Barcelona
A brief account of Catalonia’s capital
city
Without any doubt one of Europe’s most
enchanting cities, I immediately took a liking to Barcelona as I hear all
travellers do. There is much to see and do within, from the world famous art
museums (Picasso’s for instance) to perhaps watching the city’s football team
(which one could argue are the best club in the world at present) play at Camp
Neu, the second largest football stadium worldwide. A great deal of famous
people have made their name from this city, the artists for example such as
Gaudi, who designed many of Barcelona’s buildings, most iconic of all being La
Sagrada Familia. If I ever had the opportunity, let me just say now, I would
definitely live in Barcelona, I can picture a nice flat in an old building,
nestled within the intriguing little streets that contain art galleries, coffee
shops, book stores – it is a very bohemian setting, which suits me
entirely.
I spent a lovely day in the city with a
group of Catalans (including the best barber I’ve ever had – Enrique) whereupon
they took me to see all the sights. To begin with, ‘La Sagrada Familia’ or ‘The
Sacred Family’ cathedral was our first destination after arriving in the city
via train from Figueres to Barcelona. I would describe the cathedral as a true
‘icon of the Hispanic world’. Its sheer enormity, awe and architectural
brilliance make it so, thus enabling its comparison with places like Machu
Pichu in Peru as sites of globally renowned splendor within the Spanish
speaking world. This is the capital of Catalonia, yet Barcelona has a greater
attachment it seems to the outer world, a portal connecting the millions of
tourists, immigrants and native citizens by its allure, a city rich in culture,
prosperity and good lifestyle.
I felt a strange yet warming inner feeling
when inside La Sagrada Familia; it was as if I had entered the heart of ‘el
mundo Latino’. Much renovation is being currently undertaken upon the
cathedral, the outer towers are being expanded, yet the inside is truly
humbling, one of the most impressive feats of architecture ever accomplished in
the history of mankind. The Picasso museum we also visited, certainly a
fascinating place, however for me it was more the location that appealed.
Located within the central part of the city, this is where you will find all
those intriguing little streets complete with the bohemian atmosphere, the
mixed ethnicities of Catalans to Americans, Latinos to Asians, Africans to
Spaniards, even Liverpudlians to Middle Easterners, all of whom hustle and
bustle within, for their many different reasons. From the Peruvian immigrant
working as a bar waiter to the outrageously appalling ‘shouldn’t be allowed to
travel’ Brits abroad (the unsightly ginger bearded Englishman and his stag do
mates drunk and dancing up on strangers in transvestite outfits were the only
spoilers of the day) all pound the lovely cobbled streets of this wonderful
part de la cuidad.
The Catalan flag hangs proudly from many
terraces; balconies and rooftops yet interestingly alongside those too from
Cuba, Mexico and Argentina I recall, showcasing the cities growing Latino
presence. ‘La Rambla’ and the grand ‘Plaza de Catalunya’ (every Catalan town
and city seems to have one of the latter though) are both combined with the
grand cathedral, they’re places that symbolize Barcelona the same as Trafalgar
Square and Piccadilly do for London. I thoroughly enjoyed La Rambla, a huge
walking zone that stretches roughly from the statue of Christopher Columbus
(identical in its image to Nelson’s column) to the Plaza de Catalunya. The
carefully planted and well matured trees grant a peaceful shade over the
Rambla, as one strolls pleasantly past the many stalls, street vendors,
theatres and famous attractions situated all around. It is overrun of course
with tourists, yet comes without the ‘violent’ rat race onslaught, which so
ruins London to make my last comparison with the English capital. I must also
mention that the vast majority of streets are clean, well looked after and
efficiently attended too, making a visit to Barcelona all the more enjoyable,
as filthy streets do few favours for people. It cannot be compared with other
Mediterranean cities therefore such as Athens, my proud birthplace yet
unfortunately not the healthiest of metropolises.
To make conclusion of my memorable
occasions within Barcelona, I shall describe it as a place that begs for
revisit upon revisit, as mentioned I would indeed not pass up the opportunity
of residing there for an indefinite spell. However, as is the norm within this
world of ours, the only factor determining all that is dear old money…which one
painfully needs in Barcelona I'm afraid to say. Perhaps that is one of the few
obvious negatives to the city alongside what could be a potentially difficult
to fathom metro system for tourists, I found the underground rather complicated
personally. I do hope for another trip to this splendid city, I have no idea
when and at what time the next possibility may arise, yet Christopher Columbus
beckons me from his tower top as I picture myself standing below gazing up in
the direction of the Americas as the stone sculptured, long gone sailor points
toward the city’s port, an historic point of departure…
Ben, Andalusia
July 14, 2015
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