May 2009
[ Barcelona Photo Gallery ]

Alison: What trip is complete without some shopping?  I say this in all honesty: shopping is a cultural experience.

Luc: I don’t know about that. Having 3-hour session of looking at women’s clothes is not precisely cultural in my view. I wonder why Alison likes to travel. When we get in a new city, the first thing she spots that has the most interesting cultural curiosities are shopping malls!

Alison: I tried not to drag you all over, but I am sure I tried your patience, especially at the espadrilles store…

Luc: Yes, that was an uber experience in shopping experience. 3 hours sitting on a wooden bench, looking at everyone’s feet in the store, and observing how women can be undecisive when their feet are concerned. And she was getting impatient with me when we were in Ibiza while I was looking for a good place to have dinner…

Alison: But you have to admit, we had fun. And you even helped pick out a great leather belt and suede shorts at Massimo Dutti. (Note from Luc: that was my trick to get you out of the store!)

La Manual Alpargatera

This shop ranks right up with the Gaudi museum in terms of a must-see in Barcelona.  La Manual Alpargatera has some history behind it, having started as an espadrille workshop in the 1940s, just after the end of the Spanish Civil War.  And by the look of it, so do the nanas who pass back and forth from the client to the stockroom, quietly serving each customer one at a time.

Luc: Magic word here: ONE at the time. And that lasted hours before we eventually got out of there with 20 Euros’ worth of purchases. <roll eyes>

La Manual Alpargatera offers espadrilles in all colors, styles and sizes. The shop alone is a must-see, given its history.

At first glance, the shop appears, well, a bit colorless by Barcelona standards.  But that misperception was soon dismissed. Coming in from a brightly lit day, it took only a few seconds for the contents of the main display cases to come into focus.  And there they were, in all colors of the rainbow: pink, purple, orange, red, green, bright turquoise and baby blue. And in all styles, from the classic flat and wedge heel with ribbons to ankle strap.

There isn’t a foot –man, woman or child — that can’t be fit by the expert eye of the sales ladies. And if you ever wondered where good service went, you will find it here.  These women are in no hurry.  And that’s a good thing when you are faced with so many choices. A word of caution: Plan to spend an hour or more if there are more than two customers in the store.

Once settled on one of the wooden benches, I was quickly measured and my color choices vetted by my salesperson.  No black for you, she said, with a decisive shake of the head.  Then lifting a long hook from the wall behind me, she swiftly brought down selections from a wall crammed floor to ceiling with espadrilles.  Apparently the flat ones are stored here, the fancier ones in the stockroom.

At the reasonable cost of  7 and 12 euros, I picked up three pair: aqua and purple flats and baby blue wedge laceups.

After seeing this video on the making of La Manual Alpargatera espadrilles, I have an even greater appreciation for my purchases.  The attentive service I experienced at the front end  mirrors the craftsmenship that goes into each pair of shoes.

Massimo Dutti

I love, love, love this store and issue a formal plea for Massimo Dutti to open in Montréal. Apparently, Massimo Dutti is the high-end sibling of Zara, which does have shops here (sigh).  Massimo Dutti offers style and quality at a reasonable price. Even Luc was inspired to pick out items for me to try, and only lost patience toward the end of two hours of marathon shopping. I bought a beautiful white peasant shirt with intricate detail, a cool leather belt, butter-soft suede shorts and my first pair of great skinny jeans.

Shameful as it sounds, part of the reason I want to go back to Spain is just to go back here again. There are several Massimo Dutti stores worldwide. Again, just not in Montréal (sigh).

El Corte Inglés

El Corte Inglés is comparable to Les Galeries Lafayette or in Berlin’s legendary Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe), but perhaps not quite as upscale. I went in an emergency search for leggings, as it was getting cold  and rainy, and I had not packed more than one pair of pants. A wonderful salesperson recommended Wolford velvet leggings. These leggings are amazing and a real wardrobe travel staple.  Well worth the investing a few more dollars when you consider the quality.

Luc: Dang, you got a good memory for stores Alison. How come you always ask me where this photo or that photo was taken…? Is it what one may call “Selective memory”?

Art Escudellers

We had been looking for a place to buy gifts for our cat-sitting friends, and luckily happened upon Art Escudellers, a shop packed with beautiful ceramics, tiles, decorative glass, gardenware and jewelry.

Luc: Also bought a men’s leather and silver bracelet there.  Very nice.

Art Escudellers has three Barcelona locations. Click image for map.

You can easily come away with affordable gifts, no problem.  What’s hard is not loading up on the beautiful pottery and dishes.  Art Escudeller locations: La Rambla 96, Escudellers 23-25 and Escudellers 12.

Barcelona Airport Shops

If you have any euros and/or energy left, the Barcelona Airport shops are well worth your time, including La Perla, Lacoste, Diesel, Adidas Nike, and, yes, Massimo Dutti and Zara.

Shopping Tips:

We missed a number of great Barcelona shops, some which would have made valuable additions to our many wonderful souvenirs (literal and figurative). were disappointed by the recommendations in the Lonely Planet book.  Best advice: Do online research in advance and intersperse between site-seeing and museum outings.

May 2009
[ Barcelona Photo Gallery ]

Barcelona is a food city. Go hungry and open-minded.  The best meal you have may be tapas from a beachside café.  But also do some research in advance to ensure you don’t always drop into to the first restaurant you see – as there are many.  Sponteneity can lead to both hits and misses, as long as you are willing to take the risk.  We were.

Classic Gotic
c/de la Plata no 3

Luc: Hah! I knew we could find this place again!

Alison: I’m amazed. It’s a labrynth around here. Looks like they are re-opening after remodeling. Hope that’s a good sign. It is our first real meal here.

Luc: Hmmm. Well, let’s still try it. I like the look of it, and besides, we get a free cocktail to help them celebrate.

Alison: You are usually really good about picking places…Ah, let’s do it.

And later, after meal is served, and first bites taken….

Luc: Hmmm.  My food is really salty.

Alison: Mine, too.  And you know if I think something is salty … What a bummer, as normally my pasta (see image  above) should taste great, with the grated reggiono, mushroom sauce, fresh peas and balsamic vinegar.

Luc: Sorry sweetie! Looks like I didn’t do so well this time.

Alison: It’s not your fault!  Besides, we got days to eat good food.  It’s only our first night.

El Pi Antic
Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol (Oça del Pi)

Click image for beautifully mapped directions to Barcelona restaurant El Pi Antic.

After a rainy morning spent touring the Cathedral, then exploring,  we came upon a charming restaurant tucked deep in the area bordered by La Rambla, Puerta Ferrisa and the Barcelona Cathedral.

Housed  in the Palau Fiballer, circa 1571,  El Pi Antic has all the warmth and amenities of an old time tavern.  Just what we needed to warm our bones and fill our empty stomachs.

Alison: I think that must be the owner.  He seems to be greeting all the regulars.  Oh my god, did he just change his shirt in the middle of the restaurant! A little too much intimacy!

Luc: Mais, non !

Alison: Mais, oui !  And how would you know,  you weren’t looking that way.

Luc: Sigh.  Can we just order? There is a table d’hôte for 12 euros.  Let’s try that.

Alison: It’s a lot of food.  Sardines, fried calamari with french fries.Then paella. Plus dessert.  Ah, why not?

Luc: That is very good.  We will have to come back.  You aren’t going to finish your sardines?

Alison: It is just too much food! I think they must get tired by the time dessert comes around – what did you get, a cup of pre-packaged ice cream?  My flan was OK, a bit watery. But, hey, who cares.  It was just what we needed.

Bodega Latinaja
Esparteria 9 El Born

Have to admit we missed a big opportunity: Finding a restaurant/club that played traditional Spanish guitar.  There is an Guitar Festival that runs from Feb. 21 -June 10, 2010, featuring concerts by Quimi Portet, John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension and Paco de Lucía.  So to forgive ourselves for this major oversite, here is an amazing  performance by M. de Lucía circa 1970s.

We did find a restaurant with great atmosphere that served traditional Catalon dishes, setting was rustic and cozy – like a big cavern with the front opened to the street and the stone walls crammed with shelves of pottery of all sizes.

Alison: I am so happy we found a restaurant that specializes in Catalon dishes.  I mentioned that I worked with someone who is from here,  Sylvain Amoros.  I want to share with him the meats and cheeses we tried: Boll, Cleda, Urgelia.

Luc: This is a lot of food!

Alison and Luc enjoying great authentic Catalon food and atmosphere at Barcelona's Bodega LaTinaja.

Alison: I am hungry. And you know how much I love cheese. What do you like the best?

Luc: This sausage is my favorite. Nice and spicy.

Alison: I wonder if those pots are for sale…Let’s ask the waiter.

Luc: Told you they wouldn’t be for sale.

Alison: Well, how was I supposed to know they date to the 16th century and that a representative from the church makes a monthly trip to take inventory.

Luc: And what a bummer that they lost so many in an earthquake … I’m going to ask someone to take our picture.

Restaurante Sailor
Paseo Colón

Marinated octopus topped with spicy paprika at Restaurant Sailor, Barcelona, Spain

Luc: Enough shopping and browsing. I’m hungry! Let’s wind back toward the hotel. This boulevard has some good places. And it’s good for people-watching

Alison: I like this place. It has nice big white umbrellas, and the sun is starting to get kind of intense. Plus it reminds me of what one of those Monaco seaside cafés would be like. I watch too many movies.

Luc: Try this bread with the tomato and olive oil spread. It’s amazing!

Alison: Yum. That bread is so soft. I could eat this for lunch. Think I will get sardines. They are so good here.

Luc: For an appetizer, I’m going for octopus!  After Ibiza, I am craving this stuff. And I am going to get the iberican ham.

Alison: So, what’s the verdict?

Luc: This was soooo good, I may want to come back!

La Botiga
Rambla Catalunya 27

Luc: After walking around all day and going to the museum, I am exhausted. Where should we eat? I don’t think I can go any further. Here, this looks good. Let’s just try it.

Alison: I don’t know what really sounds good here. I think I’m going to just get smoked salmon and capers.

Luc: I am going to try the crab salad and the squid.

Frank Gehry's Le Peix (Fish) on Port Olimpic.

Cavamar
Vila Joiosa 54

One afternoon, we took a long walk on the Barcelona beach and the board walk, stopping to check out the yachts parked in the harbor – marvelling how much money it took these days to even get the boat out of the harbor.

On Port Olimpic, we checked out a huge fish sculpture, whose coppery glint is like a siren call, you have to get closer to it.  And when you do, the apparent lushness of the scales that lured you transforms into bare bones wire.

The Peix fish sculpture was actually designed by  Canadian Frank Gehry for the 1992 Olympics and measures 35  x 54 meters.  Our photo doesn’t do the size justice but then perhaps it is because competing against Spain’s two tallest buildings, the Hotel Arts (Gehry was of the architects) and the Mapfre tower.

Read more about Frank O. Gehry and Gehry’s Peix (Fish).

We  strolled through a nice park, where Luc took a photo of a woman on bench holding an umbrella to shield herself from the sun.

Alison savoring the tapas peppers at Cavamar.

After our long walk , we stopped at Restaurante Cavamar for a cold beer. Seats at the beachside restaurant are a premium, and to stay, we had to order food.  Quickly scanning the Cavamar menu, I impulsively ordered “hot small green peppers.” Alison fully enjoying the peppers at Restaurante Cavamar

Alison: These are pretty big for “small peppers.”  Mmmmm check out the sea salt.

Luc: Wow!  And I mean WOW!  You have to try these.  They are amazing.

Alison: Not too hot?

Luc: Not at all.

Alison: Ohhh!  These are better than French Fries!  And that healthy, green taste.

Luc: I am going to make these at home.  The recipe cannot be that hard.

Alison: This is perffect with the beer.  And I wasn’t even hungry!

Luc: Good job, Alison.  This may be the best thing we’ve eaten the whole trip! And for just 11 eros (2,50 each beer; 6,00 for the pimentos del padron)

May 2009
[ Barcelona Photo Gallery ]

Alison: Finally!  We can go back to the room.

Luc: Stop and look up.  See that balcony up there, that’s our room.

Alison: Are you sure? This is exciting … top floor.

Alison: OK.  Ready for the countdown.  It’s so quiet here!

Luc: So, even if we got here really early, you’ll see, it was worth the wait.

Alison: Key in the door.  Oooh!  I like it.  Calm green is nice.  And the room is a big change from the one we had in Italy – remember, you kept hitting your head on that slanted ceiling? And check out the bathroom … plenty of counterspace for all my stuff…

Luc: Forget about that, come here.  Don’t even think about unpacking.  Come here and look at this.

Alison: Woah! When you said balcony, I thought it was just a place for you to stick your head out the window for a smoke.  This is amazing! It’s bigger than the room!  And we are right up there with the cathedral steeple.

Luc: Yeah, see that guy working wayyy up there on the scaffolding?  Now come and look over the side to see the view.  You can see the entire square.  And that’s where we are going to have coffee tomorrow morning – that place with the outside tables just across the plaza.

Alison: We have to use this to the fullest.  Maybe have lunch out here with some hams, cheeses and wine from the market.

Luc chilling on the Hotel Colón balcony with Le Seu in background.

Luc: Excellent idea. Now let’s open that bottle of wine!

Alison: And I’ll get those cherries, too.

Luc: My only bummer about the room is the TV: fully digital with all the connexions (DHMI, RGB, VGA, etc) and Internet access. BUT, everything is software locked. Can’t connect my iPhone to watch the movies we brought along (hey, my Spanish ain’t bad but on the other hand not that good) unless you pay – and I thought I’ve paid enough with this room with the terrace – bit expensive, but hey.. once in a while why not. So much less money to spend on Alison’s shopping budget, he, he he).

May 2009
[ Barcelona Photo Gallery ]

Delayed Check-in

Luc: The room is still occupied. Hotel Colón allows late check out and it will take some time to prepare the room.  So we have to come back at 3 p.m.

Alison: That’s disappointing, what is that 7 hours … but I know we may be grateful for that late checkout when our time comes.

Luc: So let’s go get some food. Where’s that place you wanted to go?

Our first visit to La Rambla

Alison strolls down La Rambla, Barcelona, Spain

Alison: (Reading) “La Rambla or Les Rambles is the most famous street in Barcelona. The wide boulevard connects the Plaça de Catalunya, a busy square, to the Monument a Colom, a tall column erected in honor of Christoffel Columbus.”  My god, it continues! Do you think there is another body part somewhere we will be seeing?

Luc: Maybe.  And it could be right across the street at the cathedral, next to the tomb of the virgin.

Alison: You are bad!

Luc: No, just hungry.  I’m starting to get a headache. Where is this place?

Alison: Be patient … Ohhh!  Checkout that big market … We are going to have to stop in there.

Luc: Yeah, yeah.  But now it’s time for food.

Breakfast at Café de l’Opera

Luc: OK, there it is.  Let’s sit outside.

Alison: Yes, great for people-watching.

Luc: What’s so great about this place again?

Alison: Supposedly has been around for ages and serves great coffee and orange juice. And great location. And Café de l’Opera will be our first recommendation from Lonely Planet”s Barcelona guide.

Check out the woman over there.  What is she doing?

Performance artist on La Rambla

Luc: I think she’s supposed to be a fruit stand …

Alison: Where do you put the money?

Luc: That little basket in front by the bananas, maybe?

Alison: OK, from what I’m reading here, looks like La Rambla is a prime place for street artists – let’s go further down after you finish eating and then come back to the market.  I think I’m just going to have the fresh squeezed orange juice.

Teddy Roosevelt on La Rambla

Alison: This is so cool!  All the living statues.  Look, there’s Teddy Roosevelt!  And that looks like an alien.

Luc: The makeup is amazing. How do they stay so still?

Alison: And check out the birds for sale … You know, now that I think of it, we haven’t seen one dog since we arrived.  Great for clean streets, but do you think there is some law or something?

Luc: Now that you mention it … We did see a cat, but inside … Hmmm. Let’s keep an eye out. (Note: We never did see a single dog the whole trip.)

La Boqueria Market

Alison: Look at all the fruit!  It’s gorgeous!

Amazing fruit at La Boqueria Market

Luc: I’m looking at the fish. Man, I wish we had this at home!

Alison: This place is huge.  And really crowded.  Maybe if we stopped going in all directions and just went up and down?

Luc: OK, but find something to eat and then let’s pick up some stuff for the hotel room.  Then, let’s get outta here.  It’s starting to get to me.

Alison: There are restaurants in the back.  How cool … OK, I am going to pick up a veggie burrito.

Luc: How much was that?

Alison: 11 euros.

Luc: Do you know how much that is?

Alison: I think he ripped me off …

Luc: Did you ask the price first?

Alison: Nooo…

Luc: Sigh…

Alison: OK, OK.  I screwed up.  But look how big this is, and there is some salad here at the side.  Maybe I was supposed to get a drink…

Luc: Sigh…

Alison: OK, moving on … I am going to get some cherries and strawberries for the room.

Luc: Good idea.  And a bottle of wine.

Alison: You know, they have 5 of these markets in different parts of the city.  Maybe we will end up hitting all 5!  Wouldn’t that be great?!

Luc: Sigh…

Easy transition from plane to bus to hotel

May 2009
[ BarcelonaPhoto Gallery ]

Alison: De-de-de-de-dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum – BARCELONA! De-de-de de …”

Luc: De-de-de-de, dumb, dumb.  I still don’t get it.

Alison: Ah, I forget Frenchie – limited musicology past the ’70s.  Its “My Sharona.” You know, “My Sha-rona, Bar-ce-lona“  … Nevermind.  So where is the hotel again?

Luc: See, (takes out iPhone) here is the Barcelona street view from Google. I have already walked the streets – so all we have to do once we land is take a bus, then walk a few blocks to the hotel. Cool, eh?

Alison: So you just put in the address and poof!  I hope it’s not like those crappy GPS things the cabbies rely on.  And you’re sure it’s not far to walk – we’ve got all these bags to haul.

Luc: No, no. I know what I’m doing.

Alison: And the hotel is nice, right?

Luc: Yes, the hotel is nice.  Just wait.  Trust me, you’ll see.

Alison: Well, I admit, so far so good.  Pretty easy to get from airport.  For 3.40 Euros each, the one Aerobus got us where we needed to go.

Luc: Plaça de Catalunya. Told you so.

Alison: My God, people really get dressed up for work here … And I thought Italian men were handsome…

I love wide streets like this.  And no cars allowed. What are they called?  Promenades? Can we just go a bit slower, I want to check out these stores … remember where this is so we can find it again!

Luc: Ah, come on … you will have plenty of time for that later.  Besides, everything closed.  It’s still early. Now I understand with her “De-de-de-de-dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum, Barcelona…”! Hope she doesn’t start looking for a shop for ME..

Alison: OK, grumpy, this is starting to seem more than a few blocks.  Are you sure we are going the right way?

Luc: Yeeesss…

(Rounding corner, street opens into the Plaça de la Seu and suddenly looming before us is the majestic Catedral de Barcelona – official name Cathedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulalia, after Barcelona’s patron saint Eulalia.  Or simply, La Seu Cathedral.)

Alison: Holy cow!  That cathedral is gorgeous! We will have to go inside at some point. Preferably on a day it rains. Are you hungry.  I’m  hungry.  Let’s go out and get breakfast at one of these little cafés as soon as we get to the hotel. Or we can try that place in the Lonely Planet book on La Rambla.

Luc: OK, this is it! Hotel Colón.

Alison: Really?  Wow! Brass nameplate… I’m impressed. This is going to be verryyy nice, isn’t it?

Luc: Just wait…