I walked around for hours. The place is small enough that you can do that. I bought a day ticket for the Metro - which is wonderful, never had to wait more than 4 minutes, and really good value at E5.60 for the day - but didn't really use it that much. But when I did use it, I didn't have to wait long and because the distances aren't great it didn't take long to get to where I needed to be.
In Melbourne you look at the map and think "that's not far" but you find out different when you try walking it. Here it's the opposite - everything is compact so things are closer than they seem on the map. And the Metro is really well designed, it has loops and linkages everywhere, just like in Madrid. On top of that there is a comprehensive, inexpensive bus servive and ultimately it is also easy to walk around (mind you, I believe it does snow in Barcelona in winter).
I spent a fair while walking around the Barri Gotic, the old part of Barcelona. In all honesty I was looking for an archaeological museum at Plaza Rei that has many underground ruins of the Roman settlement here - and I never found it!! I'll try again when I return at the end of the month, but walking around this old district had its own rewards anyway.
I then used the Fenicular railway to go up Montjuic. I met a nice Canadian couple who gave me some advice and a E3.50 disccount voucher for the cable car to the castle at the top. This is their 4th visit to Barcelona, they love the place. You know who you are - many thanks again.
The castle at the top of the hill had amazing views of the city and port below. The sort of views that take your breath away. I spared a few moments to think of the many unfortunateswho met tough times and rough deaths in this place. It is almost a travesty that the venue for so much suffering is now a tourist attraction and is being turned into a conference centre.
I then visited the Familia Sagrada, an amazing piece of work. According to one article it is still 30 to 80 years away from being finished, depending on funding and other resources. I am not sure I really liked it, but it is striking and quite awesome. I think with a good clean it would be really stunning. I got a bonus "Pretty Woman" moment when this unfortunate American in front of me walked over the ventilation duct from the Metro below - she was very embarrassed.
I had a look at the Pedrada and also some of Gaudi's other work in the area. This definitely looks a very upmarket part of Barcelona, and some of the other architecture (as well as Gaudi's) is brilliant. I could have taken photos of half the buildings there, but restrained myself.
Finally I went for a wander down the Rambla del Mar and persuaded myself to go have a look at the aquarium. It's very good as aquariums go - I took far too many photos but at least observed the "no flash" rule, which is more than most other visitors did. I must go to the Melbourne aquarium one day and check it out - I still haven't been!
Tip for the day. If you must put eggs into your pocket so you can have them for lunch, try to remember they're there and don't crush them. Lucky they were hard boiled!!
You've got to love how it's 8 in the evening and everything is still open!
Lots of posts from Marianne to catch up with now.
Off to the Costa del Sol tomorrow :)
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