Barcelona, part II

The next morning they went back to the city with the bus and after an hours idle walk through El Raval, which used to be the most notorious neighborhood of Barcelona, they joined another walking tour with another great guide. The quality of these guides on those free walking tours is quite astonishing. For those who don't know the concept, you don't pay anything up front but give what you consider fair at the end directly to the guide.

For two and a half hours they toured the Gothic Quarter and learned about the Romans, the Spanish civil war, strange Christmas customs (google Cagatio and Cagarer and be amazed) and lots of other things. 

The formerly most dangerous part of the city, El Raval


Plaza Catalunya


Left over evidence of the Spanish Civil War




One of Gaudìs' few public project

As I said, google Cagarer

One thing that was noticeable in the Gothic Quarter as well as in El Raval and also at a few other instances, Barcelona seems to have a little sewage problem. It smells. Often. And bad. 

After the tour and another Menu del día they went to see the second most visited site in Barcelona, after the Sagrada Familia. And this one is also holy ground: Camp Nou, the soccer stadium of the FC Barcelona. Of course my human went there with her FC Bayern Munich face mask, which was gifted to her by a nice neighbor some time ago.

The museum is decked out with all sorts of interesting memorabilia and of course all the trophies the club ever won. Not just from the men's team, but also the female soccer team, the hokey, basketball and handball teams. Which makes for an impressive collection. The highlight are all the Champions League trophies.

And one thing we learned and will never forget: the famous Spanish FC Barcelona was founded by whom? A Swiss! Can you believe it? Hans-Max Gamper, or as he is knonw in Spain, Joan Gamper, came to Spain when he was 22 for a family visit. He fell in love with the city and decided to stay. He had already founded a soccer club in Switzerland and wanted to play soccer in a more organized way here in Spain as well (very Swiss of him), he put an add into a sports magazine, looking for people who wanted to play soccer with him. Love it!

The founder of FC Barcelona

Give those to a current high class player!

And this ball!


The latest Champions League trophy

I would have thought they shut down the place after Messi left just recently, but apparently they will try to keep the show going. They are also started with construction efforts to modernize the stadium. These will be going on without interrupting the schedule of the league. They hope.

Technically my human was only allowed in the stands with her ticket, not to go down to the actual field. Turns out, she got to go down there anyways, via a (largely empty) dressing room and the press room. It's one thing looking down from the stands, but quite another looking up from the pit. You can even buy tiny little glass cubes with grass from the grounds. Just like the water in Lourdes. As I said, holy ground.








By now it was clear that we would stay for another day, there were still too many things to see. Fine by me, I had made friends with the French guy to my right and the German chick in front of me. We had a good time chatting and exchanging embarrassing stories about our humans.

So day three dawned and off they went again. First they visited the Basilica de Barcelona, dedicated to the saint Eulalia. This poor girl only lived to be 13, which is why in a courtyard outside the church there is a pond with 13 geese in it. Don't ask me why geese, that's just how it is. It was possible to visit the roof of the church, which afforded another fantastic view over the city.


For the world fair in 1888 they pimped up the facade a little, but really only the part you see when you stand right in front of it. 





Then they boarded a Hop-on-hop-off bus and let themselves be chauffeured around the city on two different routes, taking in all of the landmarks and sighs. Some which they had already seen, of course, but many new ones as well. They tour was only interrupted to have lunch at a little place called "Mi burrito y yo", which translates to "My little donkey and I". Which throws up some questions about burritos.

After the bus tours and a little food shopping, they hopped on a train to come back to the campground, because it was still too early for the bus. After some household duties and a quick dip in the pool it was time for dinner and a couple of phone calls with Germany. We were all glad we had stayed the extra day to make the most of our visit to Barcelona. Who knows when, or indeed if, we will be back. 

The Olympic Stadium from 1992


Since he is having no luck with the ladies here in Spain, Carmelo went back to making friends with other four legged animals

Parque de la Ciutadella

La Boqueria




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