Catching up with old friends in Barcelona

Barcelona Port

After double and triple checking the weather, we departed for Barcelona on June 2nd.  It would be an overnight sail with the expectation that we would arrive early in the am on June 3rd.  Barcelona is a big city and a big port.  Twenty to thirty miles out we started seeing considerable ship traffic.  And not just commercial ships but also several pleasure boats.  There were quite a few sailboats trying their best to make some headway with less than five knots of wind.  It was clear that they were just out sailing, not destination bound.  

Barcelona port entrance

 It was still dark as we approached Barcelona so we waited outside the port for enough light to enter.  There were several cargo ships at anchor and several coming into the port - time to stay alert!  

Me and my friend, Brenda - Barcelona Cathedral

As in much of Europe there is no shortage of beautiful cathedrals in Barcelona.  But the most iconic cathedral is the eclectic Sagrada Familia.  It is doubtless the most unusual cathedral we have ever seen.  The four of us walked to the Sagrada Familia, but did not go inside due to time constraints.  Michael and I had scheduled a tour of the cathedral for the next day, but sadly our friends cruise ship was only in Barcelona for a brief period so they did not see inside the church.  That is the way with cruise ships, they prefer that you spend the majority of your time on the ship.  

Sagrada Familia

 Sagrada Familia is the largest unfinished Catholic Church in the world.  Construction began in 1882, yet some question whether it will ever be finished.  There are serious obstacles in the path of completion, one of which is the inconvenient fact that there are now apartment buildings in the space where the rest of the spires are to be built.  The folks that live there are not agreeable to having their homes torn down to make room for the church's completion.  To say that the church is controversial would most certainly be an understatement.

Sagrada Familia

 

Even if you don't care for Antoni Gaudi's design that mixes Gothic and Art Nouveau styles, the attention to detail is admirable.  Some call the church "hideous" and some think it is "genius".  I think everyone can agree that it is in a class all its own.  Gaudi wanted the inside of the church to look like a forest - the pillars are to represent trees.  And he wanted a lot of natural light via the stained glass windows.  

Sagrada Familia

 

The inside of the cathedral for us was jaw dropping.  Definitely a must see if in Barcelona.  If it is ever finished we will make a return trip!

 

La Rambla

  Michael and I walked and walked and walked all around Barcelona.  After our second visit to Sagrada Familia we decided to stroll down La Rambla.  An iconic pedestrian street that was the site of a terrorist attack several years back.   Barcelona has been on my bucket list for some time - we were very happy to spend a few days there.  The weather was nice.  It was crowded but not Venice crowded.                                   

La Rambla

We have to arrive in Gibraltar by June 26th and still have a few places we want to visit along the Spanish coast.  And... Barcelona is very expensive - we can't afford to stay at the marina too long and there are no suitable anchorages (unless you are a cargo ship).  So we will be moving on to Valencia which should be our last overnight sail.  After that it will be short hops down the coast.  Looking forward to some more leisurely sailing😀.