Barcelona: Sagrada Familia and Return

Friday afternoon. The skies are clouding over, but this morning was bright and clear. We had breakfast at a place Margo had read about, located about a dozen blocks to our southeast. I think it was closer to a deli than a restaurant - there was just one table in the back, which we shared with two older gentlemen. We had our standard breakfast of coffee and hot chocolate, and baguettes.

This was also on the way to our next destination, La Sagrada Familia. We emerged from the Sagrada Familia Metro stop on to the street in front of the church. It was mad with tourists and buses. We went to the park in front and let Sarah play in the playground for a while.


We decided not to pay admission and see the interior. From skimming the guidebooks, it didn't sound too interesting, and we figured the most interesting parts were on the exterior. So instead, I walked its perimeter taking snaps.


Next we took the Metro to the Plaza de Catalunya and walked the shopping streets to the Cathedral of Barcelona. However, it was under heavy renovation; most of it was obscured by construction cloth. Again we elected not to pay admission.

We walked the shopping streets back to the Plaza ...


... and entered El Corte Ingles department store. We had lunch in the terrace at the top floor, with fine views to the west and north.



Then we shopped for candies for our workmates, in the lowest level.

We were quite tired by then, and took one more Metro ride to Diagonal for siestas in our flat.

Friday evening. The sun is with us again, our last evening in Barcelona. I'm sitting on the balcony with a glass of Spanish rosé.

Earlier I walked around nearby shops. I finally feel more relaxed. Not wearing a camera helped me feel less of a tourist, though not being blonde would have helped even more.

We had a simple dinner in a café across the street - pizza-like slices of focaccia bread. Margo is wandering about, packing things for our flight home in the morning.

I just went out earlier to see if the nearby newsstand had any English papers, but it had closed shop. However, on a whim I followed an entranceway to a small public garden that I'd earlier assumed was part of the adjacent hotel ... and saw orange and mango trees. I've never seen one before. Oranges. On a tree. Nice.

A few more random observations ...

• I've noticed more elderly people than in most cities. Strolling, sitting on benches.
• It seems more people are smokers here.
• At any time, it seems most of the benches are in use. It's nice. People just sitting.
• There's a television set in the flat but it doesn't have cable/satellite, and no programmes are in English. Sarah couldn't find any cartoons, so the whole stay, she's not been pestering us to watch it. I've quite liked that, and I'll be voting for not buying a TV when we settle in Canada.
• I think Margo and I have done quite well with our Spanish, which is just as well as it seems few people speak English.

That's all the writing I did on our trip. Saturday's return was uneventful but for delays: two hours at the airport in Barcelona, and an hour and a half delay for our baggage. Grrrr.

We were glad to be back.