Tarragona Cathedral

The cathedral at Tarragona dates to 1154, though the site already had a lot of history by then.  It was a Roman temple, Visigoth church, and Moorish mosque before taking its present form.

Tarragona

We're back home now, after a long day of travel followed by a day of unpacking and feeling out of sorts and off schedule.  That's my excuse for the delay in posting about our Saturday trip to Tarragona.

Anyway, we spent the day with Jordi, a fellow language learner.  We met on italki and talk on skype, practicing English and Spanish.  Jordi met us at the Camp Tarragona train station and showed us around the city.  As you can see, the weather was iffy, alternating between pleasant and ugly.

Odds and Ends

Well, anytime you empty out the fridge before a long trip, there are leftovers.  I have  pics I like, but could never fit in.  Here are a few.

I've seen lots of high art statues, but I also liked these souvenirs.

Market Goodbyes

We went to the Collblanc market for the last time this morning, not so much to shop as to say goodbye to friends we've made there.  Sylvia, the talkative clothes vendor, the olive ladies, one with a daughter who's going to university in San Francisco soon, the butcher ladies, who taught us the word "filete" as they sliced chicken, the Barca futbol fans from Argentina who supplied our fruits and vegetables.

Two months.  I haven't lived away from "home" this long since I first went to college in the 70's.  It's been less like a vacation and more like moving.  I miss some things back home, especially my sobrinita, but I'm sad to be leaving.  Mary is ready for home, though.  It's been hard for her having no one to talk to but me.  Imagine that!

We've spent the last couple of days wandering around parts of Barcelona we love, and some we have neglected to visit until now.  We're still discovering new things and having new experiences.  For example, we wandered into a somewhat sketchy neighborhood, and I finally encountered my first (to my knowledge) Barcelona pickpocket.  I should have taken a picture, but I'm afraid he would have absconded with my camera.  He was a gregarious sort, and at the same moment he was saying, "Welcome to Barcelona!" I felt his hand at the top of my pocket, just in time.  I was able to turn away, secure both pockets, and walk away with wallet intact.  He was working solo, or I'm sure he would have succeeded.

Potter's Castle

After our Montserrat visit, our tour included a dinner and wine tasting.  It was held at a castle surrounded by a resort, including a golf course, restaurant, and winery.  The food was amazing.

Mary's main course was lamb with a pear sauce.

I had duck with berry sauce.

Placa de Catalunya, 1936

Yesterday we took a walking tour based on the Spanish Civil War.  I've been trying to digest what I learned, and come up with ideas I can write about that are fit for a G-rated blog.  The entire affair makes me want to just give up and cry.  What I will say is that lots of things I've seen in Barcelona look different to me now.  I'm re-reading Orwell's Homage to Catalonia, and doing some googling and reading to understand more.

The only way I can describe what I learned and stay family friendly is that the Spanish Civil War was a prelude and, for some, a practice session, for World War II.   It did have some uniquely Spanish aspects, but many of the events in Spain happened again, soon afterward, on a more global scale.

For example, which city is this?

Barceloneta

Barceloneta is where the fishermen lived in old Barcelona.  The narrow residential streets are still there, just adjacent to the beautiful man-made beach.  It looks sort of like this.

Montserrat

Montserrat is famed as a place of calm spirituality, but our tour on Monday started as anything but.  There were two main reasons.  First, Barcelona has about 100,000 extra visitors this week for the global mobile phone convention.  Second, the metro is on strike.  Not completely, just minimal service.

So, we started an hour early for a trip that should have taken half that time.  And we didn't make it.  But they waited for us.  So, we did the tour, but only after much running and cursing.

The weather was iffy when we arrived.

Fixer Upper

Seems there was some interest in my beachfront fixer-upper, and I suspect there are others in the states that might like to find a place for themselves.  (I'm looking at you, Martha.)  So, I've been on the lookout for other bargain places here.

I found this diamond in the rough here in Hospitalet.

Monumental

Awhile back I wrote about Las Arenas, the bullring converted to shopping mall.  Barcelona actually had two bullrings, the other being Monumental.  It's a museum now, which Mary and I visited yesterday.

Montjuic Castle

Yesterday I met up with my friend and Spanish teacher, Noelia, at Montjuic Castle.

Inside La Pedrera

Remember La Pedrera, the Gaudi building?

Yesterday we went inside.

Pals and the Costa Brava

After visiting Gerona, we continued on to Pals.  Pals depends very much on tourism, and during off-season, it's more or less a very beautiful ghost town.

Girona

We crossed the foot bridge into  Girona  yesterday morning.

A Day at the Park

Everyone here agrees we've had unusually great weather in Barcelona since we arrived, and yesterday was maybe the best so far, 72 and mostly sunny.  We're just back from a few days in Valencia, and on Monday we're taking a day trip to Gerona, so we're relaxing on the days between.  Today we went to Citadel Park.

The warm weather brought out droves of people, especially kids.

Un poco mas de Valencia

We're back in Barcelona now, but I want to add un poco mas de Valencia.  What else is lurking down these narrow streets?

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All kinds of shops, of course.



 

Especially antique shops in old town, which is only appropriate.





 

Also, all sorts of street art, and not just the hi-brow variety.

I love the blend of old and new here.



 

And some of the street art is extraordinary.



 

On the street art tour in Barcelona I learned to look for artists with a particular theme that shows up again and again in their work.   This guy was all over town.





 

Some of these works are so large they would need ladders or scaffording.



 

 

I think this one is advertising for a real estate outfit.



 

But what is this one about?



 

 

I don't recall seeing street art in the USA urging people to vote.



 

I've also never seen a street musician playing a bassoon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYirPCfeDoc

 

These guys from the Valencia Conservatory were very popular, especially with the high school kids in the square.  Mary introduced herself as the mom of a fellow musician.



 

I was sad to leave Valencia, but we will return.

North Station and the Beach

We're taking the day off.  We arrived at our Barcelona apartment about 11 pm last night, pretty worn out.  The train was roomy and comfortable, but let's just say it was not an express.

We did have a very fun last day in Valencia, though.  We wandered outside old town, and as always, found cool stuff in the streets.





 

One of Valencia's impressive buildings.



 

Here's the statue on the peak of that roof.



These artists have great fantasy lives!

We discovered the old train station. 





 

We both love train stations, so we had to go in.  This is the lobby and ticket area.



 

Here's a closer look at that vintage lamp.



 

I love the contrast between the old stained glass windows and the modern ticket machine.



 

Here's a pretty clock for those of us who are perpetually confused about 12 versus 24 hour time.



 

Seems to me that large public spaces, the churches, markets and train stations, have a lot in common.



 

This is an ave train.



Our trip from Valencia to Barcelona took more than 3 hours on a conventional train.  The trip from Valencia to Madrid, about the same distance, takes half that time on an ave.

One last detail from North Station.



Sadly, our journey began from the more modern and more prosaic Joaquin Sorolla station.  We'll know better next time.

From the station, we splurged and took a taxi to the beach.  Here's the promenade at El Cabanyal, the main city beach.



Valencia has many other beaches, and unlike Barcelona, these are not man-made.

Mary is so content at the beach, strolling in the sand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elZjmaUW-A8

 

It's a pleasure to see her in beach mode.



 

While Mary was building her sand castle, I made an offer on the fixer-upper across the street.

 

 

It needs a little work, but you know what they say:  location, location, location.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valencia Market

The market here is as impressive as those in Barcelona.  The common design is a huge open space containing many small vendor spaces.  The ones I've seen in both cities are airy and full of light.  I think they are also meant to inspire awe.  

Think Grand Central Station, but for produce.



 

Inside is where the market is most impressive.



 

At the top, in the center, is a huge glass dome fit for a cathedral.



 

This video gives an idea of the scale.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvKENNkkn8w

 

The market is alive with people, colors, and smells.

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I stood right under the dome, for this 360 view.  And yes, I'm a total geek tourist to do that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMslD9uXF0o

 

Not far from the market is this lovely square, with flowers we won't see at home for several more months.



And, of course, the famous Valencia oranges grow everywhere in the city.

We enjoy wandering in old town and discovering the many squares.  Each has its own quirky charm.

This square reminds me of Santa Maria del Pi, the pine tree church in Barcelona.



Pleasant place for coffee and croissants on a sunny Mediterranean morning, no?

I especially love the angel statue.



 

There are religious statues everywhere, but there are also some fun secular ones.  Here's a raised map of old town with brail descriptions.



 

This bathing man gets neither privacy nor respect.

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We found this fountain tucked away in a less traveled square.



 

I think I'm falling for Valencia.