Day 1, Barcelona

We arrived very late in Barcelona last night. If you come to Barcelona, be warned-DO NOT attempt to drive, if you can possibly avoid it! Having driven/lived in many cities in the U.S. (NYC, Philly, Atlanta, Washington D.C., etc.), I thought I had driving covered. Ha! How foolish I am! Every street in this city is one way, always the wrong way in which you hope to go. It is unsafe to stop and ask directions, and so while you know you are only 1 or 2 blocks from your destination, you can not get there from where you are. It just can not be done! Case in point-we arrived 1/2 a block from our hotel, Chuck jumped out and I put on the flashers (I kept sane by thinking of the full insurance coverage we purchased at the rental car place). There was no where to park, or even pull over. This was a one-way street, and the hotel was the wrong direction from where we were. A gentleman from the hotel, ran out, jumped into the back seat of our car and proceeded to help me navigate through to a small alleyway. I was instructed to drive up this pedestrian alleyway for 2 blocks and he jumped out, threw open a small corrugated garage type door to reveal a small parking area. I promptly drove in, and he, a desk clerk from the hotel, quickly closed the door. Luckily, we will not be required to drive the streets of Barcelona until we leave! Hopefully, I will have built up enough courage by then...

As for the city itself, spectacular. The city is home to 1.5 million people in the main city, with many more living just outside the city parameters. Spectacular architecture is EVERYWHERE. Not just some points of interest scattered throughout the city, but every building is beautiful and unique. There are only a handful of skyscrapers, and they are not clumped together. Most buildings rise 5-10 stories, and many are works of art. Public art is also found in abundance throughout the city. The architecture, combined with the public art make for a magnificent look for this city. The Mediterranean shoreline is dotted with beaches, wharves and shipping facilities. The city is clean and well kept, bustling and modern. They have married the old and the new to make a very livable and wonderful city. I am so glad we have 3 more days here!

Above I have posted some pictures of places we saw on a city tour. Tomorrow we will visit a number of these sites for a more in-depth look. For today, we just did drive-bys to get oriented.

As for our experience with the people of Barcelona, they are helpful and business like. No small chit-chat, they are too busy for such things. They are doing their jobs and they do them efficiently and in a friendly manner. Although I do not speak Spanish, language has not been a barrier. This city has so much to offer, we can not wait to explore more tomorrow!