Reflections on Barcelona: after hearing about how great Barcelona is my whole life, and after traveling to Spain over a dozen times, and still never having the chance to visit the Promised Land until now...I have to say, that in the end, I still very much prefer Madrid.Dan, on the other hand, preferred Barcelona (which, I did NOT tell my Spanish family when Dan finally met his future in-laws at the end of our trip. Considering the huge rivalry between the people who live in Madrid vs. the people who live in Barcelona--(which is not unlike the rivalry between the people who live in Minnesota vs. the people who live in Wisconsin ((okay, maybe it´s not exactly the same, but still...)), I figured there was no need to bring it up, or else risk subjecting Dan to some authentic Spanish debasing. At least, not yet...
This is Dan, in front of a Gaudi lamppost (Gaudi´s first commission in Barcelona). If you don´t know who Gaudi is, then see below blog posts for the "Who in the Heck is Antoni Gaudi" tutorial.
This is me, in front of the Mercado, off of Las Ramblas.
These are the narrow, dark streets of the Gothic Quarter. Barcelona, I have to say, has a seedy underworld feel about it that I was NOT anticipating. I got harrassed by a drunk homeless man while Dan was standing right next to me. We popped into the Raval district and discovered prostitution row within the first 2 minutes of exploring the neighborhood. And Dan boasts that he´s pretty sure that he felt someone try to pickpocket him. Like it´s a badge of honor.Dan says there's an "edge" to the city--which he likes. (This is Dan saying this, the oh-so-edgy boy from Minnesota). I don´t think it´s an edge. I think it´s just the sleazy side of a city that attracts way too many tourists and too way too many slim-shady characters who prey on them.
However, I must say that we did see an awesome hip-hop jazz band the first night we were in the city, and Barcelona definitely has a young, hip, urban, international flare to it.
This is the Port Vell, and the spectacular weather that followed us our entire vacation.
