Based on recent events, we thought it might be a good time to promote one of our favorite cities. We have visited Barcelona several times as well as passing through on our way to join cruises along with day stops while cruising. This city has so much to offer it belongs on a short list of great cities of the West like Rome, Paris, New York and London.
First off, it is an ancient city founded by Phoenicians and Carthaginians. The original name of the city was Barcino, probably named after the Carthaginian ruler Hamilcar Barca. The Romans arrived in the 1st century B.C. choosing it as their capital of the region. Ruins of the Roman period can be found in the Plaza del Rei and in the old Gothic quarter.
After the Romans came the Visigoths and during the 8th century the city was occupied by the Moors and remained under their control for over 100 years. The Franks conquered the city and drove out the Moors and the Spanish Catalonians eventually replaced the Frank rulers and Barcelona became the cultural heart of Catalonia.
Barcelona has always been a prosperous city and has used its’ assets to provide an international character to its’ culture. It hosted a world fair known as the Exposición Universal de Barcelona in 1888, which added to the cities’ significant architecture. An even more impressive set of structures were built around the Plaça d’Espanya at the foot of Montjuïc for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition. Adding onto this tradition in 1992, Barcelona played host to the Summer Olympic Games.
In addition to Roman sites, the old medieval quarter, Gothic cathedrals, and the buildings of the international expositions and events, Barcelona is home to the creations of Catalan architect Gaudi. Antoni Gaudí was born in Reus in 1852 and received his Architectural degree in 1878. Gaudí is admired by architects around the World as the creator of unique and distinctive architectural styles. His work has greatly added to the architectural character of Barcelona and you will see incredible examples of his work all around the city centre.
Perhaps Gaudi’s most recognized work is the Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family. It is the large unfinished Roman Catholic Church in Barcelona and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica.
Other sites of special interest are:
La Rambla – A large street and pedestrian mall stretching thru central Barcelona. It is famous for its’ restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shopping. It is our favorite neighborhood and is home to a number of nice, reasonably priced local hotels. Two which should be considered are Hotel Curious and Hotel Arc De Ramblas. Both offer a great location and reasonably priced (but small) rooms.
Plaça Reial – A square with a large fountain and ringed by good restaurants, many with outdoor seating. It is located just off La Rambla.
Cathedral of Barcelona – the Gothic cathedral and seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona, Spain. The cathedral was constructed from the 13th to 15th centuries, with the principal work being done in the 14th century. From the end of November until just before Christmas it is home to Fira de Santa Llucia, the largest Christmas market in the city.
Basílica de Santa Maria – The church was built between 1319 and 1391. The style of the church was Catalan Gothic with a single nave. It has a light and spacious interior but is devoid of the imagery commonly found in Gothic cathedrals.
Mercat de Sant Josep de La Boqueria – often simply referred to as La Boquería, is a large public market in the Ciudad Vieja district. It is one of the city’s foremost tourist landmarks with an entrance from La Rambla. It is a favorite site of ours for strolling through the food booths and it is a good place to purchase Spanish smoked paprika to take home.
Palau Nacional – (Catalan for ‘National Palace’) was the main site of the 1929 International Exhibition on the hill of Montjuïc. Since 1934 it has been home to the National Art Museum of Catalonia.
Local Eats
No trip to Barcelona would be complete without paella! Maybe not invented here but surely perfected here.
Try “la bomba” (meaning the bomb). With its’ roots in violent resistance, it’s basically a tennis ball-sized potato croquette served with two different sauces and is a Barcelona original.
Pa amb Tomàquet which is literally “bread with tomato,” is a bread rubbed with garlic and the juice of a tomato and seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Locals will eat it with cheese and slices of meat any time of the day.
Crema Catalana! Made with a vanilla custard and fired to form a glassy crust, it’s the Barcelona version of “creme brûlée.”
In Barcelona, the one cheese you simply must have is mató, an unsalted goats cheese. Soft, sweet, and spreadable, the locals eat this with honey and walnuts – a perfect dessert!
Last but certainly not least is Tapas which is an institution in this city. Be sure and try a sampling along with some excellent Spanish ports, wines, sangrias and vermouths.
If you are in the La Rambla area and are looking for an inexpensive place to eat we would recommend Restaurant La Poma (Pizzeria Mediterránea La Poma). It is modern, reasonably priced with a good selection of pizza, pasta and wines.
We have also had tapas and drinks at Ocaña in the Plaça Reial. Good prices, attentive service and the perfect place to sit outdoors and people watch.
A Spanish chain that was trying to gain a foothold in America is 100 Montaditos (Cerveseria 100 montaditos). The Chain features many inexpensive Spanish mini-sandwiches plus beer & wine in a tavernlike setting. There are four or five locations around central Barcelona.
The best neighborhoods to shop
Barcelona has become one of Europe’s shopping capitals and, in contrast to London, Paris or Rome, it is not only noted for setting new fashion trends, but is also still relatively inexpensive.
La Rambla, as already mentioned, is a good location for shopping but trends toward discount stores and souvenir shops. Just up from La Rambla is Plaça Catalunya featuring shops with internationally recognized brands
such as Chanel, Armani, Cartier, Miró, Mont Blanc and Zara. In the same area is the Hotel Actual which offers nice rooms at a reasonable price.
Alternatives to the big names and stores are found in the narrow streets and alleys of the Old Town. There are countless small shops featuring jewelry, beads, house wares and souvenirs.
In Barrí Gotic (the Gothic Quarter), you will find antique shops, small food markets and new fashion designers.
The El Raval area has an international population featuring a mix of foreign supermarkets and shops which gives the district a multicultural atmosphere. You’ll find discount stores, music shops and small boutiques featuring ethnic clothes.
higher still. At the other end of pricing you will find Cunard, Disney and Oceania with Silver Seas and Seabourn being the ultra exclusive lines.
Royal Caribbean
more mature cruiser. We like this line because of the enrichment programs, which include lectures and classes. Celebrity also offers a number of longer itineraries and more exotic destinations than some of the other lines.
characters the whole ship is a Disney experience. One feature that really appeals is an evening dinner rotation that moves your group to a different style restaurant each night and your table staff goes with you. Oddly Disney is also really good at providing adult only areas that are more strictly enforced than other lines.
If you’re going to cruise anyway, you would be wise to commit your loyalty and begin accumulating some perks.
The central attraction in Bangkok is the Grand Palace and Grounds featuring many temples, palaces and a museum. To do it right, the area is worth most of a day and that means at least finding a place to sit down and have lunch. If you are in the area near Wat Pho (Giant Buddha) a good choice for lunch is Eat Sight Story. The 
restaurant is on the Chao Praya River across from Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) with a deck featuring tables, umbrellas and great views. To find it, go down Tha Tian Alley towards the river from Maha Rat Road, south of the Naval Welfare Department.
staff is friendly and efficient and, while not inexpensive, the food is very good. The afternoon we visited, we had curried beef, Pad Thai, grilled chicken skewers with rice and cold Thai beer and were very pleased with our selections. Based on other meals we ate in Thailand we believe that their offerings are toned down some to appeal to western tastes.
The journey to the Mekong took three hours each way. The long bus ride gave us an opportunity to see rice farming in the countryside, old and new buildings in Ho Chi Min City as we drove through, and thousands of motor scooters carrying local people everywhere. The motor boat ride on the river was interesting followed by a small boat ride down the canals and then lunch at the Mekong River Rest Stop. The highlight of lunch was the delicious local elephant ear fish. Our tour guide was friendly and spent much of the trip talking about the Vietnamese people, their lives and their hopes for the future.
Da Nang
Nah Trang
We recently discovered another retired couple that recently visited Vietnam with some good information posted in April 2017. Check out 
Most people think pasta when it comes to Italian cooking but actually Italy has a number of regional cuisines. Tuscan and Florentine diets trend heavily toward cold sliced meats, grilled meats, lots of beans, soups and stews. With the exception of lasagna, pasta is usually done as a side dish or a casserole in Florence. Because Florence has become such an international city and a huge tourist destination many of the restaurants have put together menus that fit the visitors expectations. One small restaurant in the central city that doesn’t fit that description is Trattoria Mario.
If you are looking for a great value in good authentic food in Florence, Italy check out this gem. A local trattoria with an international clientele, owing its popularity somewhat to a bit of encouragement from Trip Advisor reviewers. It is located at Via Rosina, 2r, 50123 just a short walk from the Basilica di San Lorenzo.
The restaurant is cozy and if crowded you will probably be sharing a table if you are a small party, but that is part of the experience. While there we overheard several tables talking in several languages. The restaurant has the feel of a neighborhood place with a staff that is friendly and efficient. The dishes are prepared with skill and are mostly priced between €5 and €8. The menu is hand written and taped on the kitchen window and as the chef runs out of an item he comes out and strikes thru it. Inexpensive splits of local wines are also available.
The Intentional Travelers 