Barcelona

Thursday 19 November

Bands also play some nights till the early hours in the common room.

08.15 Not so bad with a few pillows over my head, then onto breakfast.

09.15 Set off with Ed & Leo with large group to Parc Guell on the metro to Placa de Lesseps. This was one of Barcelona’s busiest traffic junctions and named after an old French Consul General in Barcelona, who later went on to develop the Suez Canal. It has recently been redesigned by Albert Viaplana and now provides a far calmer pedestrian atmosphere, taking the roads underground and covering the metro, whilst running the buses along its edges. If anything, the auditorium and the rising ship’s deck like section invites you to stop and spend time on one of the many seats. Gaudi’s’ Parc Guell is in a very old neighbourhood, with attractive low built houses. The 2 gate houses and the main steps are very impressive, with such detail and set the atmosphere straight away, leading to the grand staircase. The expansive terrace above, surrounded by the famous sweeping tiled bench with rooftop views towards the city. On into the park via the many meandering crushed gravel paths between grottos, olive trees, firs and very well maintained planted beds. The paths lead to a small monument at the top with a simple cross and even better views of Barcelona below. It really is a fascinating place, because it really shows Gaudi’s’ ability to de-construct construction. We then got the metro to Canyelles and visited Parc Central de Nou Barris, the winner of the Urban Landscape Award 2007 and supplied by outdoor furniture specialists Escofet. Another impressive park designed by the Barcelona based urban architects Arriola & Fiol and laid out across a large sloping area in a very residential neighbourhood. Their signature angular lines are reproduced by the triangular grass beds and terracing. The large lake at the bottom has very powerful water jets mounted in the side bank walls and within the water itself, as seen the night before from Parc Turo de la Peira. Some unique trees, such as the flowering thorn tree, Chorisia Speciosa, the Bottle Tree or the Drunk Stick. Bought a croques monsieur, a chicken pie and a chocolate croissant from a bakery close by. Then lunch on the metro whist going to Paral-el, to get the funicular railway up into Montjuic Parc. Followed very poor signs (as before) to find the Botanic Gardens, with Joe, Jason, Enrico and Aaron. Very impressive gardens designed by architects Carlos Ferrater and Josep Lluis Canosa, Landscape Archiect Bet Figueras and horticulturalist Artur Bossy. They showcase plants of the five Mediterranean climates from around the world, South Africa being very prominent. The triangular cement paths and sheet Corten steel walls really take you between the 71 beds and allow you to explore the vast variety of plants, whilst presenting fantastic views of the old Olympic stadium below and out over Barcelona. Walked back to the funicular station straight down the main road from the stadium in front of the gardens and passed the Joan Miro museum. Bought a €1.35 single metro ticket, as my pass had run out and went back to the hostel.

19.00 Ed and Leo arranged for all of us to go to the free entry evening at the CCCB, exhibiting Ildefons Cerdas’ Eixample master planning of Barcelona. In the 1859 he planned for the entire cities expansion to be aligned around the fall of the sun, lower buildings, underground infrastructure, decongestion of roads and open public spaces. This is the city we saw, but it remains a well to do area. I then went to see the World Photograph exhibition in the same building, which by coincidence displayed images of people around the world. Then walked back to the hostel via the Passeig Success, bought a delicious spinach tortilla from Buenas Migas and walked through the back streets to the hostel. Some very good shops and cafes on the way.

22.00 Back at the hostel and had the tortilla. Checked up on what I still wanted to see on the last day and packed.