Barcelona!
With the requirement of departing the ship at an early hour, we had quite a bit of time to waste before checking into our flat. Thankfully, fisarentals had a secure storage location on property. We took care of all the check-in procedures, left our luggage and went out to explore! First stop? Coffee… it had started to sprinkle
In all of our trips to Barcelona, I have never ventured to the area with the Arc de Triomf. We seem to stick to our own “neighborhood”. With the office near the arc, this was our area to explore. Rain fell lightly, but it didn’t seem to bother anyone. Planning ahead, I brought an umbrella… not planning ahead, I left it in my luggage!
Much like hubby, Corey isn’t a fan of photos either. He allows me one every once in a while. This landmark was deemed worthy of a selfie. This was built as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair. The arch straddles the wide promenade that leads to the Ciutadella Park.
Stopping to admire the statue, we noticed the ground had a general map of the area. It gave a color coded, sectioned descriptions of neighborhoods around Barcelona. Actually, I thought I took a photo of it, but that must be the only thing I missed with 1000 photos!
Strolling down the promenade, we were greeted with giant bubbles. It was easy to photography the orb, not so easy to get a reflection of the Arc de Triomf. On a trip to Prague, I was able to capture the reflection of a castle. It came out nice… I was hoping to replicate that, but it was a fail! Maybe next time…
Seems we come across these people in all the places we visit. Apparently, you can pay to sway the bubble maker or just tip the guy for bringing joy. Kids LOVE the bubbles… I love the bubbles also! Large and small, they float through areas for quite some time… Slightly whimsical, they bounce off of our heads and pop. You can’t help but smile…
With three directions to choose from, we are drawn to the spire at the edge of this park. As posted yesterday, motorcycles and scooters are popular and tend to line the street curbs. Another well-used mode of transportation is the bike rental. This is a bike sharing system, not meant for tourists to check out the city. It is designed to be used by subscription, through an app, and to get from one spot to another as a resident. It is quite popular!
Upon entering the park, our first sighting is the Castell dels Tres Dragons (Castle of the Three Dragons). Built in 1887, as a cafe/restaurant for the 1888 Universal Exposition of Barcelona. Years later, it became a museum of history, archeology, biology and natural sciences. Damaged during the Spanish Civil War, it was closed due to bombing damage. It was a dining hall for Social Aid from 1942-45. After that, it became a Zoology museum. Currently, the building is closed to the public.
So glad we were drawn to the spire because it got us to explore into the park. Parc de la Ciutadella was designed in the 19th century and was the city’s only green space. Seventy-seven acres, the grounds include the city zoo. We didn’t visit the zoo because the rain began to fall pretty heavy!
Ornate in design, apparently Antoni Gaudi had a part in the planning. Initially, it was a very simple pond. After complaints, changes were made to create a more elaborate piece of work. The rain did not deter us from exploring up the stairs and the general area but that’s as far as we were willing to go at this point.
Several ducks happily floated in this pond. Light rain did not phase them. The good part about the sprinkles, people ran for shelter leaving his beautiful area for us to explore minus the crowds. Several schools had field trips in the park, they ran from the pond but headed upstairs to shelter…
Both sides of the pond, had cement stairs leading to a lookout point. Apparently, there are usually vendors set up all over. With the rain, that wasn’t the case for our visit. We also could have rented a rowboat to float around in the pond. Just more things to add to my “next time” list!
From above, we could see across the park. The most notable thing… the elephant statue. Now, I’m guessing that was the entrance to the zoo. We also enjoyed looking down on the pond. Seeing the statues and the blue-green water from a new perspective, was interesting. It is a beautiful structure!
Looking away from the pond, while standing at the top, arches with clinging ivy. Solidly built, we hung out there for quite a long time to avoid getting drenched. A man played guitar… popular American songs… to the students waiting with us.
One last look before leaving the park. A couple more photos of the ornate decoration around the pond. This will be a place I spend more time exploring… on a clear day, with my husband. I think he will enjoy the area. Then I can see the zoo and parliament.
More modern than much of Barcelona’s art, this cogwheel sculpture was placed in the Parc de la Ciutadella in 1998. A symbol of the centennial year of the Universal Exhibition in the city of Barcelona.
Deciding to grab a little lunch, we walked back through the promenade and under the Arc de Triomf. With the sun once again shining after the rain ended, it was a nice reflective spot to take on last photo (or maybe twenty). Can’t wait to return in November and see this lit up at night.
What a great spot for lunch! Referred to as a “Latin American restaurant”, Sr Ceviche’s was small, but charming, inside. The outdoor seating wouldn’t work with the current weather. We ordered an item called Encocado… made with white fish and prawns, in a coconut milk sauce. It was a heated dish, served with rice. The flavor was amazing! We gobbled it up so fast, I never took a picture!
Corey and I each ordered “Classic” ceviche. Deemed their “best seller”, it was made of white fish marinated in lime with “Leche de Tigre”, red onion, fried corn, sweet potato, lettuce and “aji limon”. Wow! What a taste combination. The best part, I could safely eat everything! This place was made for me…
With full bellies, we headed out to explore for a short time. Soon, we would be able to grab out luggage and check into our flat. Such a charming part of Barcelona. It is an area so close to where we always stay, but just off the beaten path for us. As we wound around, there were some familiar areas.
This sculpture, in a small plaza, definitely caught my attention. Not necessarily the content, but the way it was created. If felt like an optical illusion. Viewed from every angle, it seemed flat, then with depth…. very unique. I’ll have to research this one…
Turning the next corner, we came upon a very familiar area! The Cathedral de Malaga. Restaurants line the perimeter with stunning views of the church. This very active area has street musicians and many tourists. Fun, lively spot to hang out and people watch.
Time to head back… but not before taking a slight detour through the Mercado. Fresh everything! Fresh fish, vegetables, fruits… stand up tapa bars… so much from which to choose! We need to gather our things and see our accommodations before purchasing goodies. So back to the rental office, luggage in hand and a taxi ordered. More to come!
