Bridgin’ to Barcelona

Stepping off the bus in Barcelona we had the
hunched posture of knuckle dragging Neanderthals – a consequence of “sleeping”
in fetal position on the night bus. Not
an ideal start to a trip; however, a teacher’s salary doesn’t afford one the
luxury of flying. Sticking with the travelers’ motto: “No bad experiences, just good anecdotes”, we soldier, or
rather lumbered, on.

The 29^th Birthday
of the young Spanish constitution, Dec. 6^th , had offered a four-day
weekend or puente (bridge) as they
say in Spain.
My girlfriend and I seized the opportunity to explore the Catalan region
setting out for Barcelona, Madrid’s
rival and Spain’s
second largest city.

Upon arriving at 7:15
Thursday morning, a quick siesta is necessary in the hostel to sleep off the
tweaks in our backs. We emerge two hours
later walking in upright homo sapien fashion – ready to tackle the city.

The first stop is Barcelona’s signature
attraction, Sagrada Familia. Gliding up the escalator out of the metro stop of
the same name, I turn my head in search of the famous cathedral and my jaw
drops – the massive façade elegantly towers above us.

The cathedral, begun by the
famous Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudi, in 1882, is coming along at a very… Spanish
pace. The completion of the building is expected around the midpoint of the
current century. Huh? Aren’t entire skyscrapers shooting up in China within
six months?

Anyway, sipping coffee and
happily munching on lunch at a corner café that overlooks the cathedral, we
admire its intricacies and unique beauty.
We note the architectural echoes of the natural world, Gaudi’s main
source of inspiration. After eating we
pay the eight-euro entrance fee and head inside this mythical edifice.

Now, had we not found out
later that the fee is used towards the completion of the cathedral – and they
seem to need all the help they can get – we might have been disappointed. The sparse interior filled with construction
equipment is about as pretty as… a Chinese skyscraper. Those who wish to see a breathtaking view of Barcelona instead can pay
an additional 2 euros to take an elevator to the top of the cathedral.

After the Sagrada Familia,
we take a beautiful stroll east down a deceptively siesta-hushed thoroughfare
leading us to believe that Barcelona is not as
bustling as Madrid. We continue our walk through the Parc de la
Ciutadella, which houses the Museum
of Modern Art and the
Barcelona Zoo.

Of course, anyone who has
lived in Europe for over three months has
probably had their fill of religious architecture – some may have even taken to
avoiding it. However, a trip to Barcelona wouldn’t be
complete without seeing the Basilica de Santa Maria del Mara, the beautiful gothic-styled
church built in the 14^th century. Unlike the disappointing Sagrada
Familia, the interior is just as stunning as the exterior and our visit here
marks the start of our tour of the Gothic Quarter, Barcelona’s oldest neighborhood.

When people rant and rave
about Barcelona
this area is often what they’re referring to. It is here that one can see
ancient Roman walls dating back to the 3^rd century, but beyond that there’s plenty to see that will excite even
non-history buffs. With its narrow cobblestone streets, exquisite Catalan cuisine,
and various plazas you can’t help but be seduced. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a load off
on a bench and absorb it all.

If getting up from this
little rest is more difficult than you had imagined, consider asking local pals
if you can use their bike card – the city is extremely bike-friendly. All you need to do to access one of the
ubiquitous red bicis is to swipe the
government-issued card at one of the bike stations. No doubt it’s a system that
screams suicide were it ever to be implemented in present-day Madrid,
but it Barcelona
it works wonderfully. Ah, could it be
that Madrileños might learn something from their Catalan cousins?

Nearby the Gothic Quarter is
the Picasso Museum. Kudos to the curator on the layout
- it clearly tracks the progression from his time as a young artist in Malaga all the way to his
impressive interpretations of Velazquez’s Las Meninas.

Art is fine and good, but we
all know accessorizing is important too.
If shopping is what you’re after, head to via Boton, reminiscent of the
ever-thronging streets around Puerta del Sol in Madrid.
The difference in this case is that the streets of Barcelona are 10 times narrower. Those
suffering from claustrophobia would be advised to find another route to La
Rambla, Barcelona’s
most famous avenue.

La Rambla, energetic and
carnival-like, cuts through the heart of the city beginning in the Plaza
Catalunya and gently sloping downwards towards the sea. Here the mullet-sporting metro musicians we’ve
grown so accustomed to in Madrid
are replaced by the extravagant street performers that line the Rambla’s central
walkway. Their acts are kept in tip-top
form as each tries to outdo the next. On one hand touristy – on the other hand,
undeniably entertaining.

Those who have read George Orwell’s
famous Homage to Catalonia will know
this is the place where the most intense street fighting within the Republican
ranks took place in the spring of 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. it was,
after all, in Barcelona
where the divisions pitting the anarchist union CNT and the
Marxist POUM against the Communists reached their crescendo.

This lively street ends at
the Mirador de Colon, a massive column honoring Christopher Columbus. The mighty statue of the explorer pointing toward
the Americas
sits atop the monument and can be reached by elevator.

History abounds, but so does modernity. Next is a visit to the harbor, where Barcelona, in centuries
past, made its name as one of the most famous port cities in the world. Port Vell, or “old port”, has been newly
restored and houses a stylish outside bar and restaurant which is next to a
large shopping mall, an IMAX theatre, McDonalds, and other things corporate.

The next day we return to Port Vell to check out the
Aquarium, which is Europe’s largest. It is without a doubt worth every centimo of the 16-euro entry fee (bring
your student ID card for a small discount).

Here you can view an impressive array of sea life as
you glide under the aquarium on a moving walkway. The marvels include: menacing sharks that swim
inches above you; curious creatures such as the banded pipefish; and the
impressively camouflaged leafy sea dragon, which literally has plants growing
out of its body. The slogan for the aquarium is “if you haven’t been here, you
haven’t been to Barcelona”
and they very may well be right.

Not surprisingly, my previously mentioned
Neanderthal nature was aroused being so close to all these delectable fish – I wanted
to spear them, to eat them. The aquarium,
however, strictly forbids this. Fortunately,
one of the most famous Catalan
dishes is xató, a heavy-on-the-fish
salad that includes anchovy, tuna and baccala. This quenched
my desire and averted uncomfortable confrontations with aquarium authorities.

In terms of the cuisine, another
dish worth trying is the escalibada,
an aesthetically pleasing dish containing sautéed spiced-onions, eggplant, bell
peppers and tomatoes – a vegetarian’s delight.

And of course we have to
mention nightlife proving that Barcelona can be
as bustling as Madrid.
It’s best started out with a glass of the city’s famous cava, or champagne. Many say it rivals the bubbly of France, but
judge for yourself. Move on next to
Boadas, a must-see cocktail bar just off the Rambla, discreetly located behind
old red doors and smoked windows. Black bow-tie bartenders serve up delicious,
fresh cocktails with no shortage of curlicue arm gestures. Afterwards, the list
of posh, chic, or just good ol’ down-home Catalan bars is endless.

After the first day and
night, it’s possible to see the other sights of Barcelona that lie further from the center of
the city. We downshift allowing us to
absorb the distinctive Catalan culture.

Park Mantjuic, for example,
contains the National Museum of Catalan Art, housed in the impressive National Palace just a five minute walk from the nostalgic 1992
Olympic stadiums.

If the weather is nice, the
most practical way to reach these farther away sights is to, yes, you guessed
it, buy the 19-euro bus pass and hop on that orange-painted, city-commissioned
bus that screams “tourist”. You and fellow gawkers can depart from the Plaza Catalunya.

And if the nice weather
holds up, enjoy one of the many beaches just outside the city center. With comfortable 70-degree weather in early
December, stay all day soaking up the rays and enjoying the peaceful blue calm
of the beautiful Mediterranean.

In the end, four days in Barcelona is plenty to get
some sun, see the sights, and dip into the culture. Sunday, not wanting to
increase our chances of scoliosis via another seven-hour bus ride, we fork out
the dough and return home in first-class seats on the train, Alvia. Thus, like dignified and evolved members of
species (with maxed out credit cards, of course), we shot back home to Madrid in a far more
comfortable four-hour train ride. We
deboarded the train with spine erect and a spring in our step.

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