Barcelona times 3!

 

Barcelona Part 1

One day, Queralt asked me to take the kids, take the train and meet her in the office. We were for a trip, in my honor, to Barcelona.

Since the beginning Helena was protesting about that: sometimes she would say it is because of the train; other times, because she does not like Barcelona.

I tell Queralt that we do not need to go but she insists and confess to me that would be better for Helena if she realizes and confront some things now than in the future. These “things” were actually only one: Helena is scared of trains.

I just had no idea how bad it would be in the day. Helena cries and yells a lot, and I am pretty scared and feeling guilty because the trip it is “my fault”.

Queralt calls and is adamant: we must leave now. I take a deep breath and try to be gentle and firm at the same time while I talking with Helena. With Martina’s help, after a while we take the train and arrive at Queralt’s work.

I met a very nice Brazilian girl over there. We chat for a while.

In Barcelona, pause for a quickly snack and going to Park Güell. It is nice but full of people and you can just go around some places without pay. To go to those nice places with all the ceramics, for example, you need a ticket.

A very nice guy from the tourist information tells us that after 20h30 they leave and anyone can go inside. Unfortunately it is still 19h, so we decide to leave.

After that, Queralt wanted to show me La Sagrada Familia but we get a little lost and after 40 minutes, when it is almost dark, we catch a glimpse of it. It is really gorgeous from outside. I hope I can come back there one day.

Barcelona Part 2

Last Saturday Martina and Helena had a birthday party in an ice rink in Barcelona. The party would take near three hours, so Queralt asks me if I want to get a ride and spend some time in Barcelona until the party is over.

It is OK. Barcelona is nice and beautiful. The old buildings are incredible and the balconies are really pretty. But of course you have to pay for everything, all the museums, etc. It is crazy! Of course you will read about the most famous spots to visit, like Casa Milà, Casa Batllò, La Sagrada Família, La Ramblas (go and walk until the end of this street, appreciating all the beautiful and old buildings, and the nice view at the end of the docks area), La Boqueria, Bairro Gótico, Palau da Música, Park Güell and Montjüic. I believe that apart of Park Güell, you can totally go around all the others by walking. Just try to split them into two or three days. I did my regular visit by outside and took my pictures before I comin back to the ice rink which, by the way, is beside the Barcelona Stadium.

Unfortunately, my photographs are simply not good at all.

P.S.: During my whole time (3 months) here in Spain, I witnessed the attempt of Catalunya of trying to get their independence of Spain. I’ve heard many different versions of the story, from both sides, and what I got most out of the situation is the extremely and unnecessary violence for part of the police against the people in the protests. Ridiculous! They were being cruel to every and anyone. During this second time of mine in Barcelona, another huge protest was in progress.

Barcelona Part 3

The third time I go to Barcelona, I thought it would be less of a rush and I would not need another day. But the truth is: Barcelona is not just huge, there is also plenty to see. It is a super beautiful city! Besides, if you are doing everything by walking, like me, it takes time, lots of time, because most of things are quite far from each other. Barcelona and its huge blocks…

But taking the ride with Queralt and the girls changed my plans a little bit. She invites me to have lunch with them. It is hard to find a place that has several vegetarian dishes and sometimes we get tired to have to look for vegetarian places. I just want to enter in a place and eat.

The restaurant we go looks pretty nice from outside and at a first look, also with the guy playing piano. But after a few minutes, Queralt and I start having fun counting the mistakes we could find. My soup is good but the brownie was burnt.

After going to some nice places, getting lost, and take a shit picture of Sagrada Família, I go to Montjuic. I did not know exactly what I would find there but, at the end, it is not that exciting at night.

When Queralt calls me (they have lent me a mobile phone for emergencies with the girls), we decide to meet at Spain Square. Going down by some creepy streets, I get in this incredible and busy place: Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, MNAC. I guess it feels and looks even nicer because I was not expecting. All the lights, the fountains and the facade are beautiful!

When I look down, I see a few hundred people around the other fountain, the round one. So when I get the message from Queralt, warning me about the lights show that would start soon, I get it. It is really beautiful!

In the middle of all those people we finally find each other when I climbed a wall beside the stairs and shake my hands. We were very close by luck.

Queralt decides we would have dinner at the Arenas, a place that used to be for bullfighting but nowadays is a beautiful commercial centre. There are a few restaurants on the top and we have dinner in one of them, Queralt’s favorite, Mussol. It is kind of fancy and a little expensive. At least my plate it is the cheapest one, as usual. Although the waiter and waitress who are serving us are kind of worthless, even breaking on bottle of water from our table, the end of the night is pretty fun and nice.