Wednesday May 13, 2015

Just a quick entry tonight as it is late and I am tired.

Picasso mural

Today we went on another tour. This one was of the Picasso Museum and the Gothic Quarter. I haven't any pictures from the Picasso Museum as they were not allowed with flash or without. Our guide was excellent explaining to us many interesting facts about Picasso and highlighting significant works. Most of the three thousand pieces are from Picasso's earliest years which means that they are more "academic" (i.e., approachable) than his later work. Also, some of the paintings had significant problems which helps me to see why and how the better paintings are better.

After the museum, we went for a walking tour of the medieval/Roman portion of Barcelona. It's amazing to realize that people having been walking these streets and living in these buildings for two thousand years. We even saw columns from the original Roman temple that had been buried within a building and then  uncovered.

Cathedral

We again took a portion of the afternoon for needlepoint and relaxation before heading out on another tapas tour.

Please ignore fact that my third button is undone. I noticed it halfway through the evening. I mean I have been a little daring on this trip, skipping a T shirt on many days and leaving the top two buttons on my shirt undone but three? Well that's just too much!

This time we went to a different part of Barcelona, the Gracia district. This is definitely more off the beaten track and it is a hip/happening part of town. 

I look skeptical but really I am just concentrating on what our guide is telling us about the food

The food we ate tonight was better than last night even though we were served squid croquettes that were finished with squid ink and therefore black in color (surprisingly mild in flavor and not really objectionable).

I also ate tuna and sardines (again). Our guide, John, was very informative and engaging and it was a pleasant evening. A lot of food though and I was definitely feeling stuffed on the mile plus walk back to the hotel.

Casa Battlo at night