Dear Readers,
So there we were being dropped off at a hotel (if you can call it that) called the Travel Lodge. They are everywhere. They are awful. There is only the barest of furniture, maybe two towels, maybe a sheet (that they don't change along with the towels), and a cereal breakfast that they charge a high price for. We never ate breakfast there the whole time. We were forced to skip that. No internet. I called down to report I couldn't get the shower to work and he said, "It may be broke." Like that was OK. But I made him come up and he got it working. Thank God I had that because that was all I got.
Steve had to attend the trade show down the road every day with a couple of thousands others from all over the world. I wanted to get into Barcelona and see the sights so I was walked to the train station ( a good walk from the hotel) and told to get there. I studied the book so I knew where I wanted to go and how to get there. So you got a ten stop ticket (a nice guy helped us) and then I was told I was on my own as Steve had to get back to work. Okay, buck up, I told myself. I can do this. So I got on the train, followed a bunch of people until I got to the subway, and then lo and behold I did pop out where I wanted to go! The Maritime Museum. Only it was closed for renovations. So I opted for Plan B. Across the street was the marina and I entered the aquarium. I saw all kinds of things, penguins, sharks with tumors (experimental animals?) along with lots of other smelly people. Did I mention that women in Spain don't shave and they don't use dedeorant? I was hungry by this time so I decided to hit the McDonalds. Spanish McDonalds was interesting. I had a a burger that was just like a whopper-mayo, lettuce, tomato and it was great. Fries and a coke. So then I made my way back to the hotel where Steve found me.
Then we got back on the train (by the way, they don't believe in escalators). By this time, I could hardly walk. Up and down. Miles and miles. We met a fellow engineer and his Japanese wife for dinner at the marina. We enjoyed shrimp and fish. When we didn't place an order right a way, the waiter got mad and disappeared. We had to ask him to come back. After that, the service was bad rest of the night. He had attitude galour!
One thing I should mention. I was surprised by the amount of Asian, Indian, and Middle Eastern emigrants that I ran into in Spain. They all spoke Spanish-it's obvious they were part of the culture but I was still surprised at the number of waiters, sellers on the beach, shop owners who were from other countries. Spain is a big importer of help.
Anyway, we made our way back to our Travel Lodge and the next day Steve went to work again. I tried to find the Picasso Museum. Picasso had lived for awhile in Barcelona and his friend and art dealer had died there, leaving alot of stuff to the museum (which had been someone's rich house).
Spain has alot of issues with signage. The sign was pointing at a wall across the street. I had the choice to two roads so I took the one less traveled. I ended up at a farmers market. So I retraced my steps and took the other road. This time I ended up at the museum, bought a ticket, and was soon examining sketches, cartoons, the blue period, the rose period, the early period, of Picasso. I tried to get out but was stopped by the guard who yelled at me in Spanish. Eventually I found the exit.
Now it was time for lunch. I went back the way I came and passed a nice resturant where I ordered a small salad. I should say that "small salad" means a salad with tuna fish dumped in the middle of it with corn. The coke was good. The waitress was very snotty when she realized I was a tourist.
Hey, my money was good!
So then I walked to the Cathedral of Barcelona. Here was a church built by the city guilds in 14th century. Gothic! Huge ceiling, dark, stain glass, and saints in every niche. I loved it except for the large part under renovation. I saw Saint Elizabeth! Out back they have geese locked around a pool. They use to warn the priests that enemy were coming. The steeple was falling off so they were taking donations for that. The homeless and cripple lined the steps asking for money. Funny, I saw the same people at another cathedral the next day!
So I was looking for the Temple of Augustus remains and finally asked at the information booth. I was told (in English) that it was part of the Museum of Barcelona down the street. So in I went. I enjoyed this place very much which recounted the history of the area from Neolitic times to the present. It was a bit overwhelming. Barcelona was a Roman town so in the basement, they have the Roman ruins under glass. As you walk over top, you can see wine casks, fish drying, and fabric dying remains as well as mosiacs and villa remains. Then it goes on until you end up in a 14th chapel. The first church in Barcelona was built over a Roman villa. No Temple of Augustus. I was misinformed.
Then I went back to the hotel. We needed an adapter for the computer so that Steve could contact the business back home. So I led him back to the marina area where I knew there was a mall. Here we found Tapas Tapas and ate tapas. I was very sick with my stomach by this time and this helped me out. Good food? Not really. Spanish? You bet. We got the adapter and saw the Columbus statue. See, Columbus left for America from Barcelona!
The next day was Saturday and Steve was off. Here was his chance to sight see and it was pouring down rain! Out came the umbrellas. We headed off in the wet to the train station. Once we got to the subway, however, I got stuck with a dead ticket. No one could understand what I was saying. Finally a worker let me come through to Steve and we bought a new ticket. Then we were off. First we saw the Arch of Truimph. Not as big as the one in Paris but here is was! Then we headed back to the the Cathedral of Maria, one of the oldest churches in Barcelona. It was smaller than the one I had been at before but very old and quaint. Very Gothic. It was still raining. Then we headed back to the Cathedral of Barcelona and Steve got to see that. By now we were aware that it was a holiday-the Lady of Mercy. We never figured it out but it included rock bands in every square and fireworks.
We ate at a sandwich place for lunch and it stopped raining. Yeah. Then Steve led me to an alley where I got to see the ruins of the Temple of Augustus. It was inspiring. Then we got back on the subway to see the famous Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family) designed by a famous architect named Guadi. If you have something gaudy, he designed it! Here was a brillant man who didn't believe it straight lines and was evidently the hero of Tim Burton. He designed apartments, buildings, parks, and finally this church which has never been completely finished. They have been working a hundred years so far. Not a straight line in the place or even pews. Christ looks like he is hand gliding in. Work of a crazy mind-well, some would say so. Gaudi went all monk in his later life, then crazy, then broke and homeless until he was finally run over by a bus. And the whole city of Barcelona calls him their homeboy. They love him!
After that we were utterly exhausted and unable to walk so Steve suggests that we WALK more to the National Art Museum which is kinda outside of town but on the subway. You just have to walk to it-all uphill. There were some escalators which I had never seen before on the outside, exposed to the rain and what not. It was the former government palace way up on a hill. After dragging oruselves all the way up, we were disappointed to find that they had closed early for the holiday. So we walked more to the Olympic Stadium behind the palace. That was impressive. We never did figure out what they used it for nowdays.
So we limped down and went in search of dinner. We spotted the Barcelona Bull ring and went over there to check it out. It had been turned into a mall and was closing. We chose the restaurant Tapas Gaudi and just ate there. I had left my purse on the chair and the waiter warned me against that. Evidently there is great crime there but we neve saw any evidence of it. Just cops everywhere on the street, subway, train, and roads. There were signs warning us against crime but luckily we never witnessed anything.
Now we had to say goodbye to Spain, Adios. The next morning we took a plane to Belfast. This plane had no movies. You paid for food. We had a sulky teenager with us who was just annoying.
We went from nice sunny hot weather to 40 degrees and pouring, driving rain. Welcome to Northern Ireland.
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