Welcome to Program # 21336. Meet Joaquin Chaparro, Group Leader. Welcome and information meeting and meet with other tour participants. During the coming week, we will walk through the bustling Ramblas area - the main artery of the city. Also visit the La Boqueria market which dates from 1217 and is the gastronomic hub of Catalan Mediterranean cuisine. This is “THE” place where locals eat, shop and gossip together in true Catalan style.
Evening Presentation with an Introduction to Barcelona at the Hotel Meeting Room. We enjoyed a welcome dinner and the opportunity to socialize and get to know your fellow participants.
My Observations
Later today, we follow a more structured schedule since our group has arrived. So, before having the initial meet & greet meeting in the early evening, Carol & I continue our meanderings. New discoveries every day. With much yet to learn.
First is a visit to a park we noticed on one of our first days in Barcelona. The park is part of what is referred to as a “palace,” Palau Robert. Since the park was dark the evening we were there, am now here on a sunny day. The Palau Robert has a photo exhibit – Cataluña From the Sky. These are aerial photographs taken by French photographer, Yann Arthus-Bertrand. Not only are the direction from where the photos were taken interesting, so is the method they are exhibited. The large size photos are laminated on a kiosk type arrangement. There are probably about 20 of these kiosks. Each one shows a different area of Cataluña. Each photo has a descriptor written both in Catalan and English. No Spanish shown. The topic of each photo was to stress the diversity of topography for each area, just like the difference in the people who inhabit those areas.
In one area of the park, we heard some screeching bird noises. After a bit of searching, saw in a palm tree what looked like about 6 or so green parrots that were busy in nest building in some palm fronds. I spent a few minutes watching the work by them gathering some branches from outside a special opening that looked like they had made as a formal – front door!
After an hour viewing the photos and reading the descriptors of the beautiful photos, off we went to explore more of the nearby area. As we came to a cross street, saw a vehicle that had an unusual hoisting apparatus that was moving some goods to an upper floor of what might be a 6 story building. As we got closer, saw they were moving furniture up to that level. As I looked in the open front door of the building, noted a very old-style open-mesh small elevator that would not be able to get many of those items to the level needed. I thought the company had an appropriate name – Relocation Logistics. They got the job done.
Next, back to the hotel. Time for meeting the new group that will travel with us over the next week. We found that 6 of the 22 people were also joining us on a consecutive tour to Portugal. These were two separate tours, but were scheduled so we could visit another nearby location with minimal travel requirements.
After some introductions, we walk to our initial dinner at the Balthazar restaurant. Only a short block or so away. I feel fortunate to have 2 of our meals arranged for with the group most days. A great way to build camaraderie. We have been in other tour locations, where a competing tour company did not arrange for any meals. We realized the meals are an important part of total tour experience.
After too much food, and probably wine, we walked back and were ready for another good night of sleep.
Here are internet links for highlights:
Palau Robert http://palaurobert.gencat.cat/en/el_palau/historia/
Cataluña From the Sky http://www.yannarthusbertrand.org/earth
Yann Arthus-Bertrand film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axehSTKzZfM
Balthazar restaurant http://www.grupandilana.com/en/restaurants/balthazar
Photo 1. Is schedule for another Road Scholar tour for Independent Study.
Photo 2. Here is our schedule for first few days.
Photo 3. Our group. No, not really. We had 22 others to join our adventure. (-:
Click here for today's online photo album.
https://picasaweb.google.com/magwheel44/Day6Of2718Oct14SaturdayBarcelona
