Subject: Report #109 Barcelona, Spain April 18, 2016 Monday Partly cloudy & 65 degrees Part #1 of 2 89 Pictures
Today began as a very special one, as it was Bill's birthday. He shared this day with the Holland America Line, which turned 143 years old, quite a bit older…..a whole lot older. What a better way to spend it than on a cruise like this one, with friends, and in Spain. The only thing missing is family, but we will be seeing them all soon. Many cards arrived in the mail slot as well as the "Happy Birthday" sign taped to our door. Great way to start the day.
So here is a bit of info on Spain, which by popular opinion, is Europe's most exotic country with curious traditions and relentless energy. Their architecture is a mix of Islamic in Andalusia, and Gothic in all of their cathedrals. Jagged sierras, wild coastlines, flamenco dance, Spanish guitar, and art galleries are all part of Spain. Life is one long fiesta, with long siestas in the afternoon.
The capital of Spain is Madrid, and the population of the country is 40,525,002 Castilian Spanish-speaking people. The country consists of 194,846 square miles, and the best time to visit is May, June, September, and October. Good areas to visit include the Alhambra, Andalusia's Islamic architecture, Cordova's Mezquita, Gaudi's Barcelona, and Madrid's golden mile of art.
Top things to do is see are Gaudi's Cathedral….the Sagrada Familia, an unfinished structure, and probably will remain that way forever. Go on a tapa crawl, hike the Pyrennes in Catalonia and Aragon. Drive along the dramatic coastline, or relax on a postcard-perfect beach on Mallorca or Menorca.
What about the food? Taste the wafer-thin slices of jamon (cured ham), or try a dish of paella with fish, chicken, and rice. Drink the red and white wines or sample the sherry from Jerez de la Frontera. Pretty good stuff as we remember.
Trademarks are flamenco dancing, paella, bull fighting, football (not as we know it), fiestas, Picasso, Dali, Goya, and Gaudi, summer invasions of northern Europeans on Costa del Sol.
A random fact is that Spaniards spend more per capita on food than anyone else in Europe. Guess we can call them "foodies".
Our first port of call in Spain was Barcelona, where the Amsterdam arrived early this morning around 9am. We were not the first cruise ship in the port, as we saw the Viking Ocean Cruise ship already docked close to town. She is a small cruise ship with 47,000 gross tons. The total number of passengers is about 928. As far as we know, Viking has always been known for river cruising, so it is nice to see them competing for the ocean voyages. They recently introduced a sister ship to their ocean fleet, so we are not sure which ship this was.
Other ships would follow us into the port. Right behind us was the Costa Favolosa (2011) at 114,500 gross tons and 3800 passengers. A little later, the Costa Diadema docked further down the same pier. She is the same size and same passenger count as the Favolosa. Both of these ships are family-friendly Italian vessels rating a 3 plus star position. Much later, the Zenith squeezed into the dock. She is part of the Pullmantur group, and if you recall, she was also in port with us in Civitavecchia. She is 52,090 gross tons, and has 1800 passengers. So there will be a lot of folks on tour as well as in town today.
We left the ship about 10am. There was shuttle bus to the bottom of La Rambla, but it came with a price of 5 Euro for a round trip. We know that isn't a huge amount, but it sure would be more people-friendly if it had been complimentary. We know it is not HAL that is charging this fee, but the local port authority. We also know that there is a strict taxi group here as well, but there must be a way that HAL could refund the price of the bus. We are not alone in our thinking on this one, as this is supposed to be a "grand" world voyage, where some exceptions should be made. In protest, we did not take the shuttle. And besides, the walk would do us good.
It could not have been a more ideal day for a long walk to town….sunny, but a cool breeze blowing. The bridge over the harbor was full of walkers from all of the ships docked with us. A few were on bikes, while some were even pushing wheel chairs or strollers. In order for us to access the ramp of this bridge, we had to back-track ¼ of a mile. It was close to two miles to reach the base of the Christopher Columbus Monument, where the Hop-on, Hop-off buses were loading up passengers. You could take these buses for 28 Euro or 24 Euro for seniors. There were two different routes where 18 languages were spoken on each. Individual headsets and free wifi were included in that price. Each run took two hours, and you could ride it all day, getting off and on as you wish. We passed on that option as well, and glad we did, as we will describe later.
Some of the ship's tours were the highlights of Barcelona for 4 hours costing $60. Gaudi's Barcelona was also 4 hours for $90. Barcelona sights and flamenco for 4 hours was $110. Markets and Cuisine was a tour of the food markets and six tapas from 2 restaurants for 4 hours costing $100. Going out of town, you could visit Monserrat Monastery where people come from all over Spain to see the Black Madonna and the views from 4000 feet high on the mountain. We have done this tour for 4 hours at $70, and really liked it. Except for the smelly sheep cheese we bought on the way up there. Did not realize that it was fresh and had no preservatives. Meant to be eaten in a couple of days, we had saved it in our refrigerator, but it did not keep well. Live and learn………….
One thing worth mentioning is the warning in our daily newsletter today regarding safety while in Barcelona. It said to be aware of pick pocketing around the La Rambla and the La Sagrada Familia Church. We remember the warning well even the first time we came here back in 1997. Flying ahead of a cruise a couple of days early, we had stayed in Le Meridian Hotel on La Rambla. A group of fellow passengers was also with us, but one elderly couple did not pay attention, as they got attacked in the Gothic Quarter the following day. Pushed from behind, they were robbed of their money, passports, credit cards, and cameras….brand new for this trip. Bruised and bloodied, they were not happy campers. Taught us all a lesson though. Listen to what the experts tell you, as these things do happen. We have heard many first-hand accounts of similar things happening to trusting travelers. Needless to say, we knew to be vigilant today.
We located the tree-lined pedestrian walkway, La Rambla. It has to be the busiest and liveliest of any street in the city. Here we found the street artists that stand for hours, dressed and painted, amusing the onlookers, hoping for tips. Of course, while these folks are performing, their buddies may be doing the pick-pocketing. Continuing up the middle of the street, we came upon real artists who draw your portrait while you wait. Further up were stands of souvenirs, surrounded by small cafes, and people drinking coffee and even beer by 11 am.
Eventually we came upon the flower section, where fresh flowers were being sold. We found the public market called La Bouqueria. They have produce by the ton, meat, fish, cheese, and sweets, like chocolate and assorted nuts. Compared to the last time we were here, this market has been cleaned up rather nicely. Or perhaps, we happened to come upon it early in the day. It was as crowded as ever, but still we felt safe enough. Of course this might be a good time to mention that we saw many police, well-armed, everywhere today. Everywhere………
Back in 1997, we had flown to Barcelona at the beginning of a Mediterranean cruise, staying a couple of days at Le Meridian Hotel on La Rambla. Finding it, we went inside and a quick rest stop. It was still the same as we remembered it.
Further up the road, we came to the Hard Rock Café, always a required stop for us. They have new city t-shirts, so we picked one up in the incredibly-crowded shop. The restaurant was not opened yet, but crowds were already lined up waiting.
Right across the street is the Plaza de Catalunya, with a huge square in the center, and lined with massive fountains with many statues. On one end of the square was a group of protestors with pup tents set up. They were begging money for the immigrants that have been migrating from eastern Europe. We know that there has been some rioting happening here, and the plaza was well-protected with rifle-armed policemen with police vans ready for possible arrests. Hard to ignore their presence, but we did manage to take all the photos we wanted of the beautiful fountains and old statues.
Studying the map, we figured we were fairly close to Sacrada Familia, so we headed in that direction. You would think you would be able to see the spires of the church from anywhere in the city, but when you are buried in tall skyscrapers, the view is blocked. At one point, we gave up as the streets became complicated. Better to find the Gothic Quarter, and work our way back down to the water.
We found some street signs, and walked to the Palau de la Musica. This was attracting a crowd, so we knew we were on the right path. Down a narrow street, we spotted the Gothic Cathedral, which did resemble the big Gaudi church, only on a smaller scale. It was built in the 13th century, and certainly must have been an inspiration to Gaudi. This entire quarter has windy streets with hidden squares with fountains and palaces. The pedestrian-only walkways are original cobblestones with the buildings tightly built, giving you the feeling of what life must have been like back centuries ago. Most of the large squares were lined with cafes, but also well-guarded for a reason. Near some of the older churches, it was not uncommon to see elderly ladies dressed in black, begging for money.
Remember we talked about the Ho-ho buses that do this route? Well while we were at the Plaza de Catalunya, we saw this long line of 100 people waiting by the curb. Turned out the line was for the Ho-ho buses. They don't tell you that you may have an hour to wait to get on your bus. "Time" is not always something you have a lot of, especially using it to wait in line….that's torture. Yes, there may be twelve stops by taking this bus, but there is not enough time to see and do everything, except by drive-by.
Eventually the streets led us back to La Rambla, which was even more crowded with tourists. You always felt like you were a fish going upstream the wrong way. Making our way to the Maremagnum, a shopping mall, we had to cross over a walking bridge, which happened to be opening for a sailboat to enter the small boat harbor. Before going over the bridge, we looked into the water to see huge fish, about 18 inches long, swimming in large schools. People were sitting and feeding them bread. We waited once we got to the mall side to watch the swingspan bridge open. We noticed a sign posted warning tourists not to buy items from the "blanket vendors" on and around this bridge. There was a 50 euro fine if caught selling and buying. Guess that is why we saw no vendors this morning. We remember the bridge being covered with these guys selling souvenirs, hats, designer bags, sunglasses, tennis shoes, and t-shirts.
Walking through the huge mall at Maremagnum, we fund the exit to the Italian restaurant we came to four or five years ago. It was still there, and the name was Gino's Ristorante. We appreciated being seated near a window with a view of the Vell Marina. We ordered a margherita pizza to share, with two Mahou draft beers. Perfect. Usually we do not order dessert, but the waitress talked us into a nutella, chocolate pizza with vanilla ice cream. After all, it was a birthday celebration right?
It was a big surprise to us to see dozens of blanket vendors setting up their wares on the bridge. We know why….all of the police that were there earlier, were gone. These guys must watch, then run with their stuff, unfolding it in seconds. We challenged the 50 Euro fine by bargaining for a black and white MK handbag for only 10 Euro. Good deal.
By now it was 3pm, and we had a long hike ahead of us. A cool breeze was perfect as we followed the waterfront to the bridge over the harbor, and back to the ship. Henk and Christel passed us on their bicycle for two as we were on the decline of the bridge, beeping their horn as they passed, while waving. They had sent a personalized card to Bill for his birthday, which was really nice.
There were a few shops in the huge terminal filled with souvenirs, food items, duty-free perfumes and alcohol, as well as a money machine. These same items will be in Cadiz, so best to wait until then as they may be more affordable there.
It was wonderful to get back home and too our room, where we relaxed and working on photos. Around 6:30pm, we went up to deck nine, and took some "pretend" sail away pictures, as there was no sail away party planned for this evening. All aboard was 7:30pm, and since it was cool and windy, and also dinnertime for most, there was no party anywhere today.
Some of the pictures we got were of the World Trade Center, the Teleferic de Montjuic (the gondolas that go from the mountain to the port area), the Maritime Museum, the Port of Barcelona building, Christopher Columbus Monument, and even the Familia Sagrada. If you looked for many cranes, you will find it.
Dinner for us was spent in the Pinnacle Grill, enjoying Caesar salads (the best on the ship), grilled lamb chops, a New York strip steak with asparagus, mushrooms, and a baked potato. The meal was delicious, and ended with a presentation of a small birthday cake. Filled to almost the brim, we asked for the cake to be wrapped for take-away, and had small bowls of rocky road ice cream. Another really nice surprise was the potted scented geranium waiting with a birthday card on our table. Tina and some waitresses came over to see who it was from. We suspected Barb, Ellen and Aart, and we were right. Very sweet of them to remember.
There was only a movie, Vicky Christina Barcelona, in the Queens Lounge as well as in the Wajang Theater. We passed on both, because we can pick it up on TV tomorrow. Or not, depending on the weather. Captain Mercer had mentioned rain in the forecast, so hope he is wrong.
Heading for Cadiz by Wednesday. By the way, we have traveled 33,160 statute miles so far.
Bill & Mary Ann
Coming into the Port of Barcelona
Followed by a Costa ship
Grimaldi is a ferry that was already there
The bridge we would walk over the harbor
Five dock workers
A Viking Ocean cruiseship
Exit from deck three to the terminal
Going down the escalator to terminal shops
A long desk set up for buying shuttle tickets
The start of the walk over the bridge
Mary Ann going uphill
View of the Amsterdam docked
A harbor tour boat ride
A tower for the gondola ride
This bridge will open for larger ships
Exiting the Port of Barcelona
The road to the city
A nice walk for many today
A gondola of the Telerific de Montjuic
Olympic rings monument
Maritime Museum
Christopher Columbus Monument
Lions surround the monument
Impressive statues
Museum
Very well preserved
Start of La Rambla
One of several street artists
This gal moved for photos
He totally creeped us out, but the kids loved him
Not too crowded yet
This model was wax for the wax museum
The Grand Theater
Locals watch the crowds from the balcony
Tons of souvenirs
Apartments with shops below
Gothic buildings
Umbrellas for decoration….who thought?
Mercat de la Boqueria
La Boqueria or the Marketplace
Mercat (Market)
Meats…..lots of pork
Jamon Iberico – cured hams
Smoothies of assorted fruit
Meats and cheeses
Produce from everywhere
Chickens (no photos??)
Cheese really looked good
Packed fruit-to-go (included a fork)
Sure looked tasty
Expensive cuts of beef and burgers
Mostly nuts
Olives…many varieties
Lamb parts….they cook it all
Tripe
Pigs feet
Produce was fresh
Egg display
Honey imported from elsewhere
More fruit
Many shoppers & lots of tourists
Pretty flowers for sale
The neatest souvenirs - magnet ½ cups with cacti
Clever souvenir
The old quarter
Le Meridian Hotel on La Rambla
Sycamore trees lined the street
Well-maintained buildings
The Hard Rock Cafe
Inside restaurant
One of the shops
A favorite in Barcelona
A hotel near the plaza
A sculpture at Plaza de Catalunya
Upside down staircase?
This is the line for the Hop-on, Hop-off bus
One of many statues
Very large plaza
The pigeons like it too
The protestor tents
A fountain in the plaza
Another fountain
Bill at the plaza
Great place to relax and enjoy the street traffic
Some trees for shade
They are for letting in more refugees
Collecting money for the refugees
A street map
Many fountains up here
