Home Exchange - Barcelona - Part 3 of 3 - A Fortress & Aquarium

Saturday, July 31, 2021

I didn't leave my Barcelona apartment until 1pm.  I took a bus to Montjuic, a 'mountain' (more like a small hill) in Barcelona where the '92 Olympics were held.  The bus took a zig-zaggy route which gave me an opportunity to see various neighborhoods of the city.

Once at Montjuic, I hopped the funicular to take me half way up the hill.  Then, I switched to the teleferico (aka 'gondola').  It took me to the top of the hill, and made a 90 degree turn along the way...I've never been on one that turns!

The fortress at the top is also known as Montjuic Castle.  Originally, its primary role was to defend Barcelona from attacks coming in from the sea.  It was reconstructed in the late 1700's after the previous version was destroyed and was equipped with 120 cannons.

Montjuic was involved in several wars and used as a prison and torture center repeatedly for three centuries.  In fact, a man named Lluís Companys, who was president of Catalonia (the region where Barcelona lies) in 1934 and during the Spanish Civil War, was executed by firing squad at Montjuic in 1940, an order issued by the President of Spain, Francisco Franco, the dictator who ruled over Spain from 1939 to 1975.

In April 2007, the government transferred the castle to Barcelona City Council and subsequently became a municipal facility.

Monday, August 2, 2021

Another comfortable day, around 78 degrees.

I had heard about Mercat Sant Antoni as being quite the market to visit.  So, that's what I decided to do.  I love public markets....so full of energy, colorful fruit and vegetable stands, butchers, seafood, and a vast array of other fascinating stalls.  MSA had gone through a massive renovation.

I was very disappointed at the result.  MSA was more like MEHHH!!!  95% of the vendor stalls were kiosks selling clothes, textiles, handbags, etc.  There was no bustle.  It was downright boring.  Oh well...at least the outside is an architecturally interesting cross-shaped building.

Off to the Aquarium.

Ok, the aquarium is located in a cool spot on the waterfront, so it's gets a bonus point for that.  This was the 3rd aquarium I've visited in recent times.  One in Coppenhagen, this one, and the one in Palma which is, by bar, the best of all three.  I'll give Barcelona a 6.9 out of 10.

Here's video clips I took while at the fortress as well as the aquarium.

Or click here:  https://youtu.be/ioQuS1-Nagw

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

I was up at 3am for a 4am taxi to the airport and then a 6:30am flight to Amsterdam, the first leg of my trip to Seattle.  I arrived to find over 100 people waiting in line to check in!  😱  I joined the line and waited about 30 minutes until I got close enough to read a sign that pointed to SkyPriority...which was where I needed to go since I was flying Business Class.  There were 3 people in line ahead of me.  😣

For the Barcelona to Amsterdam segment, I was on an Airbus A320 which didn't have a differently designed section for Biz Class over Economy....they simply didn't sell the middle seat.

With a bad knee, walking long stretches (like down long airport concourses) can be painful.  Thank goodness for the moving sidewalks!  BUT, in AMS, the moving walkways were only working in the OTHER direction!!  😩

One of the perks of flying Biz Class is free access to the SkyClub...a separate 'exclusive' setting with free food, bevs, cushy seating, etc.  I had a few hours to kill, so I headed there.  Here's the rundown of their offerings:

• Gumdrops and Wasabi peas from (separate) cereal dispensers
• Coffee and sodas
• Stingy plates of a few slices of cheese and celery
• Hummus

THAT WAS IT!!!!  Yes, another emoji!!!   😖

From AMS to Seattle, I flew Delta in an Airbus 330 - 900 with almost 300 seats.  In Biz Class there were 30  'closed suites' configured with seats that go down to a full flat bed, 20" monitors, a headset, a kit containing socks, eye mask, and toothbrush/paste, and a sliding door for privacy.  Even better, the layout of the seats was 1 - 2 - 1, meaning one seat at the window, aisle, then 2 seats, aisle, then one seat at the window on the other side.  I had a single seat which meant no one was next to me.  YEA!!!

This is the way to fly, especially when the flight is 9+ hours!!  The service was excellent and the food was amazing.   Any negative?  For some dumb reason, I had to PAY for WiFi....$22.

As I mentioned at the start of this Barcelona blog, I goofed by publishing my Seattle experience blog BEFORE the Barcelona experience...when in fact I went to BCN first, THEN Seattle.

So, if you want to read (if you haven't done so already) what transpired after I got off the above plane in Seattle, here's the link.

Warning....it's not pretty.

http://magicalmallorca.blogspot.com/2021/09/a-trip-to-seattle-little-thing-called.html

Next up...

I'm planning a Home Exchange trip to Edinburgh, Scotland in October!!

Dano

By the way, if you're interested in viewing any of my past entries about travelling around Europe and where I live in Mallorca, simply scroll down past my signature to the end.  There, you'll see 'Blog History'.  You can click on any Month/Year to see the titles I published at that time.  Simply click on the title you're interested in and it will take you to that page.

Home Exchange - Barcelona - Part 2 of 3 - Gaudi & Parc Guell

Sunday, August 1, 2021

I love me some Gaudi!!  Some may think it 'gawdy' but I find his architecture fascinating and, certainly, out of the box...WAY OUT.

Still in Barcelona on a Home Exchange, preceding my trip to Seattle, I made today all about Gaudi.

On a hillside in Barcelona is Parc Guell which is one part park and the other part an outdoor display of Gaudi's work.  The intent, back in the early 1900's, was to create a small community of 60 homes, all designed by Gaudi, embedded inside a park-like environment, away from the polution from the factories and noise of the city below.  However, only 2 homes were constructed (though there's actually 4 structures) as there was no public interest in the concept.  Gaudi lived in one house, and Guell (the land owner) lived in the other.

There was a nice cool breeze the day I went.  But, it didn't help while standing in a long line to get in.  Unfortunately, the signage at PG is very poor and many people were caught confused (like me) as to what to do.  I bought a ticket online.  I assumed the line I was standing in was to redeem the ticket and be allowed in.  Nope.  Like others, after about 20 minutes I started to question things.  I discovered those with tickets could simply walk over to a man standing in the middle of an open passageway where he would scan their ticket with his cell phone and VOILA...you're in.  There was NOTHING to tell you this.   GRRRRR

I spent about 2 hours wandering the 42 acre park and admiring the amazing, colorful tile work and rock structures that resembled what might be the Flinstones back yard.

A few pics to give you a taste of what's in the video.

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Since I was flying out to Seattle the next day, I had to get a Covid Antigen test to show at the airport.  I found a clinic near my apartment and walked to it.  Within a few minutes, I was taken in, swabbed, and paid the $45 fee (only $30 in Mallorca!).  A short time later I received the results (Neg) in my email.

Next, I headed for Casa Batllo' on Paseo Gracia, one of the most popular streets in Barcelona.  I had my (pricey at $35) ticket and appointment slot, which is a prerequisite to control the number of people inside the house at one time.  The Casa is another of Gaudi's work, hired by Batllo' to redesign the 6-story home with no-holds-barred.  You can read and see all about it in the video below.

But, here's a few teasers:

These next 5 photos are of the building next door to Casa Batllo'

It's VIDEO TIME!!!

or Click Here:  https://youtu.be/6grdQpv53Ds

Next up in Part III

a Fortress

&

the Barcelona Aquarium

Dano

By the way, if you're interested in viewing any of my past entries about travelling around Europe and where I live in Mallorca, simply scroll down past my signature to the end.  There, you'll see 'Blog History'.  You can click on any Month/Year to see the titles I published at that time.  Simply click on the title you're interested in and it will take you to that page.

Home Exchange - Barcelona - Part 1 of 3 - Monserrat

July 29, 2021

I'm doing this a bit out of order.  I already published a blog about my trip in early August to Port Angeles and Seattle, WA where I spent a lovely 7 days in the hospital with Covid!!  UGH.  However, BEFORE I went there, I started off with several days in Barcelona.  Think of this as the precursor to my USA trip.

Everything went smoothly at the Palma airport.  I didn't have to show anything related to Covid.  After a long period of almost no tourism, the airport was swarming with 20-something Brits and Germans.  Mallorca is a hugely popular summer getaway for those groups.

Barcelona is only a 40 minute flight away.  My bag showed up at baggage claim the moment I walked up.  I exited the terminal...again, no one asked me for anything.

I hopped the Aerobus which took me directly to the heart of Barcelona, then onto two lines of the Metro (subway).  Some old parts of the Barcelona Metro are quite antiquated….no elevators and LOTS of stairs to go down under and ascend out of.   Many have escalators but only in one direction.  Great for my knee!!  At my stop, I only had 2 blocks to walk to my home exchange apartment.

Friday, July 30th

I caught the 9am train bound for Montserrat which took about 2 hours.  The 'rack railway' train was waiting to transport us 5 more kilometers up the steep mountainside to our final destination.   But, why stop there?  I switched to a funicular and rode up a 65% incline to the very tip-top to soak in the view!!

Some factoids about Montserrat:

• Located over 4,000 feet above the valley floor
• It was destroyed by Napoleons army in the early 1800's.
• In the late1930's during the Spanish Civil War, the monks had to flee.  23 monks were killed. The autonomous government of Catalonia saved Montserrat, and freed it from looting and destruction.
• The community today is made up of some 80 monks. As at all Benedictine monasteries, the monks of Montserrat follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, devoting their lives to prayer, welcoming pilgrims and visitors, and working.
• What's there?  The Basilica, apartment rooms, 2 funiculars, rack railway, aerial gondola, pastoral center, museum, plazas, a few restaurants and shops, and several hiking paths....some short but also a few that are much longer (5 - 7 km).

My video will show you more than just my mere words.

Tip:  If the video is jerky, re-start your computer which will restore your memory, then try it again!

Or click here:  https://youtu.be/qqbsypGxFTs

Next up in Part II

Casa Batllo'

&

Parc Guell

(Antoni Gaudi's creations!!)

Dano

By the way, if you're interested in viewing any of my past entries about travelling around Europe and where I live in Mallorca, simply scroll down past my signature to the end.  There, you'll see 'Blog History'.  You can click on any Month/Year to see the titles I published at that time.  Simply click on the title you're interested in and it will take you to that page.