Barcelona! It was the first time that we met
Barcelona! How can I forget
The moment that you stepped into the room
You took my breath away
One of the highlights of living in Spain for a few months was to get to do some sightseeing in the wonderful city of Barcelona - of all the cities in the world I have been to, "Barce" has to be right up at the top as a firm favourite. The words above are from the Freddie Mercury song produced for the Olympic Games in Barcelona - and they pretty much sum it up!
My first trip into the city was with Annabel Collins and Terry Lihou and we had a great night of cocktails and sushi up on the top floor of the W hotel. Very nice! Another night we went out at a great Japanese restaurant Shoko which turns into a nightclub. It's right on the beach and we had a great night with riders from around the globe.
When my mate Michelle arrived from New Zealand we did the customary double decker bus tour of the city - it has three stages to it and we only managed to complete two - making the somewhat fatal mistake of stopping for paella and sangria at a restaurant we couldn't leave. The two waiters kept us entertained and their tip that day was very well earned!
The thing that blew me away in Barcelona was the architecture by Gaudi. For those not in the know (and I admit I was once like you...) Gaudi was a Spanish Catalan architect and the figurehead of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works reflect his highly individual and distinctive style, marked by his four passions in life: architecture, nature, religion and his love for Catalonia. He studied every detail of his creations integrating into them the crafts he was skilled in - ceramics, stained glass, carpentry and wrought iron forging. Most of the photos below are of some of Gaudi's famous works.
Whilst the bus tour is a great way to get about the city and get an overview of it all, the next day of sightseeing we did was on the micro scale - a walking tour led by our very own private guide. A pupil and friend of mine in New Zealand Renee Rushton had for a long time been trying to put me in touch with her brother James - and we finally got to meet. He's a fascinating guy - a chef by trade and specialising in Molecular Gastronomy no less... But his original job in Barcelona was as a professional walking tour guide, so we were led by James through the Jewish and Gothic quarters of Barcelona, down narrow streets learning about the history and heritage of the city.
James also took us to my favourite spot in the entire city - Park Guell - an intriguing public space created by Gaudi. Again there are photos from the park featured below. We rounded off the day by stepping off the Metro at the incredible La Sagrada Familia.
La Sagrada Familia is one of Gaudi's most famous works in Barcelona. It's a giant Basilica that has been under construction since 1882 (that's not a typing error!) and it's not expected to be completed for between 30 to 80 years (time for completion varies depending on different sources of information). It's an incredible piece of work whose history is as intriguing as its facade.
I will leave my blog on Barcelona as I started it - with a few more lines from the Freddie Mercury song - I hope you are inspired to travel here one day too.
Barcelona - Such a beautiful horizon
Barcelona - Like a jewel in the sun
If God is willing
Friends until the end
Viva - Barcelona