BARCELONA 5: PUTTING ON A NEW FACE

 On our fifth day in Barcelona, we enjoyed another yummy breakfast at Escriba, then strolled all the way down Las Ramblas to see the "New, Improved" harbor area, and to catch a glimpse of the Mediterranean. Apparently, when they got the news that the Olympics were coming to town, as well as a steady stream of oceanliners, they decided that they needed to greet their visitors with a more pristine face. So warehouses and fishing villages were replaced by a fancy-schmancy shopping mall and aquarium.  Cuz, that's why people travel, right? To go see and do and eat the same kind of things they can see and do and eat right in their own backyard?

We only stepped inside the mall to get directions to the tower entrance for the cable car ride that would send us sailing over the water to Montjuïc. Unfortunately, the directions weren't clear, and we ended up going waaay far out of our way, and circling right back to where we started!

Montjuïc is the flat-topped hill in the distance.

We did spot one thing at the mall, however, that you wouldn't see back home. This!

Is that not the strangest, most beautiful "Santa" ever? And why were kids still visiting him on January 2nd? Well, I did a little research when we got home, and discovered that in Catalonia, toys are not delivered by Santa Claus, they come from the gift-bearing Magi, and not until the 12th day of Christmas, or Epiphany. Still haven't figured out why the Magi would need elves and reindeer though.

We explored the El Born area on the way back to our hotel.

We'd hoped to lunch at this place, the high point of a friends visit to Barcelona. Alas, not open for lunch!

If you recall, I mentioned earlier that we don't go to museums as a rule. However, there were a few in Barcelona which we would gladly have broken the rule for, had we more time. One was the Jamón Experience, where you get to do tastings! Then there was a chocolate museum, as well as this one, which you should probably hit first, in case it gives you the munchies!

We definitely put some steps on the ol' fitbit that day, and absolutely crashed when we finally made it back to the hotel. Later that evening we returned to one of the first restaurants we'd tried here -- Set De Gòtic...

however, instead of selecting the tried and true, we got brave and ordered the tapas "tasting menu", leaving all the choices up to them.

And, we're ever so glad we did!

P.S. Have I mentioned how much we enjoyed the wines in Barcelona? I am not a drinker. Never have been. I pretend to sip at a glass of wine with my friends, but the only time I have ever felt compelled to finish a glass, was the first time I tasted the dry rosés of Provence. Luckily, unlike here in Texas, these were on most every menu there. Plus, Hubby is turning into a huge fan of the Spanish reds!