(text and pictures from 2010), (text and pictures from 2011), (winter in Seville), (text and pictures from 2012), (text and pictures from 2013), (text and pictures from 2014), (text and pictures from 2015), (text and pictures from 2016), (winter in Palermo) (text and from pictures 2017), (text og billeder fra 2018)
Friends and family, music, museums and Catalan nationalism
(video-link opens in new window on Danish language webpage)
After our winter in Seville we were very much looking forward to another long stay in a famous and interesting Spanish city. And Barcelona really is worth a visit even though tourism does play such an important role that it almost overshadows the real cultural qualities of the place; to put it slightly ironic we often referred to the place as 'Circus Gaudi'. Not that we did not enjoy Barcelona which is in many ways a picture of present day Europe. Once a rich medieval power (together with Aragon), union with Castille, early industrialism and associated wealth, political struggles durig the Spanish civil war (it is worth while (re)reading Orwell's: Homage to Catalonia) and a post Franco era with a strong Catalan nationalism. For instance one may experience the Catalan dance Sardana (watch video) every sunday at the square in front of the cathedral.
Our venue during the stay was Port Olimpic within easy reach of central Barcelona and a nice marina with several live-aboards (or neighbours Abraham and Veronica and their two dogs were wonderful local people). Furthermore we have local friends (Carme, wife of our unfortunately deceased friend Chris) as well as family (two nephews of the Argentinian branch of my family).
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| The coastline north of Barcelona with Port Olimpic in the background |
Port Olimpic |
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| The Med is not always calm and inviting and certainly not in a November gale |
Each and every day we could follow beach-volley in our 'backyard' |
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| Barcelona has a well developed bicycle system widely used by the locals | La Rambla |
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| The stairs on which Christopher Columbus allegedly was recieved by Queen Isabella after his 'discovery' of the new world |
La Segrada Familia, Gaudis masterpiece and a top tourist attraction |
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| Another Gaudi building: CasaBatilla' |
Sardana the typical Catalan dance which is a strong national expression (also: watch video) |
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| Our wonderful Catalan friend: Carme | My nephews, wives and child |
