Barcelona
Our second Day of Vacation
Today is early rise. Alfredo, our guide, set his consulting hour from 7:15 o'clock to 7:45 o'clock. Probably, so that many do not come and he has afterwards the day at his disposal. I rise thus, Tanja turns again.
IIn Alfredosī consulting hour I am not the first. He tried with some co-travellers still to bring the Flamenco-evening, "is the best one can see here in Spain" to the man. With little success. Another traveler asks for the well-known "Cortes de Ingles", 
, a large department store here in Barcelona. Alfredo inquires at the reception and comes back with the information: "there they go to one and a half the kilometers of Rambla down and at the Placa de Catalunya, there it is." I can still suppress poling on the floor laughing. The Placa de Catalunya is not distant nevertheless even 100 meters from here. He naturally cannot answer my question about the departure time of the bus for the return flight yet. We calculate then the possible departure time together and agree then on 18:00 o'clock that I would have done also alone. Thus back to Tanja, is already dressed and down to the breakfast.
The breakfast-buffet is really rich, more than one needs. Even the coffee tastes. We enjoy the breakfast and make ourselves afterwards finished to the next inspection route.
Letīs see whether we have more luck this time with the queues. With the blue line it goes to the Casa Milá. The queue is still longer than yesterday afternoon. Fast the plan is made and the aquarium is headed for next the goal. Since the bus also starts, we keep our seats and make a few photos from the bus.
Finally we arrive at Aquarium and, Oh miracle, no queue. Finally early rising was worthwhile itself.
The aquarium is allegedly the largest of its kind in Europe and represents in its innumerable seawater basins the variety of the sea life.
Main attraction is the basin with the shark fish. The visitor goes in a glass tube through the basin and can admire the sharks safely.
The photos are only a small selection, because the number of motives is almost endless.
In the picture it is to be seen that we were punctual in the aquarium, because when left this picture was there at the cashiers.
After the aquarium also our stomachs announced themselves. So, after the aquarium, we have to look for a fish restaurant. In the Shopping-center Mare Magnum, which is in the proximity of the aquarium, we found one.
Actually the restaurant looked rather like a fast-food restaurant, but the fish selection was enormous. Our portion was so rich that a few shells were left over.
Back it went then by foot from the old harbour at the Port Vell along toward Ramblas. Beside some interesting boats naturally also the reproduction of the submarine from wood "Ictineo II" belongs to the things, which are worth to be seen. The original wooden submarine by the way made 54 submerged operations in 20 meters depth.
It continues to go toward Ramblas. DSince it is still early on the day, one can observe also the artists better. Painters make Portraits after photos, all 20 meters someone is making music and naturally everywhere the pantomimes.
A completely special object of interest is the Mercat de Sant Josep - Mercat de la Bouqería. This market hall is located directly at the Rambla on the right side seen from Place de Catalunya. Under the structural steelwork of the iron roof approximately 800 market stands are accommodated, which offer everything the kitchen needs on fresh specialities.
From here we continued to walk then to the department store "Cortes de Ingles". Everywhere the department store is praised so we wanted naturally to look at this, it located close to our hotel.
What am I to say, we were plentifully disappointed, who knows the department store chains in Germany, what shall I say? I do not even want to compare with the KDW in Berlin. We used the food department, in order to supply us with mineral water, because that is then nevertheless plentifully expensive with 2 - 3 Euro at the road stands.
The purchases brought in the hotel and toward Casa Batlló and Casa Milà walked. See whether we have somewhat more luck in the late afternoon. In the meantime also the rain began announced by wetteronline for the afternoon. Not excessively strongly however, but rain. When I asked this morning Alfredo for the weather for today, there he has promised me, the day becomes perfect. The only perfect is only Alfredo, he is apparently a perfect idi...
To the Casa Batlló disappointed we saw the usual picture, long queue before the entrance, far to the Casa Milà. Finally once luck, the length of the queue lets expect on less than 10 minutes waiting period. Thus queued, tickets bought and entering.
Unfortunately, the two hours, until Casa Milà was closed for this day, have been too short but we have been in.
Afterwards we entered a cafe an enjoyed a freschly made coffee. After the second coffee it was already so dark, that I could take the pics of the illuminated Casa Batlló.
Afterwards we had a little dinner and then went off to the hotel, still another Sangria and off to bed.
© Ulrich Hoffmann 2003
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
