Travel Post #21: Barcelona is Art

GUEST POST BY HOWARD

Barcelona is art: In museums, on the street and in architecture. Wow, what a city. Today Dayna and I started off with breakfast on the veranda under blue skies, which remained with us throughout the day. Out the door we went and after a short ride on the Metro, plus a couple of wrong turns, we were walking down a residential area with it own La Rambla in an area suggested by the landlord of our apartment.  We enjoyed our walk as we made our way to a cemetery. Yes, to a cemetery; not exactly my idea of a morning destination, but I am married to Dayna and she was delighted.

Barcelona has been ranked the top beach city in the world and it is easy to understand why. Take a stroll, drink a cappuccino and end up at the beach. As you can see, Barcelona citizens really enjoy their beaches.

Poble Nou Cemetery*

I have to admit, I saw the Kiss of Death statute in the Secret Barcelona travel book and knew that Dayna would love seeing the cemetery. It was worth the trek and the Kiss of Death was a fabulous statute. Remember, this is from the same guy that was pretty appalled by the bone art work of the monks in Rome, but this statute was uniquely and beautifully sculpted.

*Dayna has an additional post the cemetery for those who want more.

Our next destination was La Barceloneta, a neighborhood on the waterfront that was formerly a run-down industrial area that is now full of restaurants, shops and housing. But first we enjoyed some of the architecture and public art along the way as well as a meal at a beach front café.
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My new yacht. Anyone want to join me for a cruise in the Mediterranean?

Our timing was not good. Siesta is real in Barcelona so shops were closed and we were a little disappointed. Our last hope here was the Cantalunya Museum of History, but it was also closed for a different reason: A bank holiday. For crying out loud, does anyone work here? Now we know why there were so many people out and about on the streets and at the beaches.

Our next stop was the Joan Miro Museum at Parc Montjuic. I had no idea who Miro was (did he play baseball for the Yankees?); but I found his work amusing and playful; cartoonish actually; not all of course, but still. Unfortunately no pictures were allowed and so we can only share this small sculpture.