A Week Exploring Barcelona

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Sunday, 25 April 2004 - Walked from Las Ramblas toward Barcelona Cathedral, and explored the cathedral's cloister garden with its historic geese and Roman ruins nearby. Took a scenic train to Sitges on the Mediterranean coast, enjoyed lunch by the sea, wandered the charming beach town, visited Esglesia Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla attended a concert featuring organ, flute, and soprano, savored local dishes including mussels and black paella, and then returned to Barcelona late in the evening.

Barcelona 2004
As we started the day we walked from Las Ramblas toward the Cathedral and into St Oriol plaza where an art show was going on.
Barcelona 2004
The plaza in front of the Cathedral, Placa de la Seu, was packed. Unfortunately the Cathedral is undergoing renovation so no pictures of the actual structure. The Cathedral was started in 1298 and took 600 years to complete. The spacious interior is typical Catalan Gothic - very wide spaces supported by buttresses.
Barcelona 2004
Along the walls are 28 chapels all very ornately decorated. These chapels allowed the wealthy to provide support for the church. This was the chapel where the Indians that Columbus brought back to Spain were baptized.
Barcelona 2004
Attached to the Cathedral is the cloister - a statue of St. George slaying the dragon is on top of the garden fountain. Jordi (George) is one of the patron saints of Catalunya and a popular boys name.
Barcelona 2004
The cloister garden is very beautiful.
Barcelona 2004
The garden is home to 13 geese - there are always 13 in memory of Eulalia. They served as an alarm - any intrusion would cause much squawking.
Barcelona 2004
Cal loves gargoyles and Barcelona buildings - especially the churches had wonderful gargoyles. This was a dog gargoyle on the Cathedral roof.
Barcelona 2004
The entire area of the Cathedral was originally Barcino - a roman city. Part of the old city remaining is the Temple Roma d'August. There are only a few columns left.
Barcelona 2004
The Roman Temple was built on the highest hill in Barcelona.
Barcelona 2004
After the Cathedral we caught the wrong train to Sitges. Fortunately the Spanish are very kind people and we were pointed the right direction and to the right train. After turning around we finally arrived in Sitges. It was a very nice day and the train ride along the mediterranean, even past Sitges, was picturesque.
Barcelona 2004
The church is called Esglesia Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla and was built in the 17th century. We attended a concert at the end of the day in the church. It featured an organist (from the US), flautest, and soprano before heading back to Barcelona.
Barcelona 2004
The view from the church out to the sea is protected by several guns. From here the church commands views up and down the coast.
Barcelona 2004
Cal standing on the church steps. We ate a late lunch at a beach side restaurant just below the church called Restaurante Maricel. Virginia Ann ordered a bowl of mussels and Cal had Black Paella with clams - basically rice dyed with squid ink. It is a regional dish and was not as bad as it sounds.
Barcelona 2004
The long curving beach is called Platja d'Or (Golden Beach).
Barcelona 2004
Besides the beach Sitges has a quaint village. Due to the number of tourists coming to the town there is also a good number of small shops selling boutique clothes. Virginia Ann did some shopping but fortunately no real damage was done. We returned to Barcelona so late that we skipped the typically very late (9:00 pm) dinner.
Barcelona 2004
Sitges village scenes
Barcelona 2004
Boutique shopping area
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