Barcelona

We got on the train in San Sebastian yesterday morning at 7:40. We followed the ticket agent's instructions and got on the 2nd coach even though the number seemed wrong. About 1/2 way here we realized we really were in the wrong coach so we went to the 1st class coach we were supposed to be in at the other end of the train.

We travelled through Pamplona and a couple of other cities on the way here. The running of the bulls started today in Pamplona but it's supposed to be a real zoo - a million tourists for 1 week, nowhere to stay, nowhere to eat etc.

On the way here, after we got through the mountains we got out into a dry rolling plain that reminded me of the Okanagan Valley. There were hundreds of huge wind turbines and some solar panels. Apparently the Spanish prefer wind for their peak power needs instead of coal, oil or nuclear. Thankfully the Save Our Skyline group in the Madawaska Valley haven't had any influence here. We think the turbines look majestic. We also think that mountains without tops to get at the coal inside don't look as good. But that's just us.

We arrived in Barcelona at 1:40 and immediately went to the advanced ticket windows to get a reservation for our next part of the journey on Thursday to Montpellier France. For the lineup you have to take a number and wait your turn. Our number was 258 but they were at 433 or so on their way to 500 before they started over at 1. At around 3:30 some woman who didn't have to use her number gave it to us: 172. We used it just after 4 and were able to get a tourist, not first, class reservation for Thursday. Anita then gave our number 258 which we hadn't used to some little old nun so her wait would be a little less.

We took 2 different subway lines to our pension which was no problem, just hot. We're in a small flat with only a few double rooms with nobody here but us now and one bathroom. It's very clean and well located within walking distance of all the stuff we want to see. Last night we had a really good Chinese buffet at a restaurant recommended to us across the street. They had every kind of seafood and fry cooks who would cook it up on the spot. We pigged out. There seem to be a lot of people of Chinese descent here. Who knew.

Today we walked over to the Barcelona Cathedral. It's magnificent. Just outside we listened to a really cool Chilean 3 man group. Then we strolled through the Gothic barrio but it's not really that much different than what we came from in San Sebastian. We followed through it down to the beach which is really nice although quite crowded. The Mediterranean is nice and warm. After that we walked back up La Rambla which is a big wide boulevard with a central walkway full of all kinds of touristy stuff. There were lots of mime type characters in all kinds of costumes. That was fun. By 4 this afternoon we were ready for a cool shower and a rest. Soon we'll head out for a drink on the street somewhere and then we're going for a Mediterranean dinner at another restaurant nearby.

Tomorrow we're heading in another direction to see some other sights in beautiful Barcelona. The architecture is really great here and there are lots of huge sculptures and wide boulevards to walk down. For a city of 1.9 million, it's a very cool (although hot) place.