[INSIGHT TRAVEL - EUROPEAN GRANDEUR] - Barcelona

DAY 11 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2000
BARCELONA - HOTEL HESPERIA ST. JUST
ROOM 525 (2300H)

God is good! Today's city tour ended right in front of the easyEverything internet franchise in Barcelona -- right beside the Lladro shop that was our official last stop.

Barcelona seems to have a friendlier feel to it now -- probably due to the 1992 Olympics. Sunday today, too, fewer poeple about in the morning. But it's still a place where one has to watch one's pockets and bags more carefully that in other cities in the world. I'm sure Lisa will be heaving a huge sigh of relief once we get over the city limits.

I am pretty sure we've got better pictures of the Sagrada Familia this time around. It's got a new wing that wasn't even at ground level when were here in 1984.

The man at the Lladro shop was funny! The pieces, of course, were as breathtaking as the ones at home; none of which, I would dare buy over here, even if I had the money; the transport costs alone and all its attendant hazards are too much. Plus the consequences of waiting for those things to arrive. Better to just buy the stuff in Manila. Spend local money and not worry about transport costs and customs duties -- and breakage!!

As soon as the sales spiel was done -- not only for the Lladro, but also for the Majorica pearls and leather goods -- I was off and running to the easyE for e-mail access. 2000 pesetas gets you 90 minutes of internet time, a real bargain!! So I settled myself down to do my e-mail and surfing and have time to spare for groceries.

That's how it started...but after a while, folks were coming in wanting to use the e-mail facilities too, and I turned into a mini-helpdesk. Good thing I had that hour and a half to work with; as it was, I barely had time to enjoy all the new postings on my Kuruda mailing list. First it was Alex and Fiona wanting access to their Hotmail. Then one of the Jeffs (we have two, but one is spelt Geoff) and Jane had to be set up with an account of her own so she could send mail to a friend in Australia. My typing speed and length of mail sent the kibitzers away duly impressed -- all those hours in the chat room are paying off!

The whole afternoon was spent resting, and (re)packing. While most everyone else went to Montserrat to see the Black Madonna. They enjoyed themselves, it seems -- hopefully even Sharon, who is usually finding something to nitpick about every aspect of the tour, up to and including the taste of the morning coffee. If ever a woman needed angels to guard her, she's the one. Before the tour started, she had her purse stolen in London. then she got sick in Paris and stayed green all the way to Lourdes. Here in Barcelona her health has improved bur her disposition remains a little acidic. Well, it takes many types to make a world. I'm acting the same way I did when I was traveling in 1984, but with this group, I'm more comfortable. It's different when minds match -- something that never happened on that first tour, composed as it was of a bunch of biddies.

The flamenco was a huge success. The food was good, a buffet dinner. I especially enjoyed the paella, something that looked like mechado, the fish, and the desserts (!) : leche flan and chocolate mousse. Took blatant advantage of the pitcher of Sangria and the water. Tasted the champagne and didn't much care for it.

The dancing was superb. Talk about fancy footwork! Loved the costumes, too, especially this gorgeous crimson one worn by one of the dancers for her solo number. Skin-tight from shoulders to hips, then flaring out into a magnificent ruffled train. The idea throughout the dance was to exhibit her dexterity in keepin gthe train from tripping her up -- the thing was about a foot or so long, and she was obviously an expert at what she was doing!

After the show, we had ourselves a rambling walk around the Ramblas to the bus. Lisa kept a shepher's eye on all of us, calling out to watch for pickpockets since some of the folks were pretty merry indeed. But we all managed to get back to the bus in one piece, considering that everyone and his mother-in-law was out on the promenade.

Side Note: Will manage to leave Spain with a zero blaance in pesetas. Bought a pair of earrings for Mommy at the Lladro/Majorica shop with our last peseta bills. Our last peseta coins have gone to snacks and postcards -- after breakfast, I'm going to spend my last hundred pesetas on one more postcard.