WOW! What a Place.....
Trip Start
Apr 18, 2010
1
22
47
Trip End
Jul 07, 2010
Where I stayed
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Monday, May 17, 2010
Yesterday I spent the entire day just walking around the old Gothic city center zig-zagging back and forth exploring the narrow streets looking for cool things to see. I must have walked 10 miles! I couldn't see everything of course and some places were closed for renovations, but I did manage to check out the Port, the History Museum, and the amazing Cathedral of Santa Eulalia. They even let visitors go up on the roof! I wasn't too thrilled to see flat screen information monitors attached to the ancient columns and LED prayer candles in place of real ones. Kinda tacky.
I had to cut my day short however when dozens of police riot vans drove into the city center and police began taking up positions everywhere. Barcelona won the Euro Cup Soccer finals a few days earlier and thousands of drunk, crazed, soccer fans were celebrating in the soccer arena and were headed my way. The bus driver advised me to just call it a day so I returned to the safety of my hotel room.
The next day I took a full day tour high up in the surrounding mountainside to the Monastery at Montserrat which is the state of Catalonia's most important religious retreat. It houses the 12 century Black Virgin of Montserrat, L' Escolania the oldest boys choir in the world dating back to the 14th century, and the oldest operational printing press in the world. It is said the Black Virgin has been known to perform miracles and grant other wishes, so needing a little good fortune these days I participated in the ritual. I waited in a HUGE line filled with religious pilgrims from all over the world. I then made my way up to the Virgin, placed my hand on the black ball she was holding, and made my request to her as hundreds of people watched. Finally I made my way down from the altar, lit a prayer candle, and made my way through the crowd to watch the boy's choir perform.
After lunch the bus continued on to the Codorniu Winery, one of the largest wineries in the world producing over 50 Million bottles each year. There we took an awesome tour of the old winery and got to taste some really good Cava (Champagne). They had to change the name after an EU Court ruling in 1994 allowing only sparkling wine from Champagne France to be given that name. It's just as good though, if not better!
And to top off my day, the tour bus driver, who had been playing a live Scorpions acoustical CD all day on the bus, dropped us off right in front of the Hard Rock Cafe! I went in to check it out and grab a quick drink, but then suddenly a waiter walked by carrying one of their Legendary Burgers which smelled incredible, and I was starving so I had to order one too…..
Comments
John...buddy! great that your finally having some
fun!! You are going to all the places I have been
cool! I would like to know if you would receive some
photos that I took and see if you can catch some deja vu
stuff to see if it has changed... later dude!
Dudeskee.. did you get to Pomplona, Spain and see the
where they hold the running of the Bulls where I ran some
years ago Feast of San Fermin !
What did you wish for when you placed your hand on the Black Virgin? Or can it only be disclosed in the private J-Cabo Newsletter?
nice
Should you be heading to Barcelona, let me recommend you staying at hostels barcelona nest for a cheap and central accomodotation to start your sightseeings from!