Spain: Barcelona & Seville

One of the first things I noticed upon arriving  in Barcelona, the capital of the Spanish region of Catalonia, was the contrast between the medieval, contemporary and Catalan modernist architecture which is so striking in this city of fantastic and iconic buildings. From Roman ruins to Gaudi’s spectacular works and high-tech buildings, such as the Agbar Tower, it seemed symbolic of a culture that embraces its history and its continuing progressive vibe.

We began our stay in this vivacious and bohemian city in the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), which is in the heart of the Ciutat Vella, Barcelona’s old city. Many of the gorgeous buildings date from medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona.

After dropping off our bags at our hotel, we met up with my son, Sean, who had been traveling around Spain and was heading back to New York the next morning.

The three of us walked to another part of the city to have dinner with an expat friend living in Barcelona, and soon a nice Spanish Rioja was flowing and we were feasting on a delicious spread of tapas for our fun first meal in Spain.

There is so much to see in Barcelona with all of the amazing cathedrals, museums and historical sites but we had limited time, so we had to pick and choose what we wanted to see most. Catedral de la Santa Cruz y Santa Eulalia (Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia) was a stunning example of a medieval church built between the 13th and 15th centuries. Its intricate interior web of pillars, domes, archways and stained glass was incredible and the courtyard filled with palm trees and a pond was a beautiful little oasis.

Then there was the Sagrada Família, Antoni Gaudi’s still unfinished masterpiece of a cathedral.

When you arrive at any of the Gaudi sites you’ll see a crowd of people standing outside staring up at the exteriors in a collective state of awe. I certainly wouldn’t call the massive exterior of the Sagrada Família “pretty” but complex and interesting for sure. Only when you get up close can you see the detailed story that the carvings tell.

Once we stepped inside the Sagrada Família with its dazzling stained-glass windows and magnificent soaring arches, we entered into a breathtaking world where geometry and design collided in the most spectacular fashion which words could not adequately describe.

Barcelona was just as alive at night as it was in the daytime with streets, bars and restaurants teeming with people.

After sightseeing in Barcelona for two days, we were feeling a bit weary with the crush of tourists moving through the streets and walkways. Everywhere we went there was an endless sea of people, which became exhausting and we found ourselves yearning for a quiet nook in this big metropolis.

Reflecting on our time in Barcelona, I wish I had done more research beforehand so I would have had more of an insider’s knowledge of the city. Similar to New York, where you would rarely find my husband and me in Times Square, instead we would be in the fun and funky neighborhoods of lower Manhattan or Brooklyn where we know we can find cool and unique little restaurants and shops. In many ways, I don’t think we did Barcelona justice on this quick trip with so little time and without knowing the local’s Barcelona. This fall, my niece will be heading to the university in Barcelona for a semester abroad which gives us the perfect excuse to go back again to explore this amazing city.

We had been on the move for ten days and had visited four countries and nine cities so I think both Ric and I felt a sense of relief when we sat down on the high-speed train to Seville. What would have taken us ten hours to drive turned out to be a very relaxing and scenic five hour train ride.Once in Seville, our taxi made its way through the extremely narrow streets lined with richly colored buildings. The city had a vibrant and romantic feel to it with its Moorish accented architecture, street side cafes and the very chic international crowd.

 I fell in love with this region of Spain and found the people of Seville welcoming and friendly.

The days were warm and sunny which was perfect weather for visiting the Alcázar Palace and gardens…

… the Cathedral of St. Mary, where we climbed to the top of the bell tower and the Church of El Salvador where they were preparing the floats for the Holy week, which began on April 13th.

Everywhere we looked we saw the famed Seville orange trees that gave off a heady fragrance that only added to the lovely ambiance. They lined the streets, filled courtyards and my husband was on a mission to swipe a few but they were always just out of his reach.

 This was a place where the art of the paseo (evening stroll) was perfected and in full swing so we joined in by having a leisurely walk up and down the cobblestone streets of the old city before and after dinner, which in Spain, begins after eight o’clock in the evening.

Being a vegetarian in a country where meat definitely rules was a little bit of a challenge for me. While Ric scarfed up towers of meat, lets just say, I ate A LOT of potatoes in the form of patatas bravas and tortillas made with potatoes (Spanish tortillas are more quiche-like and don’t at all resemble a Mexican tortilla). Now that I am back home, I realized how much I enjoyed all of those potatoes so I decided to make this Spanish potato dish that combines potatoes with some lovely Spanish spices, roasted red peppers, onions and asparagus.

 

Next stop, the White Hill Villages of Andalusia.