Sunday 21 February

Richard and I enjoying Barcelona

Today we leave Barcelona and say goodbye to the England crowd. Our flight leaves at 14.45, in theory. I had some weird dreams about primary school, but not my old school (thank goodness). I got up at 7.50. We liked the hotel bathroom as it was well designed and modern. The bed was also comfortable. We went for an early breakfast, and I ordered fried eggs and bacon but they still weren't hot.

The Arc de Triumf

Then back to the room to stuff everything into our suitcases, including two new books as a birthday present for Richard, and his breathing mask. Then we went for a walk in the sun to Arc de Triumf and also saw the Castle of the Three Dragons. There were loads of people out jogging or strolling.

Back at the hotel, we met the others and said goodbye to everyone. We walked with our bags to Placa de Catalunya and caught an airport express bus to terminal 1. We checked in our bags but then discovered that our flight was not scheduled. We went to Moncho's for a glass of Verdejo and an appetiser platter and a bacalau or cod omelette. Then we had to wait for an extra hour until 15.45 before our plane took off. There had been a delay leaving Zurich due to high winds.

The flight back was also very turbulent and we were in the back row.  We arrived an hour late and just missed two trains. We got the train and bus home to Thalwil. It was very cold in our apartment. After unloading the laundry and checking my emails, we watched Call the Midwife and a new serial, The Night Manager. I will finish my blog tomorrow :-)

Saturday 20 February

The façade of Casa Batllo is quite organic

I woke early as usual. Got up at 8.15. Breakfast was rather dull as usual. We had no plans for the day.

We met the others and decided to walk to Casa Battllo, another Gaudi design. The façade was spectacular but we queued for tickets to enter. Those with bus tour tickets could get a discount. We had an audio guide which was necessary as there were no captions and few artefacts, just the unusual design. We climbed up about seven floors to the roof, admiring the Gaudi features on each floor - colourful mosaics, organic shapes, ingenious design features. I took lots of photos.

Inside were unusual features of design in all the rooms

A spiral ceiling

After the tour which took about two hours, we had a beer or coffee in a pavement cafe next door. Then we walked up Passeig de Gracia to Cerveceria Catalana and this time got a table for eight in the family area by the back door. We ordered patates bravas, fried small fishes and fried hot green peppers. Plus we had an Albarino white wine, a Mar de Frades 2014. David N ordered red, a Ramon Bilbao.

Me and Joan in Placa Catalunya, a good meeting and sitting place

After a nice lunch, Richard, Grandma and I walked down La Rambla, crossing Placa Catalunya. We visited the Mercat again and saw more tempting fish, fruit and veg. Then we took a taxi back to the hotel.


We had our last dinner at Rene. I chose tortilla omelette, chorizo in cider (delicious) and cod and chick pea paella which I shared with Richard. We had another white Rioja, then a Sin Palabra Albarino, and a red Rayon Viva Rioja. For dessert I chose a tangerine sorbet with cava in a glass. A very nice meal.

Back to the hotel for more Excipial lotion and Locoid Crelo for the bad bits of my rash, which is all over my body now.

Friday 19 February

The Nativity facade of Sagrada Familia - still cranes in place

Friday was a great day.

After a rather disappointing breakfast, we met the others and took taxis to the Sagrada Familia, the famous Gaudi church which was started in 1882 and is still a work in progress. I had booked tour tickets in advance so we didn't have to queue.

Detail of the Nativity facade

We met outside, collected our audio guides and admired the Nativity façade with its sculptures of the holy family, plants and animals. There were several cranes still in place but we noticed that the main building had been extended since our last visit in 2007.

Some of the many stained glass windows in the church

We entered the church and noticed that the floor and the stained glass windows were complete. The nave was furnished with rows of seats and the view was impressive with the high vaulted ceilings resembling a stone forest. There was also a chapel in the crypt. The interior was truly breathtaking.

We had tickets to ascend the Nativity tower and took a lift. However, they forgot to warn us that we had to walk back down the spiral steps, which was quite a challenge, but worth it for the views. We needed a rest at the bottom. We couldn't see the Passion facade today as they were working there. But the visit was definitely a highlight of the holiday.

Joan looking a bit worried descending the tower steps

Afterwards we had coffee in Cafe Picasso across the road, and I had my first taste of churros with hot chocolate. Yummy!

Then we took taxis to Cal Pep, recommended by our friend Akemi, who was born in the city. We managed to get a table for eight and had very good service. We ordered sardines on toast, deep fried artichokes, calamari, tuna tartare, squid with chickpeas, clams, padrone peppers and three bottles of white Summaroca 2015 Penedes which was very pleasant. Richard risked a Crema Catalan for dessert which was very good.

Then we spilt up and we walked along the seafront, then took a taxi back to the hotel. We rested; my foot was swollen. I discovered I had lost a white earring earlier somewhere.

Inside the opera house before the show, Carmen

In the evening we had tickets for Carmen at the Palau de la Musica Catalana, a beautiful building we had seen earlier in the week. Before the performance we had a glass of red wine there and some of us had snacks. Then we took our seats in the second floor circle. The stage was semicircular and the orchestra was in place at the back, behind the performers who were from a local Catalan company (see link above right). The show was fantastic and all the tunes were familiar to me as we did a staged version in the Hitchin Thespians years ago. There was also a children's chorus and flamenco dancers in the show. But there seemed to be two actresses playing the role of Carmen, one brown-haired and one with black hair. Don Jose was the spurned hero and Escamillo was the bullfighter.


We had a drink in the interval and the second half was shorter than the first. All the musicians, singers and actors were excellent. Afterwards we walked back to the hotel. My tablet computer had died on me and my foot hurt. I started a new book on Kindle - Bumped off in Benidorm by David Robinson.

Thursday 18 February

The cloisters at Pedralbes were beautiful

I had a very bad night now I have finished the cortisone tablets. At breakfast I asked for a boiled egg (not the icy cold hard-boiled ones). I got two eggs but no eggcup.

Today we set off to visit the Monastir de Pedralbes which Cheri and David suggested. It was founded by Queen Elisenda and was home to Poor Clare nuns. We took the 22 bus but got off a stop too late. We found the extensive monastery area and first looked inside the church.

Richard and Lesley at lunch

We walked round the cloisters of the monastery and saw St. Michael's Chapel with frescoes by Bassa, the nuns' cells, tombs, artefacts of monastic life and the kitchens. In the garden we heard and saw parakeets nesting in the palm trees. The building itself was quite cold.

We took bus 22 back to Placa Catalunya, which took nearly an hour.  On the way back to the hotel, we found El Secreto de Ellen for lunch and met the rest of the family there. I enjoyed the tuna and tomato salad and we had two bottles of Bicicletas y Pesces white Rueda 2015 which was very nice.

The two Davids

In the afternoon we rested and bought some snacks from the nearby supermarket. At 7pm everyone came to our room to share some cava, courtesy of the hotel.

Then we took a taxi to Cerviceria Catalana, but it was very full. So we strolled round the Upper Ramblas and found Maestro which offered a selection of dishes. I had a flammkuchen which wasn't quite what I expected. We had some craft beer, which was good, though.

Cheri and Robbie with his ketchup

During the night I finished reading The Clothes on their Backs for my book club.

Wednesday 17 February

The Palau de Musica Catalana

I got up at 8am and washed my hair. My skin is very dry and Richard bandaged my swollen ankle. We had the hotel buffet breakfast as usual, with less fruit. But the kiwi jam was nice.

We met the others in reception and walked for half an hour in a zigzag route past the Palau de Musica Catalana to the Museu Picasso. It was housed in a series of linked buildings. They had a lot of his early works from Malaga, his birthplace, and Barcelona where he stayed twice. His small family portraits were very good. We weren't allowed to take photos inside though.

Outside Casa Calvet, a Gaudi designed building

We also saw a series of larger works from 1956 of his version of Velaquez' Las Meninas. The cafe at the museum was closed so we found a small place nearby for coffee.

Inside Casa Calvet where we had a nice lunch

Then we headed to Casa Calvet for lunch, where I had reserved a table. It is housed in a former textile factory designed by Gaudi. We first ate here in 2007. Now it has a Michelin star. We had the weekday menu with cava and a glass of wine. I has fish soup with spinach and mussels and cod with potato and peppers. For pudding I had profiteroles.The food was excellent but the service was a bit hurried.

We walked back to the hotel for a rest. The weather was quite cool today out of the sun. After a rest we strolled along to the department store El Corte Ingles and explored the basement supermarket, an Aladdin's Cave of food and drink. For dinner we went to Bruc 33 Tapas, round the corner. I had patates bravas and quail risotto. We ordered a white Giro Ribot Blanc de Blancs and a red Ribera del Duero Crianza. I also had a raspberry panna cotta. Yum.

Tuesday 16 February

The spectacular nave of the Gothic cathedral

I had a very bad night but got up as usual for breakfast in the hotel. I ordered bacon and eggs but they weren't hot.

Afterwards we met David, Cheri and Joan and walked to the Gothic Quarter or Barri Gotic. It was free to enter the beautiful cathedral, built in 1298. We took the lift to the roof and enjoyed the view of the spires and the city. We also saw the vaulted interior and the many side chapels, the organ and choirstalls, and the tomb of Santa Eulalia in the crypt.

In the Gothic quarter

Outside  we visited the cloisters where a group of geese live. We went for coffee in the sun in the square outside. Then we strolled through the old Roman streets and had lunch at Gran Cafe. I tried Xatonata, a salad with salt cod and anchovies, and Soprasada, chopped sausage with honey and croutons. We had a red Catalunya wine, L'Equibrista 2013. All delicious!

Xatonata salad

Then we walked on to Placa Reial and La Rambla, with its market stalls. We went into the Mercat de la Boqueria, a colourful food market. We rested at Placa Catalunya and watched the pigeons before walking back along Gran Via to our hotel for a rest.

The food market with its colourful stalls

I had a short siesta and did a crossword on my tablet. Then got ready to meet the others in the bar. After a dry sherry, we decided to return to Restaurant Rene for dinner. We each chose starters and a main dish, and shared some of them. I had tortilla omelette and salmon with spinach. We had two bottles of Alborinho white wine. I risked another Crema Catalana which was the best so far.

At the hotel we watched CSI in German and then Richard helped me put lotion on my very dry skin. My left ankle is very swollen tonight.

Monday 15 February

David and Cheri on the bus tour

I woke early after our first night on Gran Via, a noisy street. Our hotel room is comfortable but we can only get BBC World on TV in English. I read the Guardian Online on my tablet: last night at the Baftas, The Revenant won five awards including Best Picture, Director and Actor, Leonardo di Caprio. I haven't seen it. Brits Kate Winslet and Mark Rylance won Best Supporting Actor. We enjoyed Bridge of Spies. Other news - turmoil on stock exchange after losses in Asia, new high levels of migration in Australia - good news for Matthew's work, and Liverpool beat Aston Villa 6-0.

Intriguing view from the top deck of the bus

We had a buffet breakfast in the Grupotel Gran Via - OK but we could have had more choice. Plenty of coffee though. Then we met the others and took a Julia Tour by bus round the Green route through east Barcelona. We had good views from the upper deck but it was rather cool. Disappointed by the number of ugly apartment blocks and building sites. We noted several cranes towering over the Sagrada Familia. We passed Park Guell and other Gaudi designs as well as the Art Nouveau and Modernista styles along Diagonal and Gran Via.

Richard, Cheri and Joan at lunch

Then we explored the Rambla and soon found a great lunch place, Milagrito's, which served Catalan dishes with a twist. I loved the Salmorejo, Iberian pork fillet takaki and a Crema Catalana with raspberries. Then back to the hotel for a siesta.

A delicious salmorejo in Milagrito's

We strolled down to the city's Arc del Triomf, built in the 19th century at the head of a tree-lined avenue. Then we met the others for a glass of cava or sherry in the bar. The hotel booked us a large taxi to a busy restaurant by the seafront called La Fond del Port Olimpic. But Richard left his phone in the taxi.

After dinner we returned to the hotel but they couldn't contact the taxi driver. Richard spent ages trying to block his SIM card. So a frustrating end to the day.

Sunday 14 February, Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day Richard!

We are packed and ready to depart for warmer climes. This morning I booked tickets to visit the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's famous church, and now nearing completion. We can take a lift up one of its tall towers for a splendid view.

The weather here is rainy and cold. In Barcelona it will be around 14-16 degrees C at least. On our arrival, we may buy a ten-trip transport pass and take the train to the city centre. Our hotel is in the Gran Via so quite central.

Can't wait to meet up with Richard's brother, sister-in-law and mum and find a local place to eat. They dine late in Spain, so we'll be taking a few siestas.

In Barcelona.

We flew with Swiss on a brand new Boeing 777. Richard had a seat next to a babe in arms. The flight arrived on time and we took the airport shuttle bus to Placa de Catalunya and walked from there to Gruphotel Gran Via.

The others had already found a nearby tapas bar, Restaurant Rene. We chose a selection of small dishes and some white Rioja. Good value. Nothing on TV apart from the Bafta results so we read the newspaper until time for an early night.

Friday 12 February 2016

The facade of Gaudi's masterpiece

A dull day in Thalwil. So a good time to plan our visit to Barcelona. This will be our second visit. The first visit for our family was in March 2007, and I made a few notes. This time we are going as a couple and meeting David and Cheri and Joan on Sunday evening. Lesley, David and Robbie arrive on Thursday, I believe.

Last time we visited, we enjoyed seeing the Gothic Cathedral quarter, the area near the seafront, the Catalan Museum, the Ramblas district, the Picasso and Miro museums and the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, masterpieces by Gaudi. I wonder if the great church will be finished yet?

Last time we stayed in Barcelona near the waterfront

I found some restaurant suggestions at the link on the right. I also tried to find one that we enjoyed last time, in a former warehouse, which served a tasting menu. It could be Casa Calvet. But now it's Michelin starred so we might have to go just for lunch.

Other restaurants and bars to try include: La Font del Gat, Cinc Sentits, Can Sole, Cerviceria Alex, Senyor Parellada, Caputxes, Can Ramonet and Cafe Zurich, and visit Passeig Joan de Barbo for its seafood restaurants.

I haven't been practising my Spanish this time and in any case they speak Catalan, a dialect. I need to brush up.