What a difference a 3-hour train ride makes! One cannot imagine a more stark contrast between two cities in a country - the staid, more pristine facades of Madrid and the vibrant, more colourful Barcelona. Well, it is like comparing any Canadian prairie capital city to Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, or Quebec City. But to be fair…that’s a 3-hour flight 🤭 However, it illustrates the dramatic cultural and political differences between two regions as Madrid has been the country’s capital seat ruled first by religious royal dynasties and then the Franco Fascist regime, so by nature very conservative whereas Barcelona, capital of Catalunya (Catalonia), has a unique culture and language and historically been quite progressive. Indeed, this region of Spain has two official languages (Catalan is the primary one), and has had an ongoing independence movement similar to Scotland and Quebec.
The first thing that struck me when arriving in the heart of Barcelona was the energy of the huge crowds; a Sunday afternoon and there were people everywhere. Likely a combination of holiday spillover and fantastic weekend weather was attracting everyone onto the streets. The second thing that struck me was a decidedly younger mix of people compared to Madrid with much fewer people our age or older out and about. As we were to discover in our first days out walking, Barcelona is much more amenable to persons with physical challenges - wide boulevards, ramps in most places, well-marked crossings, and slow changing traffic lights. The third thing that really stood out was the cosmopolitan mix of race and ethnicities compared to Madrid that likely has to do with the progressive nature of Barcelona and the fact it is a Mediterranean port city.
The architecture is truly something to appreciate here with varied facades and a range from Gothic and neo-Gothic to classical and neo-classical. Much more than a sterile monolithic plainness with ornate edifices where balconies have different characteristics and each entrance to a building has a unique style. Scattered around the squares and boulevards are a blend of traditional monumental statues and installation art plus wrought iron accents such as street lamps, gates, and railings. Streets are well-maintained, most everything is clean, and there is much more greenery given the semi-tropical climate. Barcelona is really one big piece of art and it is clear the people and city take great pride in their gem.
Before describing more about the first day or so in Barcelona I have to share the great pick in hotel. I did do some homework before booking but, as most people will relate to, you can read reviews, look at a map, and still really have no idea what you will get. Little did I know that I made an excellent selection, so on the trip so far it is two for two. The hotel is the NH Collection Barcelona Gran Hotel Calderón that is on the upper end of the Rambla de Catalunya, a vast boulevard that goes right down to the waterfront to the east. The main pedestrian mall of Rambla de Catalunya is three blocks away on the other side of La Plaça de Catalunya, so we are not in the middle of the crowds…conveniently on the outskirts, so we do not get much of the noise from the main drag or the plaza. The hotel is well-situated close to a great selection of reasonably priced restaurants, most with heated patios and all with tapas selections. The hotel, itself, is immaculate with wonderful staff, a brilliant rooftop deck, and a fantastic breakfast. I mean, how wrong can it be to have chocolate pie and donuts for breakfast?
By the time we got settled in to the hotel on Barcelona Day #1 it was time to go find a place to eat so we headed closer to Plaça de Catalunya. It was just starting to be dusk and the throngs of people headed to the plaza was incredible - it would almost get shoulder-to-shoulder as the evening progressed, yet there was a sense of perpetual motion…except when the traffic lights were red. And the buzz was energizing boosted by the dystonic techno music emanating from the center of the plaza. Holiday decorations and lights adorned the buildings and were strung overhead across the boulevards adding to the festive mood. I normally feel kind of claustrophobic in such overwhelming crowds (I hate congested malls at Christmas time), but for whatever reason I felt quite at ease in this mass of humanity. One thing I was a bit hyper-vigilant about was the presence of seemingly seamier individuals in the mix - this was a stark difference from Madrid where there were not as many “sketchy” characters about. There were a few people openly hawking drugs and a few groups of thuglets wandering around, and also a pretty significant police presence. Another difference here in Barcelona is the number of people who smoke; we saw very few smokers in Madrid and here there are many, including on the dining patios which is rather disgusting.
Barcelona Day #2 started with a self-directed random walking tour where we covered about 15 km (19,500 steps) taking in the sights at street level. I had a general itinerary in mind that would take us past some iconic landmarks, not least of which were some of Gaudi’s creations like the Sagrada Familia. We have a tour of the Sagrada Familia booked for when we get back from the cruise, but it was truly a treat to get that first glimpse of the structure still under construction. Usually I am more symmetrically inclined when it comes to architecture and, in general, most art - often I just don’t get the mindset (or eye) of the esoteric artiste. But there is something so pleasing and inspiring in Gaudi’s whimsical style that is hard to describe; certainly not a straight line to be seen. And the range of different architectural styles, both old and new, is so distinct from what one sees in most Canadian cities - really, pretty much all new buildings in Canada are just different shades of glass panels. And most of our 1970s and 1980s buildings are drab concrete structures devoid of any personality or individuality by comparison (e.g., the ugly “waffle” building in Vancouver). As well, the buildings here seem to be built to last so, in a sense, the variety of structures and styles are probably meant to be timeless. Certainly some have stood the test of time quite having been around hundreds of years and in continued excellent maintenance.
Barcelona by night on the Hop On/Hop Off bus was spectacular and an incredible way to relax after a day of wandering around. Such a different perspective of the world perched on the top of a double-decker bus and taking Hop On/Hop Off buses has been our strategic way of getting oriented to new major cities. It was a bit cooler, too, being open to the elements with a plunge in temperature once the sun went down. The weather has been sunny and temperate during the day (about +13C) with the evenings dipping to about +1 - 2C. The route we did took us by some of the places we visited during the day but ran from north to south, so we ended up going atop Montjuïc by some incredible structures such as the Olympic Stadium (remember the cauldron being lit by a flaming arrow in 1992?), the Montjuïc Castle, and the National Art Museum of Catalonia. We will need to go back in daylight to spend time at these places and to take in the sweeping vistas over Barcelona - this will be a mission for us after the cruise.
So now we must figure out what is in store for us today, the last day of December 2024. Definitely the other (blue) route of the Hop On/Hop Off bus for more Barcelona delights and try to get another 20,000 steps in. And it is New Year’s Eve, so I am sure there will be lots going on later today and tonight.
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