Day 150 – 153 : Barcelona

It's my 3rd time back in Barcelona.

I have always loved Barcelona.  Even back on my last visit, I felt Barcelona was a city I could see myself living in.  I still feel the same way, and with great weather on this trip filled with sunny cool days and beautiful blue skies, it was just great spending time roaming around the streets of Barcelona and re-soaking the atmosphere once more. 

Although I had 4 days here, my schedule was packed till the very last day, spending time with old and new friends, exploring sights such as Sagrada Familia and including a few things which I never did or saw on my previous couple trips.

One of it was going on one of the free walking tours offered by Sandelmann.  With the Sandelmann Walking Tours, I got a different insight and saw other sections of central Barcelona which I don't recall visiting before, including being shown the very 1st art piece of Gaudi, a couple of old churches, the oldest Jewish temple in the world, as well as explanation of the different flags that one can see in Catalonia regional of Spain. 

I also caught up again with Pau, who stays in Badalona, a short distance away from Barcelona city. 

It was a quiet time for him at work, so he spent a couple days showing me around.  It was very kind of him. 

I had to work really hard with my Spanish once more, though Pau also surprised me with his English, being more comfortable using more English than he ever used with me previously, or maybe he just couldn’t take my bad Spanish any more

The 1st day we walked around most parts of Barcelona main city, strolled along the beach, central park etc. 

My legs were soooo exhausted by the end of the day, though Pau still seemed ready to walk further if we had more time!

It reminded me of our back-to-back exploration of different ruins around Calakmul where Pau was the only one who was still super energetic climbing up every single monument, when Alex and I were too tired and would wait at the bottom of the monuments for Pau.

On the 2nd day, Pau had access to a car and we took a road trip to Tibidabo (church on the highest point in Barcelona), Parc del Laberint d'Horta (pleasant Park with a small labyrinth and had fun attempting the labyrinth) and Montjuic Cemetery which had many grand Graves many belonging to historic personalities.

We also walked past the Montjuic Fortress, that I had visited 5 years back but didn’t enter since it is now payable. 

And lastly to the National Museum, where 5 years ago I couldn't get access to as the Mobile Congress was taking place.

I also had a great host, staying with Olivier, an Italian working in Barcelona. 

He has a beautiful and spacious apartment, where I had a private room with a comfortable queen size bed. 

And being located a short walking distance from Diagonal metro station, it made it easier for me to move around during my stay.

Olivier worked during the day, and so we spent most evenings for meals together, and even spent one of the evening watching the movie “Moonlight” at the cinema. 

He also showed me a beautiful building Casa Sayrach, designed by the Architect Manuel Sayrach i Carreras. 

The intricacies within the building were gorgeous, and I LOVED the lift.  If no one had told me that it was Architect Carreras, I would have thought it was another Gaudi creation.

Prices of things had certainly gone up as compared to before, from eating and particularly admissions to attractions.

For example Casa Batllo had cost Euro 18 previously (5 years ago) when I was here and even at that time I had felt it was expensive. Now prices had gone up to Euro 24!  

Even the Fortress on Montjuic is now chargeable at Euro 5, when it was previously free. 

I don't think this will be my last time in Barcelona, so will look forward to the next time I come through, and would definitely love to see Gaudi's envisioned work of art once completed.