Sunday, November 24, 2019

Day 17 (Saturday 23 Nov19) Day 2 in Barcelona.

After a good sleep we ventured out on the blue route of the Hop on hop off bus service. 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1JS_k6CYzE79IapJ_hbj5bqqlOJLEBQVahttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1zJxpVLXGvCU-O4eb61nOB_zRU0uTeDXGhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=15K5Kclbm-CTkxSkaTT7ztno1TyKVPeYmhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1vByXpRQZ4-Uc0pfoE0ETMMoe5Klq2VD9https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1hnABAjbjBiY9xoNrE1zw60qHOOZMj9mh
A round trip of two hours where we saw a selection of Barcelona’s highlights which included cathedral La Sagrada Família https://sagradafamilia.org/ (Guell design), Guell Park https://www.parkguelltickets.org , Barcelona University https://www.ub.edu/web/ub/ca/ , the football stadium FC https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/sport/barcelona-fc/barcelona-football-stadium.html  , the Barcelona heights, a selection of Guell buildings and parts of old gothic quarter. 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1gUlmfLW7ABh5ZZ0PdUY-jqumXZozsDBV
We saw many Catalonian flags on our bus circuit today. 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=17Y6Iy0XyQSnjUtOgbsOxTlfPGZmChnn6https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1KooJW8bzItyZg5uk-gQ2gaErHjdM6X3Ohttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Wg8cy-j18-oBRg6uFolGVA_5jeXA0vUhhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1wKpe4HUoYqKAID86l_2RiuM14_rcCXpf
After lunch overlooking Catalonia Square, about 50 metres from where we are staying. 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1MrKRnjfovLc4jHzMtQUK_03ffuuyAJNkhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1B1M32kEN-QM481EWkhGmw59NlO9pVKVwhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=17wou0sq5VK0QIa_hhlMpaasP_NWr9gLShttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1c0jDHK_bCT81-2lhvoL_i4ZETE7jrrcVhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Z5vo2p0_5U903oBqcEfgX___5ctqxu-ohttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1lIZca4grtQ_4joKOOrS8z2DzQ5N8v3lO
We ventured out again for a closer look at Guell’s cathedral La Sagrada Família. A simply amazing structure unlike any thing else we have seen. 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=17C3GIxVabS3wq173VCdsdH2g72fKhH9Mhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1uoRY8UEl1D9rViuglbNJnR00x2_I15Y5https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1zJI2Nel0hDDxa8KzhdZ4ef1EWdZG5pDOhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1KkoDFaqG2kyp8rDc8Am8AVDu_vpzEJb5https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1mymFQRApQH-jlDHof8niGSXaTLklHJBhhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1R7_SrGvasv16xoSkBpqmKKSRKwowuv7Fhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cn3ffIZHmghf5uz6XKKKuqTlHcLryF3P
After coffee we continue onto Guell Park in the heights of Barcelona. Guell’s work is unlike most 19th century architecture, almost organic in form and structure. 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Rj46uDMVN9nB5sxDKGss4pDdJ48D_wYj
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1_uxXjLzQIW3wz-2WU7SSJDRlmrJOVSdPhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1dOgZ-nn7j07wZrZ_F9e7S91lFAczW-oKhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=10NjRU9tt8BeAPiYNd63UatFh3-7c9tgHhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1SZAljnRjnnWGYqkGV-AOTOe4V4TiIqZXhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1hXpV4oyfxbBEup2l4zXR9rqvodz4eJs1https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1fMfKAEZmPzWuSt3ko1H4gsXyUTG9D7gahttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1WIv-joXoKlOvO7unNXyFYC5FPX12kMQBhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1vQfnwE1eBX6EB_xnLl_sL5m053QlLEZNhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1kBGmtLCnkbMvaGacNKymegXE140e81pt
After the park we returned to Catalonia Square to buy some food for the fridge. The shopping centre is located under a 9 story department store ( similar to Myers in Myer centre Brisbane but more sophisticated and grand in size) is vast. The deli items boggles the mind in scale, selection and beauty in display. A foodies paradise for sure. We will explore it more in future days. For dinner we returned to rooftop cafeteria to sample more delights. Some items like steak is quite expensive while other items are more than reasonable. 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1hcHhra6GpgHGRXg5xmsQ1z2Gm-P5K2hkhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qFKrGmWb7p-EQIbyrYs_wycGMsiYUUJZ
Drivers in general are not as gun hoe as the Greeks or Italians. Parking is still interesting. There isn’t a minimum distance from the curb in any of the countries with cars parking around a corner.  Double parking is OK it appears if your hazard lights are on.  In Barcelona anyway,  not sure about Greece or Italy as indicator fluid is obviously expensive. 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1KtBE5noF9fm69bvPgSrUHm1qunM4hUlM
Catalonian pride is very strong and the language is spoken in addition to Spanish. English is spoken but as much as in Italy or Greece. Most locals have a few words of English. As a result, we have been trying to use common Spanish words we know when we can. Generally people are quite friendly and willing to engage with us. 

Streets are generally cleaner than most places we have visited. The only negative is there tends to be graffiti about in commercial areas.
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Rg4UgJT0ySHY-Bw5Qxtj2DbcNpAWyoIr
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1vXo7G51Tcd4Z2ZyXj4hgOUp1dp4KaXHThttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Qbmyu649vGkjhvdO5Z6dPMcT95yzDMyshttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1WB8KYI4R1EutGPfYakQ83WiXveME18Ba
 The architecture in city centre tends to elegant with sculptures and balconies common. Most buildings are between 5 and 10 stories high. We have seen very few modern looking buildings in Barcelona. 

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1RpvHYxI8I5yEEqHD4fTCuKoxtUTjJvYj
The only obvious modern building was a Skyscraper dedicated to housing a bank. Barcelona is generally a very pretty and clean city 

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