Barcelona, Spain (need suggestions: favorite things to do/see)

Originally Posted by mdsbuc

Sandy, congrats on your wedding and upcoming honeymoon. Your thread has my attention as Barcelona is one of our stops on next year's ED. Enjoy your trip and tell us all about it when you return!

We was one of few ED who drop off in Madrid in 2006.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=157222

OP - congrats on your marriage!
I think, I saw you ones when you fly to LA for Bimmerfest.
Tapas in Barcelona best in the World.
One of the poster send me this recommendation for my ED:

I would recommend a two British guys who run a walking tour called Adventurous Appetites. They give you an evening walking tour of Madrid that stops in several Tapas and Sherry bars for a very reasonable amount of Euros. I don't remember the web site but you can Google for them.

I also suggest a stop in the Westin Palace near the Prado for a really cool dining room under a huge stained glass ceiling. Not Cheap to eat there but really worth a look.

Cheers

http://www.gomadrid.com/tapas/tapas-tour.html

http://www.partner.viator.com/en/345...6-2294ADVTAPAS

Originally Posted by Pete Teoh

Barcelona is wonderful. I think you'll have a great time. I was just there for my birthday in October. I loved the architecture. Be sure to hit some of the Gaudí sights. While I enjoyed La Sagrada Familia, my favorite was La Pedrera (Casa Milà). The rooftop is just incredible. Walk along Las Ramblas, explore La Boqueria and watch the locals and tourists doing their thing. Here are photos from my trip: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...76376142440481

Great pictures. Thank you for sharing them!

I can't believe in less than three weeks we'll be there!! So exciting! This is imprptu honeymoon, going to Australia in a few months... Most of our family still doesn't know we got married. We're sending something out when we get back. This is coined my graduation trip, as RN school graduation is the day before we go!

Thinking the first day of the trip will be all about recovering from jet lag, maybe take a guided tour to get our bearings down.
Then we only have like three more full days.
Las ramblas is on the list. I'm really looking forward to exploring the gothic area. La sagrada familia. The gaudi park looks neat too!
I think Im most excited about just wondering around a different city, checking out all of the amazing architecture, try some good food/wine. We just got a new camera, so it will be fun to take lots of pictures too.
I will share as much as i can w y'all

At the bottom (southern end) of Las Ramblas, walk left (west) over to Port Vell and La Barceloneta. Some great restaurants on the water. The large round shaped office building where the cruise ships moor is the World Trade Center; I spent alot of time working there in 05 and 06.

Originally Posted by mdsbuc

Sandy, congrats on your wedding and upcoming honeymoon. Your thread has my attention as Barcelona is one of our stops on next year's ED. Enjoy your trip and tell us all about it when you return!

I will try and stay organized and keep details of where we went/what we did. Favorite places, restaurants, etc. Perhaps we can give you guys some "must see" ideas for your ED. (itineary for your trip is quite impressive, btw).

I finally got a "real" camera, so we will take and share as many pictures as we can! GarySL has us on a bit of a birding mission, will be interesting if I can snap a few shots of some of his feathery friends.

Doing laundry and starting to pack today; we leave Saturday am! Someone told me we are going to share a suitcase. ...I'm a bit of an over-packer, so we'll see how that goes.

Good luck on the packing!
Have a great trip and "Bon Voyage!"

Originally Posted by MB330

We was one of few ED who drop off in Madrid in 2006.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=157222

Oh, just noticed this post. The link provides a trip down memory lane!

Originally Posted by mdsbuc

Good luck on the packing!
Have a great trip and "Bon Voyage!"

I gave up on packing. I set all my stuff out and went to the gym. He's particular about packing, or at least more so than I.

We called our parents (and a few other relatives) last night and told them we got married!!!! (12/12/12). Everyone was super happy and excited for us. Some of the family kind of expected it, the ones that didn't have a clue were overjoyed! Glad that went well!

Now Barcelona feels like a real honeymoon!!!

Sending out 'marriage announcements' when we get back home

Off to the airport!!!!

Originally Posted by SailinSand

I gave up on packing. I set all my stuff out and went to the gym. He's particular about packing, or at least more so than I.

We called our parents (and a few other relatives) last night and told them we got married!!!! (12/12/12). Everyone was super happy and excited for us. Some of the family kind of expected it, the ones that didn't have a clue were overjoyed! Glad that went well!

Now Barcelona feels like a real honeymoon!!!

Sending out 'marriage announcements' when we get back home

Off to the airport!!!!

Safe travels. Hope you have a blast!

Originally Posted by 1Dreamer

Safe travels. Hoopoe have a blast!

+1

Originally Posted by GarySL

+1

No birds of yet.

I think we maybe got 2hrs sleep on the plane. Exhausted!

Took the bus from the airport. Walked to the end of las ramblas, and at the very end, on the water was our hotel. So far so good!!

Mobile show takes place in Spain next month. That show should be nice but that is not until the end of next month.

Originally Posted by SailinSand

No birds of yet...So far so good!!

Won't be long, trust me:

Originally Posted by GarySL

Won't be long, trust me:

Those birds were everywhere, but nothing that looked very picture worthy.

Here's some gaudi for yah ...

Originally Posted by SailinSand

Those birds were everywhere...

Rock Pigeon, #1 for your trip list!

Off to a good start.

Originally Posted by GarySL

Rock Pigeon, #1 for your trip list!

Off to a good start.

Rock pigeon? That's the species? This place is crawling w them!

We saw a few gulls that weren't note worthy, but definitely bigger than what we see in fl.

We saw some big cool bld while out and about. No clue what it is...need to look it up

Maybe the La Seu Cathedral, a 13th Century architectural masterpiece.

Rock Pigeon is what they're called. And any gull in the Mediterranean would be new so that would be special for sure! #2 on your trip list.

Are you digging it there?

Originally Posted by SailinSand

We saw some big cool bld while out and about. No clue what it is...need to look it up

Attachment 359407

EDIT: Gary was right.



The entrances are very similar, but that's it.

Nice place! I'll stick to the birds.

Originally Posted by GarySL

Nice place! I'll stick to the birds.

Wait, I think you were right. Hard to keep my cathedrals straight. I remember the geese in the courtyard. Here they're just calling it the Barcelona Cathedral but it's also called La Seu.

Barcelona Cathedral (also known as La Seu) is a celebrated example of Catalan Gothic architecture dating from the 14th century. Its graceful spires can be seen from throughout the Barri Gòtic (Gothic quarter) of Barcelona. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/s...thedral-la-seu

The one I was thinking of (Santa Maria) has a very similar entrance which is what I saw lit up in her picture and got them mixed up. Not at all similar looking beyond that though.

Seen one 13th Century Cathedral & you've seen them all?

Originally Posted by GarySL

Seen one 13th Century Cathedral & you've seen them all?

Well, they do seem to sorta blur together after a while.

Originally Posted by 1Dreamer

Wait, I think you were right. Hard to keep my cathedrals straight. I remember the geese in the courtyard. Here they're just calling it the Barcelona Cathedral but it's also called La Seu.
The one I was thinking of (Santa Maria) has a very similar entrance which is what I saw lit up in her picture and got them mixed up. Not at all similar looking beyond that though.

You were right. Barcelona cathedral. Very cool!

So far so good. I'm normally up at 5-6am. My body is so confused. Oh, and eat dinner at 430-6pm and bed 8 ish. The restaurants are open until 4sih for lunch. Then they close until 8 for dinner!!!! Good grief. That's when I like to go to bed. We'll see if we we can nap and make their dinner time. Definitely a couple restaurants we want to go to (probably will be for lunch- lol).

None of the places recommended to us for dinner were open....more touristy places along las ramblas were open though. We decided to just go back to the hotel and have dinner there- good choice. It wasn't outrageously expensive, great service, food was good too!

Today....we somehow managed to sleep until 11am. Ordering some breakfast now. Probably go on the two story tourist bus....I think it's a good way to get our bearings straight and get a better idea of what we want to do/see!

Originally Posted by SailinSand

Today....we somehow managed to sleep until 11am. Ordering some breakfast now. Probably go on the two story tourist bus....I think it's a good way to get our bearings straight and get a better idea of what we want to do/see!

Sandy, Sounds like your body clock is now adjusted for those post 8pm dinners. Tell me how the two story bus tour works out. Is it the type where you can get on and off, stay at a stop as long as you like and then pick up the next available? Also, do you know any Spanish, and if so, does it work at all in the Catalonian region? Enjoy your stay!

Originally Posted by mdsbuc

Sandy, Sounds like your body clock is now adjusted for those post 8pm dinners. Tell me how the two story bus tour works out. Is it the type where you can get on and off, stay at a stop as long as you like and then pick up the next available? Also, do you know any Spanish, and if so, does it work at all in the Catalonian region? Enjoy your stay!

Ended up not going on he bus. Slept until nearly noon. Had an awesome breakfast at the hotel...

Then we decided to walk from the hotel to the park Gueli.
View of the water from the park


At the park

Then we walked around some more. Found a good spot to have a few glasses of wine before dinner (at 9pm) at a tapas place. We've been using TripAdisor to find good spots, and all have been a hit so far. Dinner was at ceveceria catalon...awesome!!! Then after dinner we wandered the streets some more. So much fun to walk around and people watch!!

Oh. Re the language. I speak little if any decent Spanish. My husband speaks a tiny bit. Neither of us have mastered Cantalonian. No issues yet!!

Originally Posted by GarySL

Nice place! I'll stick to the birds.

...just for you! @park Gueli...