Barcelona, Continued (first day)

The first set of images are from "Barcelona Cathedral" also known by the Catalonian title I have included in the first caption below. This church was also constructed beginning in the 13th century, and it dwarfed the first church that we visited in size. It is an incredibly popular attraction with lines of people heading inside. There were some active masses occurring in sections of the structure, and it was also under construction, so our appreciation of it would have to be limited to what we could access.

Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia

 Writing this blog as late as I am makes it painfully apparent to me how important to do this when it is still fresh in my mind. I would have liked to have an accurate description of each of the spectacular structures, and perhaps I will try and dig it up at a later date, but now, try and appreciate their beauty.

 The square below is adjacent to where we ate lunch. I really need to try and figure out what we had, I feel like I had some sort of authentic Spanish specialty, but reflecting back I don't remember specifics. It was from one of Kate's guidebooks and hopefully she might be able to jog my memory. I feel like we had sandwiches, perhaps even some sort of Bocadillo, (baguette with jamon, Spanish ham). I think it was Kate's introduction to Jamon, which I had grown to like from my time in Galacia on a prior work trip.

The real memorable thing about this lunch is that there was a quasi-riot going on in the Saint James's Square (which was in front of the city hall). Yes... riot, complete with armored vehicles filled with heavily armed Catalonian police officers which came and threw some sort of smoke emitting crowd thinning devices, or at least that's what appeared to happen. They were chanting (the protesters) banging metal trash lids and lighting off fire crackers (I think?). It was a bit intimidating to say the least, and it seemed to be some sort of pro-socialist, class warfare type of rally as hammers and sickles were noted on some banners. Older clientele in our sandwich shop boisterously appeared to cheer the protesters until eventually (by the time I had eaten) the police had scattered the gathering.

This certainly added something to our trip, and this event coupled with the large sit-in a couple of blocks from our hotel demonstrated that civil unrest and Barcelona's revolutionary past still seem to be very much a part of this exciting city.

Palace del Rei-Barri Gotic- King's square, center of "Old Barcelona"

 Above is a sign on the Roman Wall in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona. Below you can see a full view of this wall. Sections of this wall date from the fourth century AD. One of the oldest structures I've been privileged enough to see. Apparently it was first constructed as far back as the first century but what is seen today is from a later reinforcement.

 Me eating lunch and sipping some Mahou, a popular Spanish beer.

Carrer del Bisbe Irurita

This slightly blurry picture is from inside Barcelona Cathedral. Native Americans brought to Spain from Central and South America were said to be baptised in this baptismal. This really struck me because it really causes you to reflect upon the passage of time and how much the world has changed, and yet this marble religious item still stands here in the Cathedral as a reminder of the past, mistakes of the past, and perhaps some things such as strong Catholicism amongst the Spanish/ Catalonian population which remains even today in an increasingly secular industrialized world.