Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain!
I’d never visited Spain, so I was excited that it was one of the countries that my travel group and I would be able to visit. We were only going to be there for a day and half so we had to maximize our time. We arrived in the morning and met our cruise line representatives, who loaded us into a bus to the TRYP Barcelona Hotel. The hotel was very nice and the staff were prepared to welcome our very large group.
Although I was tired from traveling seven hours from Toronto, Canada, I was determined to go out into the city and explore. My sister and nieces arrived a day earlier and had already explored some of the city. After settling into my room, I called my sister’s room and they were just getting back from the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, or La Boqueria as it is commonly called. It is a public market and one of the city’s famous tourist landmarks. Because I was hungry, I’d asked them if they minded going back so that I could grab a bite to eat. She obliged so we headed to the market and I decided I’d use my iPhone to take photos. By the way, all of the photos taken in Barcelona were with my iPhone. It takes fabulous day images in natural lighting, not so much at night! Along the way I took in the street life and loved the outdoor cafes lined-up along one of the main streets. The people in Barcelona seemed pleasant and it was a beautiful afternoon. We arrived at La Boqueria and it was lively with patrons, especially at the entrance. Thank goodness, once we were beyond the entrance the crowding thinned out enough for me to feel comfortable. It was sort of chaotic; you’d think there was only one way in and out of the place, although there were several entrances.
The highlight of the market was the gelato, which was the absolute best I’ve ever eaten and the prosciutto, which was divine!
Later that afternoon a few of us met for dinner at a restaurant recommended by the hotel concierge. We all selected different entrees and most were happy with their choices. I couldn’t stop eating my sister’s fresh mozzarella salad. It was so good!
We had a great time at dinner and decided to stay out for a while. We walked the streets of Barcelona taking in our surroundings, while we waited for a tapas bar to re-open at 7p. It had been recommended to us by one of the locals. We made our way to Quimet & Quimet, which was a very small place that was very crowded when we arrived. It had wine bottles on every wall, nook and cranny; surely a wine connoisseur’s haven! We sampled wine and tapas. The tapas were so delicious! Each plate was really good; however, we all raved about the cheeses. Tapas actually originated in Spain, so it was a special treat to experience these traditional small meals.
Breakfast at the TRYP Hotel!
Below are a few more photos from our brief stay in Spain. Next: About the brand new cruise ship, Carnival Vista!
A Shutter Life 