21 Nov 2007
Travel
Down the gangplank and into the city right around 0800, we skipped the tour groups in favor independence. (http://www.bcn.es/english/ihome.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona ). At first there were not many people up and around in the city. The ship docks are actually close to the city. We were able to walk two blocks to La Ramblas. Buying a day pass on the double-decker tour bus allowed us to cruise both loops. Because the bus drivers were going to be doing an intermittent strike between 1100-1600, we just stayed on the bus.
Walking :
Before getting passes to the city tour bus. Not all that expensive for 4+ hours of riding around first the blue, then the red loop starting and stopping more or less at Plaç de Catalunya.
The city also claims Christopher Columbus
And just a lot of interesting buildings. It is a city of architectural interest: trims on buildings, balconies with iron railings and interesting doors set back almost hidden by the surrounding walls.
And cathedrals – a prominent part of the city.
Proving that cells phones are needed, the teen managed to locate us on one of the main streets. I fed her lunch; after all, I am a mom. It was nice having her to order lunch – those years of Spanish have paid off, even here in Catalan. She is doing fine on her assignment, only wishing that three of the women at the Hostel would figure out quiet hours. She is here till Friday, then heads back to Germany by plane.
Knitting
Rivendell is not bus knitting. Peapods can be bus knitting. (This is my reward for finishing up that sock which has been UFOd for months and starting the second).
Audio Books
Twelve Red Herrings by Jeffrey Archer is a series of short stories. Quite British in most of their aspects, I still found most quite amusing.
-Holly