BARCELONA

SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015 – BARCELONA

BACK IN BARCELONA…AND IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY! EASTER AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE…EVERYWHERE…AT THE BEACH, THE ATTRACTIONS, THE SAGRADA FAMILIA, BUSES, METRO, EVERYWHERE.

I NEVER GOT TO THE GOTHIC QUARTER (EL GOTIC) AND SO I HEADED OUT TODAY ON A MISSION. WHEN I TURNED THE CORNER AND SAW THE CATHEDRAL IT BLEW MY MIND. ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.  THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE MILLING ABOUT. I MADE IT INSIDE JUST IN TIME TO RECEIVE COMMUNION. I THOUGHT I’D STAY FOR THE NEXT MASS BUT SOMETHING PULLED ME OUTSIDE.

THERE, ON THE FRONT STEPS OF THE CATHEDRAL WAS A GROUP PLAYING MUSIC AND IN THE SQUARE IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH GROUPS OF PEOPLE DANCING, SOME SORT OF CATALUN FOLK DANCE; THE MUSIC WAS SLOW AND THE DANCERS WERE MOVING AROUND IN A CIRCLE; AS THE MUSIC’S TEMPO INCREASED, THEY STARTED JUMPING TO THE MUSIC AND THEN AT THE END THERE WAS A LOUD CHEER. (I’LL TRY TO ATTACH A VIDEO, OTHERWISE CHECK MY FACEBOOK PAGE.)

I LATER TOOK A STROLL THRU THE OLD QUARTER AND IT WAS REALLY NEAT. THE STREETS WERE SO NARROW EVEN A SMALL CAR COULDN’T GET THROUGH BUT LUCKILY THEY DIDN’T EVEN ALLOW SCOOTERS. IT WAS REALLY A MAGICAL PLACE.

I STOPPED FOR LUNCH AT EL PARAIGUR…PAELLA WITH RIOJA VINO…MOLTO BENE!

GOT BACK TO THE SHIP JUST IN TIME FOR DINNER AND TO CHECK OUT THE NEW PEOPLE THAT BOARDED TODAY….INTRUDERS!

THEY'VE OUTLAWED BULLFIGHTING IN BARCELONA AND SO, THEY CHANGE THE BULLRING TO A SHOPPING MALL.











WALKED INTO THE DINING ROOM AND THERE WAS THE EASTER BUNNY! ACTUALLY 2…ONE WHITE, ONE PINK. THE DINING ROOM WAS DECORATED FOR EASTER AND THEY HAD THE NEATEST, BIGGEST EASTER EGGS….ACTUALLY THEY WERE WATERMELONS PAINTED A PATCHWORK OF COLOR!

SUNSET ON THE MEDITERRANEAN.



                …”No matter how deeply you come to know a place, you can keep coming back to know it more.” --- Rebecca Solnit