is also another cruise ship there.


Makes a change from flowers on a roundabout!



The Famous "Ramblas".   I loved the old houses with their balconies.   There isd a pedestrian area in the centre, where all the market stalls are, plus all the pickpockets and small criminals!  We were warned to take great care of our bags etc.



Four stalls in the fantastic Market.   Chillies, fruit spaces and dried fruits and nuts - I could have spent a fortune in there!


    There were lots of stalls selling fish, and lots of Spaniards buying them.   I didn't know what half of them were called, much less how you would cook them!

Some of the fish were positively ugly!

The National Maritime Museum was very new, and mercifully cool.  
The architecture inside was lovely, even if there weren't many exhibits
!
I'm not sure quite what this big ship was, whether it was a reconstruction or partly the original, but it wasa HUGE!!   Mr. G obligingly stood in front of it for scale purposes!








One of the biggest, and hottest, squares in Barcelona, and where Mr. G lost me and went back to the ship without me!    (You don't want to hear the rest!!)

10 comments:

21 Wits said...

Oh gosh this was exciting. I have to go back through all your photos again. I feel like I was there too! I especially like the capture of the people walking like they have umbrellas over their heads, but they don't!

Hollace said...

Hi, Gilly. Those market photos especially are gorgeous. I have to agree with you about the fish: positively UNappetizing to me.
When I was 21 I went to Barcelona with 2 girlfriends. It rained and afterwards we had brown gritty spots on our arms that the rain left. We were pretty impressed by the pollution. Sad to say, I don't remember the city itself or the architecture. I would probably look at things differently now.
Nice to "see" you again.
Holly

Patricia said...

Your cruise sounds exciting. We did a similar one three years ago and I loved the market in Barcelona too. Such wonderful colours. Glad you've enjoyed it.
Patricia x

Diane said...

You gadabout!! Barcelona looks lovely in your photos. xxx

kenju said...

Sorry you didn't enjoy it there, but I surely would love to go there some day.

Greener Pastures--A City Girl Goes Country said...

What are those hoops in the roundabout? Do you mean they put flowers on them?

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sea-blue-sky & abstracts said...

An eventful day for you Gilly!

I enjoyed Barcelona in the main, although it was hot and very tiring. The Gothic Cathedral and surroundings, in the Old City, was wonderful. x

Alexia said...

Thank you so much for these! I enjoyed revisiting a place I really love. I went to Barcelona in April of 2010 (my son lives there), and enjoyed every second of the week I was there.
I think it was a good time of year to go - it was a pleasant temperature, not too hot or cool, and although it was busy, the tourist numbers were not what they are in summer. Also, I am a HUGE fan of Gaudi's architecture, and had wanted to visit for a long time.

Thanks again, Gilly :D

Diane said...

Hi Gilly - we saw the Egret in the saltwater stream at Herne Bay. I was a stunning bird. xx