Meeting friends
by Carmela71
One of the best thing of the trip was metting friends in Barcelona. The first one we meet on Friday was Davidlop ( David) we already knew from the Valencia meeting and it has taken a while till we have meet again.
We meet in the afternoon for some drinks and a walk around the Gotic neighborough.
David hope to see you again soon :-)
Barceloneta
by draguza
Barceloneta is the traditional sailors and fishermen quarter, and the smallest of the 4 quarters of Ciutat Vella. In the narrow streets of Barceloneta it is nowadays still possible to find the typical restaurants and bars from earlier times, where some excellent fish and seafood is being served. With the Olympic Games in 1992, Barcelona opened to the sea and completely renovated its beaches, creating even new zones, such as the Vila Olímpica and Diagonal Mar.
People in Barcelona are proud...
by CptKangaroo
People in Barcelona are proud Catalans. Don't call them spanish. No one will beat you for doing so, but they be much more friendly if you recognize their cultural identity. Pick up a few catalan phrases and things will be much nicer.
Bike lanes
by SirRichard
In some of BCN streets you can find these bycicle lanes, allowed only for bikes.
Though it might seem a good idea, as BCN is mainly flat, the parts of the avenues with this are not big, so they are interrupted soon and you have to go down and continue by the sidewalk.
There is a coincidence. They make new bike lanes just before the elections, politicians come to be pictured opening them, but the thing stops after election time... :-(
Plaza de la Mercé
by Joacim
The plaza is named after the patron saint of Barcelona. La Madonna de la Mercè, the Madonna of Largesse, appeared in a dream to local saint Pere Nolasc, bidding him to establish a religious order to succour Christians captured by Barbary pirates. In 1637 the Madonna saved Barcelona from a plague of locusts, and her status as patron saint of the city was assured for ever more.
If you are curious about Barcelona weddings, then this is the best place to discover how the celebrations unfold. On one side of the square is the courthouse where civil marriages are performed. On the other side is the Mercé Basilica, where couples who prefer a traditional, Catholic wedding are joined in marriage.