Spanish Promenade

Barcelona is a beautiful seaside city with charming surprises and touristy delights around every corner, says Hoihnu Hauzel

It was a blissful feeling. I arrived in Barcelona with no agenda whatsoever. All I had to do in the next few days was to explore the city all by myself — and at my own pace. I wasn’t going to hire a guide to take me around Antoni Gaudi’s incomplete church and I didn’t need anyone to show me around the famous Picasso museum tucked away in a quiet corner of the city.

Come to think of it, I could make it on my own to watch the ships at the Port of Barcelona, which connects over 825 ports around the world and also to go on a tapas eating spree and discover places where freshly caught seafood was served.

I made a good start by figuring one key feature of the city’s geography — all roads lead to the La Rambla. This is a street in central Barcelona dotted with shops, restaurants and kiosks.

One of my first stops was at the towering statue of Christopher Columbus. Being in an adventurous mood, I took an elevator 50m to the top of the statue — only to regret it as soon as I reached the top. I realised I didn’t have a head for heights.

The next day I started out again with only a city map for company and comfortable shoes to see me along the way. It was a relief not to have a guide or travel companions who would have either kept me waiting or hurried me up every time I tried to capture an amazing sight on my camera.

Barcelona is located on the Mediterranean and the view from the aeroplane as it descends is breathtaking. You see an unruffled blue sea all around. The air’s fresh with just a slight nip in the air. Even in December, a jacket is enough and you don’t need gloves or a scarf.

It’s a great city for wandering about on foot. I walked about 5km to 10km every day but I hardly noticed it because it was fun walking on the cobbled streets dotted with little shops and boutiques.

And every day, I would discover something new. I found electronic stores and supermarkets run by Indians. There was also a smart Indian restaurant called Indian Bollywood, which is known for activities like Bollywood-style dancing several nights a week.

I was staying not far from La Rambla and I wandered over there every day. It has an interesting market and something is bound to catch your eye. I stopped by at the florists selling everything from seeds, cacti and roses to tulips and ferns. There were also hawkers selling pets. You can get a baby turtle for 60 euros and a white rat for 20 euros. Also on sale were goldfish and even a pair of mongoose.

And, of course, there was heaps of street theatre. One man was dressed in a Red Indian costume and another pretended to be dead and lay in a coffin. Yet another was dressed like a grizzly bear and there was even one walking around in a vegetable outfit.

Barcelona is a major port connecting 825 destinations around the world
The trick is to drop them a coin or two and they’ll happily pose for you. But if you try to take photographs without parting with cash, they’ll hide their faces.

One of the many streets off La Rambla leads to the Picasso museum, where I found myself after a pleasant walk. It was built in 1963 and sprawls over five Gothic palaces, once home to Barcelona’s aristocrats.

The museum exhibits Pablo Picasso’s early works, mostly done during his formative years in Barcelona. His original works are, of course, impressive. I was particularly fascinated by the Las Meninas series and also the original sketch of Las Meninas.

One man you cannot escape in Barcelona is architect Antoni Gaudi, who has left a deep imprint on the city. I wandered around and spotted works like the Casa Batlló building. This is one of Gaudi’s masterpieces though it has a very haunted air about it.

Also, I made a pilgrimage to see Gaudí’s incomplete Colonia Güell chapel in Sagrada Familia, about 15 minutes from La Rambla. The incomplete church where building work started in 1899 is still under construction and you can see helmeted workers wandering about. A very touristy spot, it has hawkers all around selling souvenirs and snacks. But don’t eat here.

Boats at harbour in Barcelona

To try the local Catalonian food, head towards the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria market, popularly known as La Boqueria. Close to La Rambla, you’ll find rows of vegetable vendors surrounded by a sea of brightly coloured veggies.

Then there was freshly caught seafood from the Mediterranean like squid, octopus, prawns and kettle fish. I didn’t buy the fish for obvious reasons but I did take away fresh strawberries and dates.

In the middle of this chaotic market there are three restaurants. One of them became a regular haunt because I could have a mix of grilled seafood and grilled assorted vegetables. When I felt like tapas I headed to the fancier restaurants on the high street.

One fine evening I figured I had had enough of the busy streets, so I headed off to a slightly different spot — the Port of Barcelona. I found myself a vantage point from where I could watch the ships sailing away. It was a great spot and best enjoyed all on one’s own.

Source: https://www.telegraphindia.com