Sights and sounds of Barcelona   Sept. 20th to 30th

Port Vell (pronounced Port Bay), the marina where we are staying, is tucked 
deep into the end of the commercial harbor. The large ships/tankers stay well 
outside of the area although once in a while we do get some surge from the 
movement of a large ship. They also frequently run trash boats with nets that 
skim the surface of the harbor to maintain a relatively clean waterway.

We just experienced the first holiday weekend+ here in Barcelona. It was the 
Fiesta of La Merce (Our Lady of Mercy) the patroness of Barcelona. Around us on 
three sides there were many tents for displays, festival music, outdoor 
concerts, small plays and dancers.  The fireworks displays and parades are all 
organized and sponsored by the city keeping the thousands of visitors busy all 
the time. This is all along the "U" shaped harbor. Outside, along the shore 
where the area was totally renovated for the 1992 Olympics the real show took 
place. There were people all over the place!! On Saturday morning we took a 
bike ride for a few miles along the shore. There weren't near as many 
tents/vendors but they were certainly set up for large crowds. There were Hot 
Air Balloons, static kites, 1, 2 and 4 line kite competition, the regular 
people on the beach with exercise areas, volleyball tournaments, joggers, 
skaters and bicycles using the various paths, rest rooms, showers for the 
bathers, boat/board rentals, restaurants, etc, all serviced by great bus 
service, trains and some parking areas. 

That night there were fireworks again along the shore.  They fired some of the 
rockets into the water; which had a very unique effect to say the least!!! A 
company from Japan did the display on Saturday evening. After the display a 
group of lighted parasails floated along the shore. It was really very well 
done.

Sunday morning we went for the weekly group bicycle ride and stopped at 
Starbuck's for some coffee. Then we went back to the shore for a wonderful Air 
Show near the area and marina built for the 1992 Olympics. The show lasted from 
10:00am till 2:00pm. The aircraft flew parallel to the beach and were over 
water most of the time. The crowds were huge but the area was also very large. 
The air show was really good with a couple of unique performances including the 
Spanish and Swiss Military Jet Teams. (Swiss were better!!) There also were 
helicopters, two aerobatic aircraft that did impossible things with their 
planes, and three parachute teams that guaranteed that we would all go home 
with sore necks. That night we went wine tasting on the other side of our 
marina.  We paid for the wine glass and tapa dish (great souvenirs) and tickets 
for wine, cheese and several different kinds of salami.  The cost was $8 a 
person.  Since many areas didn't bother with the tickets, many of us went back 
with our glasses and dishes another night for FREE!!!

Tuesday night and Wednesday night there were more fireworks displays. One at 
the shore and the other at the Magic Fountain built in 1929 for the 
International Exhibition held here.  The fountains have jets of water 
programmed to a multi-colored light and music. They put on a spectacular show 
every weekend which is a must see!!! The fireworks display at the fountain must 
have been spectacular but we chose to avoid the crowds and the rain and view 
the show from Boatel Boundless.

Wednesday was the last day of this festival and we had the experience of 
seeing the Mati Casteller or human towers introduced to the crowds by the 
Gegants or giant figures.  I found a restaurant and we watched the parade of 
giants as well as the Mati Casteller perform while we sat and enjoyed our 
lunch!!!  At least a dozen teams built towers the highest reaching EIGHT levels 
of humans!!! The group of men at the bottom reminded me of a "Rugby Scrum" with 
many more bodies for the support of their friends above them.  One team did 
fall as they started to descend.  The high point of the event is when the Mayor 
of the town drops a sash down to the top person and pulls him up to the balcony 
he is watching from.  That went very well almost. However, when the next child 
was pulled up, she slipped from the sash and was caught by the people below.  
No one was seriously hurt, but hundreds of people watching all gasped and then 
held their breathe at the same time!!!

Later that night, we went to see the Ballada de Sardanes or the Catalayan Folk 
Dancing.  When the music starts playing, all the people in the square place 
their bags, pocketbooks and other paraphernalia into the center of their circle 
and start dancing.  It looks easy, but the music changes pace several times 
during the 20 minute or so session and so do the dancers feet as well as the 
movements of their hands.  It was amazing to watch!!!

During the week, they also had boat races with hydros and rigid bottom 
inflatables, as well as a long distance swimming race in the harbor.

The next weekend, Barcelonetta (a little hamlet next to Barcelona and parallel 
to the marina) had a celebration of its own with more dancing, entertainment 
and fireworks.  We have seen more fireworks in the past week then in the past 
few years!!!!
  **Footnote: 25 years ago they changed the patron saint from Eulalia to The 
Lady of Mercy and every year since including this one, Eulalia cries tears of 
rain on Barcelona during the celebration to show her sorrow. It did rain...she 
must have been VERY upset!!

We also visited a cathedral called Sagrada Familia that has been under 
construction for 130 years; they are still planning another 40 years to 
complete the work with hundreds of people working the project all year round.  
This is one of Antoni Gaudi's most famous undertakings. He worked day and night 
on the site as a recluse for 16 years and finished 8 of the 12 towers 
(representing the 12 Apostles) before he died tragically in 1926.  At first I 
didn't like his work, but when I visited the site and understood how it was 
made, I came back with a huge appreciation of his foresight,imagination and 
planning!!  He was inspired by organic forms (trees, sea shells, leaves, 
flowers, etc.) to form all aspects of his work from the supports to the 
decorations to the stairways!!!  Now when I say something is "gaudy", it will 
have a whole new meaning for me.......

Generally Barcelona has little pollution, many things to see and do with very 
good tourist and pedestrian access, extensive bike routes  and walking paths 
interrupted with parks and fountains to rest or just enjoy the scenery!!!  The 
many underground parking areas make it easy to have a car. (Gaudy built the 
very first underground parking area in Barcelona) 

More of the sight and sounds of Barcelona to follow....