Barcelona was my second taste of Spain within the space of a fortnight. A bigs thanks to Swiss (Air) for their last minute internet discount airfare specials that made this (and other) adventures so affordable.

This touring party was smaller than the group which invaded Madrid two weeks prior. Adrian Tyler was again keen for some mischief, while Shahn Petersen and husband Noah joined our tour group for the first time. Our party was completed by Yola Comacho, who joined us from her adopted home of Madrid.

We arrived in Barcelona after early Saturday morning flights. We proceeded straight to our hotel we left our luggage and then headed out for a spot of touring. Similarly to Madrid, Barcelona has two separate open deck buses tours to help tourists explore the city. The Red Bus takes you around the older parts of Barcelona, while the Blue Bus focuses on the newer parts of the city as well as the shopping and beach areas.

Having purchased our tickets, which would allow us unlimited access to both tourists buses during our weekend in Barcelona, we hoped onto the first Red Bus to come our way and headed for the old part of town.

For those of you unfamiliar with Spanish Architecture, Gaudi is a world famous architect and designer who had quite a distinctive and unsual style which focused on the use of colour, texture and movement in ways not seen before. He is reponsible for some of Barcelona's most well known landmarks, probably the most famous of these is the

Gaudi was killed tragically in 1926 when he was struck by a tram, at which time the cathedral had been under construction for 42 years (1884) and was still many years from completion. You can visit the link to Gaudi Central to learn more about this inspired and creative individual. I would strongly recommend your read the page dedicated to the Sagrada Familia which gives a wonderful insight into this trulz amazing cathedral.

I have included a couple of photographs that I took of some of Gaudi's work, in particular the of the Sagrada Familia but my digital camera was somewhat limited next to this immense structure. In addition the weather was not ideal but I hope you will get an idea of how impressive this building really is.

Next, it was back onto the Red Bus for a short journey to the Park Guell. This park is a World Heritage Site and enjoys a prime location within Barcelona City. The park is named after Count Eusebi Guell and houses Gaudi's former home, which has now been converted into a museum devoted to the architect.

A late lunch was next on the agenda followed by a little window shopping. It was then back to the hotel for a quick wink before heading out for dinner. The weather was nothing short of miserable, so quick cab ride was required to get to the restaurant in a relatively dry condition. The restaurant was superb to say the least, the concierge at the Hotel Grand Derby is to be congratulated for his excellent recommendation.

Barcelona was a somewhat more sober experience than my trip to Madrid. That said I still managed a few drinks before being the first to call it quits at around 4 a.m.

Sunday morning, I headed off to what is probably the "heart" of Barcelona City, La Rambla. A short stroll off the La Rambla I visited the Museu Maritim, housed in the Royal Shipyards. The museum is full of excellent examples of various forms of ocean-going vessels but without doubt the most impressive is the life-size replica of John of Austria's flagship used at the Battle of Lepanto.

I met up with the rest of the tour party at the Mirador Colon, situated at the end of La Rambla a short walk from the Museu Maritim. This monument to Christopher columbus was erected in 1888 to mark the occasion of the Universal Exhibition. The link will provide you with some more details on the monument, I have also inlcuded a photograh to give you an idea of what the it looks like.

Next we took a short walk to find some lunch. We Came across a great Tapas Bar/Cafe serving a very tasty assortment of delicacies, situated in what is known as the Barri Gotic . This is actually the historical birthplace of the city of Barcelona, which dates back to Roman times and lends its' name to the Barri Gotic Catedral. The links will tell you more about this significant part of Barcelona and the Catedral itself.

Back onto the Blue Bus, next stop the Placa d'Espanya. This was laid out for the 1929 International Exhibition, along with the nearby Parc de Montjuic. A large fountain, with three bronye statues representing trade, industry and shipping sits in the centre of this wonderful stretch of exhibition halls and museums. The entrance to the Avenida Maria Christina is marked by two Venetian towers and is overlooked by the majestic Palau Nacional, home to the Museu Nacional d"Art de Catalunya.

If the outside is anything to go by, then the inside of the museum is well worth a look. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to walk through the museum, looking at the size of the place I think it is fair to say that you would need the better part of a day just for this exercise and by the time we got here it was well and truly into the afternoon. Maybe next time.

More walking, this time up behind the Palau Nacional and we arrived at the Estadi Olimpic, where the 1992 Olympic Games Opening and Closing ceremonies were held. Now, not to be biased or anything but this Olympic Stadium pales in comparison to that of Sydney, which at a capacity of 110,000 was almost double the size. Still the surrounds were picturesque.

Another feature of this area is the fantastic views, as it is situated high up on a hill overlooking the city and port areas of Barcelona. It is also possible to catch a Transbordador Aeri down to Platja Barceloneta. If you ever visit Barcelona this is a must do, except if zou suffer from vertigo, in which case I would not recommend the ride. The last four photographs on the left give you an idea of the perspective from the Transbordador Aeri. One thing that really got my attention was the proabably the strangest roundabout I have ever seen (although I haven't been to Rome or Paris yet).

After disembarking from our aerial adventure, we strolled over to the beach. I got my first close encounter with the Mediterranean Sea. Next time I will have to go prepared and take my togs but for now I was happz to walk along the beach. We found a couple of nice cafes/bars, so we settled in for cocktails and munchies. A great way unwind and relax.

That about wraps it up for Barcelona. I have ejoyzed both my trips to Spain but if I had to pick a favourite I would probably go with Madrid. I think I might to visit both again just to be sure......

Hasta luego,

Grizzly Bear