May 2 - Barcelona

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Today was Barcelona and the end of a cruise for many of our shipmates.  Only 51 of us are continuing on to Dover.  It’s a nice feeling to not have to be off by 9 AM!

A bit of blog information – for almost two days when I tried to post on the blog I got some kind of message that Blogspot had been hacked and it wouldn’t allow me to go there.  Everything else I tried to see online was fine.  Then suddenly when I tried again it worked.  Hurray! 

I’m not going to write anything about the history of Barcelona.  I’ve done that in the past on previous visits.  This remains one of our favorite cities.  We had nothing in particular planned except to walk up and down La Rambla. 

Our ship was docked at the World Trade Center not at the cruise terminal where all the large ships dock.  We were very close to the Columbus Plaza which is at the foot of La Rambla.  We were sort of disorganized this morning.  Al didn’t put on his walking trainers and I forgot to bring my iPhone which is what I’m using as my camera this trip.  We each wore jackets and quickly discovered it was hot as we walked.  Oh, well, it was just one of those days.

So off we went and begin what turned out to be a 6 mile stroll. We walked to the circle and began walking up La Rambla.  There were only 3 or 4 mimes.  I remember the first time we did this walk there were many more.  I guess miming doesn’t pay.  There were however about a zillion tourists walking along.  There are five ships in today plus land vacation tourists.

Not the best shot but just to prove we really did walk by Columbus

When we got up to the Boqueria Market we had to go in.  I have never seen it so crowded!  You could hardly walk and shoving to get through was the order of the day.  We didn’t stay long.  We continued up the street to the Plaça Catalunya.  Al had just about worn out a Hard Rock Barcelona t-shirt with the Sagrada Familia Cathedral on it that we bought years ago and he wanted a new one.  So we went in the store and found the new version.

I just have to put in some market pictures. I can't help myself.

Some luscious produce!

Ham and cheese, anyone?

Hams???

Some peppers and garlic to spice things up

By the time we’d done that it was time to walk back down to the Gothic Quarter to a tapas restaurant we have always enjoyed.  We had a nice assortment of tapas and a good bottle of wine.  (We also got to rest our weary bodies and feet for a little while.)

Then it was back to the ship.  Today was the day our new captain assumed command and Al had teased him at dinner the other night that he would be keeping a close eye on how he made his first departure.  Captain Steven did a great job which was no easy feat since we had a really fresh breeze holding the ship to the dock.

There were lots of VERY large yachts in the harbor.  Some of  them are for charter.  This one, the Naia, can be chartered for a mere  595,000 € plus expenses per week in the low season or 635,000€ plus expenses per week in the high season!  Of course she does take 12 passengers.  Anyone care to form a group and charter her???

MV Naia - too rich for our blood!

So now we’re on the second leg of our cruise with our next port of call in Valencia tomorrow.  The weather is supposed to be good and the seas should be calm tonight.