¡Hola de Barcelona!

Welcome to the inaugural blog post for The Polite Adventuress! I hope to entertain you over the next 22 days with high seas adventures on the Viking Ocean cruise boat Viking Sea. I will be hitting 13 wonderful cities and providing some immediate insights during the trip and more in-depth and local tips in future posts.

I had two great days of travel in Barcelona! After a lovely ride to the port for check-in on the Barcelona, the Baltic & Beyond cruise it was time to hit the town. My first stop was the magnificent Park Güell. This site is home to gardens and architectural wonders. It is poised on Carmel Hill, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The park was built between 1900-14 and was officially opened as a public park in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site under “Works of Antoni Gaudí”.

Antoni Gaudí envisioned his architecture here with naturalism in mind and took the opportunity to perfect his personal style gained through inspiration in organic shapes. This site is as imaginative as it is calming. The Mediterranean sun highlights the unique mosaic features and rolling shapes of the buildings.

There are two entrances to the park one at the top of the hill and one at the bottom. I found starting at the top and working a winding way down to be a leisurely walk. As the site is controlled for preservation, I recommend booking your tickets in advance. This will guarantee you entrance to the Monumental Core, which features part of UNESCO’s “Works of Antoni Gaudí”. Do take time to pause and enjoy the flora and fauna unique to the Mediterranean and Spain. The people watching is also a bonus!

What do you think of when you think of Spain? Tapas and Flamenco? Well, yes, yes I do! This adventure took me to the Poble Espanyol. This open-air architectural museum was originally built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, the museum consists of 117 full-scale buildings, which recreate Spanish villages and demonstrates typical regional architecture from across the country. The buildings were originally due to be torn down after the expo, but they have survived and now house a theater, restaurants, artisan workshops and a museum of contemporary art. Amazingly, no one has ever used any of the properties as a residence!

After the village tour it was off to The Tablao de Carmen. First opening in 1988 as a homage to the great dancer Carmen Amaya. The Tablao is a top-quality flamenco show. The dancers and singers presented several palos or styles of flamenco. This highlighted the richness and variety of this art form. Between the tapas, sangria and flamenco I was transported to a cultural haven.

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Fast Fact: There are over 80 forms of Flamenco in existence today!

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Day two in Barcelona saw me heading out on a panoramic walking tour of the city. This was a great overview to a key port city that his home to nearly 2 million people (one of the most densely populated cities in Europe). The rich cultural mix of Christian and Muslim has influenced everything in the city from architecture, to food, and more.

Most visible around the city are 1000s of the Senyera Estelada flags hanging from a multitude of balconies. The Catalan national pride burns deeply in this historic city. Their quest for national independence is a key topic local people like to share with visitors. Their pride burns deep and wide… they had me saying ¡Viva Catalonia! before the day was out!

Other amazing sites to take in are…. The remnants of the 1888 World’s Fair sites, to include their very own Arc de Triomf; and the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic sites. The competition pools are now open to the public and boast a robust community usage. They even have a nudist day each week!

It was then off to the Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família. This largely unfinished Roman Catholic church was designed by Antoni Gaudí and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica.

The best time to visit Sagrada Família is definitely after 2 p.m. The marvelous Mediterranean light is at its best to illuminate the sanctuary. The multitude of stained glass windows take you from Winter to Spring and then from Summer to Autumn in spectacular fashion. You are drawn in to the history of the building and Gaudí’s dream to pay homage to his faith. In an effort to be clear about his message there are limited statues and his naturalism architecture is felt throughout. He has even placed the 1000-person choir loft so high up that they appear as angels in heaven!

Thank you for reading my first post. I hope to entertain you more and welcome questions about these adventures!

Your Polite Adventuress,

Kari