I don’t access Facebook all that much at home, so it was odd to find myself in Barcelona touching base with friends thousands of miles away. I sent encouraging words to one whose wife had just had a medical scare. When he responded, hoping that all was well with me, I asked, “How bad can things be in Barcelona!” Another friend, after I mentioned where I was, hoped I was enjoying his “favorite city in the world.”
Barcelona seems to be a lot of people’s favorite city these days. Perhaps it’s because there’s a certain exotic novelty to Spain, for example, as opposed to our more familiar awareness of England and France.
Maybe it’s because the city offers a combination of bustling metropolis and seaside resort — like something you’d get if you could easily stroll from downtown LA’s museums and theaters to Santa Monica’s beaches and Third Street Promenade. And maybe it’s due to the boom in cruise vacations and the fact that Barcelona seems to be on every other Mediterranean itinerary.
Barcelona has, indeed, burst onto the international travel stage. But why?
The streets are crowded — strolling Las Ramblas at night seems to cry out for shoulder pads. The airport is busy, with poor signage and a line for VAT refunds that creates more stress than one wants at the end of a vacation
Tourists flock to the works of Gaudi, but — reflecting on a stay at a minimalist 4-star hotel without a piece of art on its stark, oak-paneled walls or a drawer to stuff some shirts in — others think his works are too, too much. Interesting, yes, but finish them already and get those dang scaffolds out of the way.
Others rave about the tapas. Slimy sardines and peppers and potatoes smack atop a crusty little piece of bread are okay for a one-time change of pace and aren’t even that costly by themselves. But the bill can get a bit out of hand when you need 6 or 7 of them to make a decent meal.
Barcelona is okay — even fun, exciting, and different. But next time, I think I’d try someplace at the other end of the country’s alphabet. Like Zaragoza.