Monday, April 23, 2018

Turn Around

In Barcelona our guide actually took us to some very popular attractions. Attractions that would be busy on a normal spring day but on a day with 5 cruise ships in port, it  made visiting Barri Gothic Park Guell and La Sagrada Familia a unbelievable crowded mass of humans that will stand forever as a stellar example of human overpopulation.
Gaudi’s Mosaic Dragon

Never having heard of Gaudi I really didn’t know what to expect from this park. I took away that his designs are quite eccentric and have held up well over the years.

The La Sagrada Familia church is over the top,  gothic moors meet the Flintstones, and according to our guide has just about every symbolistic symbol of Christianity represented somewhere.

 I especially liked the parachuting jesus.
Jesus Invents Sky Diving
 
he building has been under construction longer than the Alcan highway, but they say it should be completed around, well around when the Alcan is paved.
The Exterior of La Sagrada Familia

Maybe a library or a university would be a better use of Barcelona’s time and resources, but then what do I know.

 
On our second day in Barcelona we were handed the coveted Passenger In Transit cards. In transit is the highest status that can be achieved on a ship. It means that you are not leaving and most of your ship mates are. 800 of us had this status, and we had to say good by to lots of people that we got to know crossing the Atlantic, and visiting the first few ports we stopped in. Also, lots of the crew rotated out and who knew that on the second morning I would have to confront another soda jerk masquerading as a barista. Honestly if you don’t know the language of espresso in the Mediterranean you shouldn’t even washing coffee cups.
 
 
 
 
Our excursion on the second day was to Sitges. Our guide a young man who spoke 5 languages and was the first guide ever to give his phone number in case anyone got lost, was also the first to ever make us fasten seat belts for our journey on the motor way. Who knew busses even had seat belts, but this was a top-notch operation, unlike some of the other buses we would board that had broken seats…
Narrow Streets Of Sitges
 
Sitges is delightful, right on the sea, with narrow passageways that more than once we were surprised to find that we were sharing these lanes with vehicles. We roamed, found excellent coffee, but lunch was the best with roasted sardines, even better than in Monterey.

On the beach is Sitges, and how they summon Bat Man
 

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