Train to Barcelona and Introduction to the city, October 14

Tauck had arranged for a driver who promptly arrived at 10:15 to take us the short distance to the train station for our 11:30 departure. The moving and sloping ramp down to the platform was a bit of a challenge as we were each pulling two suitcases. One of mine fell but the man behind me picked it up. The high speed AVE train was very nice and quite relaxing. It took 3 hours and 10 minutes as there were several stops. Sometimes the time is shorter depending on the number of stops. The train reached a speed of 300 kilometers (186 miles) an hour. At 1:00 we were served a very nice and tasty lunch of fish and rice. After a fairly short taxi ride to our hotel, the Barcelona Renaissance, we settled into our new room, very modern, not large, but with all of the amenities. The location is great.

About five we decided to go for a walk and we headed up our street, Pau Claris, four blocks to the Casa Mila, called La Pedrera (the stone quarry) which was designed by Antoni Gaudi, famous Barcelona architect of the early 20th century. Industrialist Pere Mila commissioned Gaudi to build an apartment building so Mila could live on the main floor and rent out the rest. It is an amazing structure, not a straight line anywhere, built between 1906-1912. The elevator takes you to the rooftop, a series of curved patios that flow up and down and around the strangely-shaped chimneys. Views of the city are wonderful and you can see Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, not too far away. It is the cathedral that is still not finished and will not be completed in our lifetime. Walking down from the rooftop, you reach the attic with its many brick arches. There are displays about the structure and examples of the furniture. One flight below the attic is the apartment on display showing the rooms as they were in the early 1900s. An elevator takes you down the next six flights as those floors are not open to the public, because people are presently living there. We walk back to our hotel on Passage de Gracia, a beautiful wide double boulevard with another Gaudi building as well as many interesting buildings from that era.

 

View from the entry

The rooftop

View of Sagrada Familia from the rooftop of La Pedrera

A bedroom in La Pedrera

We take a cab to the Hotel Arts where our friends are staying. It is a magnificent building with many pieces of art, unusual contemporary furniture and decor and avant garde floral arrangements. Their room has a beautiful view of the harbor. It was dark when we arrived and the lights sparkled. The staff at their hotel is extremely helpful. The concierge walked us to the elevator bank where we rode up to the 20th floor to find their room. We had a glass of wine with them. Then a hotel staff person walked us halfway to the restaurant which was recommended by their concierge, CDLC. Upon entering we walked down fairly steep stairs with no banisters, only huge statues of Chinese terra cotta warriors at the top, middle and bottom. The first part of the restaurant had various alcoves where couples were reclining as they enjoyed their drinks, dinner and each other. Our table was outside near the sandy beach. It was a beautiful Mediterranean evening. Small Chinese glass lanterns lit the dining room and terrace. They brought the wine list which had only one Spanish wine. Bob ordered it, but they were out. He chose then an Australian Chardonnay and they were out of it. Finally third time charm. We had a plate of spring rolls, so-so. Three of us ordered pad Thai. I enjoyed mine, but my friend did not get her dinner of chicken wok for sometime and she did not like it. Near us were more alcoves where couples were reclining as they drank their sangria. We saw some unusual plates and presentations of Asian food served to a nearby table. We walked back to the hotel for coffee, etc. and a good visit in the beautiful lobby with our friends. Back to our hotel around midnight!

Lobby of the Hotel Arts

 

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