BARCELONA, WE MADE IT!

 Hotel Gaudi

Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 12, 

Barcelona, Spain

Sunny, 57F

We traveled from 1:40 p.m.  to 6 a.m. EST the next day on 3 jets from Erie, through Charlotte, JFK in NYC, then on to Barcelona--the flights were relatively smooth, and we ate well on Iberian Air. TK is such a master travel planner and he made sure we had larger premium seats, just the two of us in the aisle, 1st row, with lots of leg room and easy access to the bathroom.  

On   the way to the   hotel I noticed this interesting cemetery with crypts dug into the "mont." 

This is Montjuic Cemetery--organized in 1883

Warm weather greeted us as we found our preplanned  taxi driver who drove us to Hotel Gaudi, which is about 1/2 block from Las Ramblas, a favorite and well known tree lined street in the older part of the city.  So many people share our love of strolling this street. After we freshened up a bit (about 3 p.m. BCN time-9 a.m. in Erie), we did just that. There is so much to do! 

Las Ramblas--will post better photos  tomorrow!

Our first stop was Mercado de La Bouqueria, the famous market,  The smells, colors, textures, variety, are amazing, from marzipan candy, to sea urchins, to empanadas, to pomegranates, to emu eggs and Kalamati   olives!  

Eggs, including emu and ostrich!

Beautiful vegetables!

The market

By now I could see that TK was fading and he wanted to eat--we stopped at La Poma where we have eaten before and shared a pizza with Iberian ham, tomatoes, arugula, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and tomato sauce, and Coke Zero.  I love the little robot they  use to deliver the food, but not the pizza,  

La Poma restaurant

menu

our pizza

A darling little robot that carries plates to diners

I don't sleep on airplanes, so why I was OK, I don't know, but we returned to the hotel so TK could rest and I could write. He did a wonderful job of planning this trip! 

TK's Takes:  He wishes there were benches along Las Ramblas for sitting.  He was cranped on the first two flights, but thought the flight overseas was much better, but very long. Great seats!