“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.”

Lin Yutang

After two nights in the Pyrenees, in Bielsa, just miles from the French border, it was time to head to Barcelona, our final destination on this tour. The Pyrenees gave us a chance to rest and relax, miles away from the nearest town, in a beautiful historic lodge. Our tour in the national park was cancelled due to snow and icy conditions on the road. That was fine, we all needed the rest.

After traveling about 200 miles in the motor coach, we arrived in Barcelona. The sun was shinning, the city was busy and bustling with people, and like the other Spanish cities, the streets were already decorated for the upcoming holidays. We stayed at the El Avenida Palace, right in the heart of Barcelona; the perfect location to walk just about everywhere.

The evening was ours to explore after we took a short walking tour. We headed down the busy La Rambla. After being in the tranquility of the mountains, this was a bit of a culture shock, and since it was a beautiful Saturday evening, everyone was out. We were warned about the pickpockets in Barcelona, apparently it is quite a problem, so you just need to use your street smarts, and keep aware of your surroundings. Our first stop, the huge public market, Mercat de St Josep de la Boqueria. The market was very busy with both tourists and locals, and you can find just about any food item you want. Some vendors have sit down counters, while others have food packaged so you can eat while you walk around. After the market, we wandered the streets of Barri Gotic (gothic quarter), before we set off on our own for dinner. We decided on tapas and beer.

The next two days were filled with Antoni Gaudi, more tapas, flamenco dancing, shopping, and our farewell dinner. There is so much to see in Barcelona, two days just isn’t enough time. I plan on going back again to explore all the sites I didn’t have a chance to see. I really enjoyed the city, and like New York City, its a great place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.

After a quick stop to view the beautiful former hospital, we headed to the bizarre, widely imaginative, and colorful Parc Guell, a World Heritage site, and one of four Antoni Gaudi’s creations we visited. This park is hard to describe, you just have to go see it for yourself. I do suggest for any of the major sites in Barcelona you plan ahead, get tickets with an entry time, or you could be disappointed. The Parc was sold out the day we went. That is an advantage of being on a tour, everything is pre-planned with entry times, so no disappointments unless the exhibit is closed for other reasons.

Next stop, the famed, unfinished, Sagrada Familia, another masterpiece by Antoni Gaudi. Again, you really need to see this for yourself. There is so much detail on the outside of the building you can spend quite a bit of time just trying to take it all in. We learned that Gaudi was inspired by nature, and many of the shapes you see are those you find while you walk in the woods. It still isn’t finished, but they hope in the next few years it will be. After you take in the beauty of the exterior, you walk indoors and are left speechless. The sunlight shinning through the stained glass windows can leave you breathless as the colors paint the stone columns. The ceiling is a work of art. It is crowded, but you can move around freely and take in the splendor.

After a tapas lunch, some good Spanish wine, and shopping, it was off to a Flamenco show. This really isn’t my taste. It is “hard”, not graceful like ballet or other forms of dance, but it tells a story, and the movements are meaningful and purposeful. The guitar playing was my favorite part of the show. If you go to Barcelona, you should check it out just to experience it.

On our second full day we rounded the corner from our hotel and walked the Passeig de Gràcia. This street is lined with high-end shops, and has two more Gaudi masterpieces, the Casa Batllo and La Pedrera. We did not tour the inside of the Casa Batllo, but I wish we had. Some on our tour went in the afternoon and said they enjoyed it more than La Pedrera. The rooftop of La Pedrera is pure Gaudi, with oddly shaped sculptures, and you need to watch your step or you could fall as the surfaces are not all uniform. The views are pretty amazing, and you can see Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo; you are surrounded by Antoni Gaudi.

After our tour and shopping were completed, it was time for our farewell dinner. We headed to a local restaurant and for the last time we were treated to a fun evening of paella, wine, and lively conversation. The group was great, and I’ve made some new friends that I’m sure I’ll see again. It was hard to say goodbye to my new friends and to Europe. I’ve been home for less than a week, and I’m already trying to figure out when I can go back, and where I will go. I’ve missed traveling and I can’t wait until my next adventure!

Ciao 💕