Barcelona - Day three

Day Three

Date:     1 April  2013

Place:    Barcelona

Weather:   A grey morning with some drizzle followed by an afternoon of sunshine.  A chill in the air.

Accommodation:     Hostal Benidorm

Well, David and I must have needed our sleep as a knock at the door woke us at 8.15!  We soon sorted ourselves  out and made our way to breakfast at our favourite little café for pan (bread) and assorted fillings and pastries with coffee.

Today we tackled the west side of Barcelona.  Desley and Cameron were on a mission with their Brisbane friends to gain entrance to Sagrada Familla!  It is no easy task trying to buy tickets over the internet and finding facilities to print out the tickets.  Persistence prevailed and they were rewarded with a very interesting tour.

We had purchased a two day pass on the tourist bus so David and I headed off in the westerly direction.  The Columbus statue stands at the waterfront pointing towards the Americas.  It is a very tall statue with a commanding position at the waterfront.

Monument a Colom - Columbus stands at Port Vell (Old Port)

 

First on the agenda was a visit to Mont Juic probably best known for the housing of the Olympics in 1992.  As luck would have it the Fundacio Joan Miro was open and we were able to indulge in a few hours of his work housed in the beautiful building designed by Jesep Lluis Sert.  It has one of the largest collections of his work.  Miro was born in 1893 and passed away in 1983.  The Foundation contains some very large pieces and particularly impressive was an extremely large textile near the entrance which was full of vibrant primary coloured hues and prominent textures.

The Fundacio Joan Miro. 

 

After soaking up our bit of culture for the morning we walked through Jardins de Joan Maragall to the Olympic Stadium which has a commanding position on Mont Juic.  We were able to enter the stadium and wander the surrounding areas.  The marathon must have been a challenge to finish as the hill to Mont Juic is very steep.

David standing outside the main Olympic arena.

 

It was back on the bus which I must add has been very useful in exploring Barcelona. The service is proficient, the audio guide dependable and the service very helpful. The only ‘downside’ would be that it is somewhat like shopping in Ikea – there is only one way and you can’t turn back!  Fortunately, we have only missed one stop because it otherwise means doing the whole circuit again.

Our next stop was the Arenas de Barcelona however before exploring the old bull-fighting ring we wandered up the promenade to take photos of the magnificent Museu Nacional de Catalunya.  It houses works of famous Catalunyan artists and also hundreds of works (icons) from Romanesque churches across northern Spain.  

The Museu Nacional de Catalunya

 

Looking from the museum to the Placa d’Espanya are two giant Venetian pillars which were erected as part of the world trade fair in 1929.  The Arenas (bull-ring) was built in 1900 and ceased in 1977.  It has now had a major upgrade including the lifting of the magnificent exterior by 3 metres to house a shopping and restaurant complex.  We took the elevator to the fifth floor and were able to circumnavigate the restaurants and have wonderful views over the city.

Arenas de Barcelona

Our next stop included a visit to another Gaudi work – Pavellons Guell – and a monastery.  The Pavellons are famous for the iron on the gate shaped as a dragon with an open mouth.  We wandered up to the Gothic monastery but unfortunately it was closed.  Although disappointed, it afforded us the opportunity of wandering in the wealthiest area of Barcelona evident in the architecture of the dwellings including planned ‘green’ areas.

The Pavellons Guell - the dragon gate is to the right.

 

It was time to head home and we wandered down La Rumbla to find a place to sit and relax and enjoy a coffee.  I succumbed to a chocolate con churros…..yum!  Desley and Cameron caught up with us at the Café de l’Opera and we started sharing our stories of the day.

The evening was very pleasant with a few beers, rose and tapas.  We then indulged in the Barcelona past-time:  strolling!  We wandered the damp softly lit streets getting lost and finding lovely old churches and winding alley ways.

It was a lovely way to end another day in beautiful Barcelona.