Day 02: Barcelona

Date	May 24 ( Wednesday )
Total This Camino:	0 miles.
Total 2023 Caminos:	0 miles
Total All Caminos:	1735 miles
Lodging:	Hostal Levante @ $ 80
Total Lodging:	$ 160
Planes:	$ 1350
Total Planes:	$ 1350
Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$ 0 / 30 / 17 = 47
Food:	$ 50
Total Food:	$ 65

Meaningful Moment

Deb and I had a serious discussion about our plans this morning. After talking over various options, we decided that we would change up our second half plans significantly.

We are going to stay in the Catalunya and Aragon regions instead of going over to the West Coast of Spain for the second half of our hike

What brought about this radical revision and plans?

Tomorrow is expected to be a 90% rain day. As our first day of hiking, this simply was not appealing to us. 

Coincidentally we had just finished a very interesting tour of Gothic Barcelona. You can see in some of the pictures below that we saw columns dating from before Christ, and history through the Spanish civil war. We had not realized how much this area has developed and changed.

Therefore over a fantastic meal of paella down near the port area, we decided to drop the hiking in Galicia.

So instead, after we complete our plan to hike from Barcelona to Zaragoza, we will stay here, possibly heading towards Navarra and the Basque area.

Random Thought of the Day

Starting the day at Starbucks at plaza Sant Jaume.

Deb and I are doing a two and a half hour walking tour of Barcelona this morning, and what a coincidence! The tour starts here at Starbucks.

On the Road / Notable memories

Gurutour: we had an amazing tour guide on our free walking tour of Barcelona. His name was Luca.

In addition to the standard information on all the historical buildings in the Gothic area, he infused the tour with the feelings and pride and emotion of being a Catalan.

There is a tremendously strong independence movement in this autonomous community of Spain.

 Our guide explained to us throughout the course of the two and a half hour tour where that sense of independence and desire for freedom from the national government of Spain comes from.

Prior to being marriage of Ferdinand of Castillo and Isabel of Aragon, Barcelona was a trading and commercial power center of the Mediterranean. With their marriage, the two countries joined one and became Spain.

During the Spanish civil war, Barcelona was on the side of the Republicans. When the city finally fell to the forces of Francisco Franco, he exacted his revenge by banning the Catalan language and any aspects of Catalan culture. Only 40 years later with the death of Franco, where the catalans able to begin their path towards freedom again.

It took me a while to warm up to his presentation but by the end, I was very attentive.

Following the tour, we went to a restaurant called Can Ramonet. Luca recommended it as some of the best paella in Barcelona. I have learned that Deb loves paella so it was a must-go-to stop. It was worth the effort. The street ambience was pleasant; the weather was great; the food was delicious.

Deb and I returned tonight to the new Gothic quarter for dinner at the Bar de Pla. Another recommendation from our tour guide Luca. The restaurant was packed as the Barcelona nightlife was kicking off. And again the food was great.

 Quite good food so far in Barcelona. I'm a eat to live guy, so Deb is showing me fine dining.

	Roman columns from the first century BC from the time of emperor Augustus Caesar
	Jewish quarter of Barcelona. Thriving district until one of the waves of the Black plague. Lacking scientific understanding, the Christians drove the Jews out, thinking it was a plague, related to the Jewish residents.
	Ironically, the plague affected the Jewish people less because they had much more hygienic habits, such as burying their dead outside of the city, and washing of the hands, among other examples.
	Artistic work representing Cataluña's most popular sport, the human tower.
	Boulevard along the waterfront
	The damage to the building was caused during the Spanish civil war when the Italian fascists bombed Barcelona.
	Eglesia Sant Jaume, where we got the first stamp in our pilgrim credentials
	Christopher Columbus had ties to Barcelona. There is a massive statue to him overlooking the port of Barcelona.
	Eglesia Sant Jaume: Deb and I went here to get our first stamp in our pilgrim credentials