- Elise
Today's aim: do not get mugged in Spain.We awoke as the wake up call went off, Justine wondering what on earth the phone was ringing for before realising. Yet we still managed to be running late for the bus. Megs and Courtney had waited for us while Steve drove around the block!
We did a driving tour of Barcelona, seeing the National Palace as built for the world exhibition, zoo, bull fighting rink, Arc de Triomf (also part of a world exhibition) and Sagrada Familia Basilica as designed by Antoni Gaudi and still being built today. With four facades depicting different stories in the Roman Catholic church, it makes for an interesting yet beautiful spectacle.
Next was a walk through the Gothic district where we walked into the Sant Felip Neri square. During the Spanish Civil War, hundreds of civilians lost their lives in this square where they were executed at point blank range. While the official version tells of a bomb sending shrapnel into the square, bullet holes and craters line the main wall next to, can you believe it, a kindergarten.
Once through the gothic quarter we took a trip down La Rambla, the main shopping street, and walked to the Christopher Columbus monument. There we caught the smallest lift I have ever seen to the top, which wobbled in the wind, and got some great shots of the city and its water ports below. Then back down La Rambla we went, watching the fantastical street performers before stopping for a three course Tapas meal for lunch.
After some more window shopping we headed back to the Arc de Triomf and Gaudi designed lamp posts with their naturalistic styles. Then we went to visit another, you guessed it, Gaudi design with La Pedera, before heading back to the hotel. I had a 20 minute siesta and then it was off to the evening entertainment.
Firstly, we drove around Mont Juic where the summer Olympic's were held in 1992. We looked at the stadium and various other buildings designed for the event, before heading to the Spanish Village to see the El Tablao de Carmen Flamenco show. We were treated to dinner, Gazpacho (cold tomato soup), salad, chicken and potatoes, and a delicious dessert that tasted like it had cooked marshmallows on top. The Flamenco dancers were amazing, their feet moved so quickly and we were so close we could see them sweat as the dancing progressed. Unfortunately for some (aka myself in the front row) we could also feel the sweat as they flicked their heads.
As we left, the Festival of Thinking and Free Thought (as we gathered it) was raging on in the streets so we caught a glimpse of Spanish celebrations before heading for another night in. Spain has been entertaining, but very exhausting. My siesta seems to be overdue.
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