Barcelona: Culinary arts, culture and sights

BARCELONA — If there was anything that surprised me in Barcelona, it is its stunning beauty, magnificence, its arts and its culture. I submit that I haven’t yet visited the other places in the Iberian Peninsula, which I plan to do in the future. However my coming to Barcelona at the heels of a very recent incident (only last Aug. 17) where a terrorist on a van rammed innocent pedestrians killing 13 while wounding 130 others only got people to warn me about the major security problems of Barcelona, including pickpockets.

Worse, my daughter booked us in an apartment (it was actually cheaper and better than a hotel because we could cook our own breakfast because the Carre Four was a five-minute walk away) that was a three-minute walk to La Rambla, the site of the latest terror incident that rocked Barcelona. But rather than be scared of the ISIS inspired threat, on our way from the Dubai International Airport, our Emirates A-380 was full of passengers, mostly tourists. Clearly they were not scared of the security concerns.

Best of all in La Rambla today, police presence was so visible, you could see a policeman or a police car pass you by every other minute. With the security issues already handled well by Barcelona Police, we walked this kilometer-long famous Barcelona tourist destination with no fear. I guess the pickpockets too were wary that their chances of getting caught for their petty crimes were on a very high percentage.

So what does a first timer tourist in Spain do in Barcelona? Of course taste Spain’s famous culinary delights. If you have been very observant, it would seem that Barcelona is a place where the bars outnumber the restaurants. We actually saw bars and restaurants often fused as one. A great number of them that have main restaurants in La Rambla and in Rambla Catalunya up ahead also have tables and chairs along the main pedestrian of La Rambla and also in Rambla Catalunya.

Yes, if food tripping is your daily fix, Barcelona is the place for you. When a friend treats you to a Tapas bar and tells you that it is not yet dinner he really means it. For starters, there are two major kinds of leg ham, Jamon Serrano and Jamon Iberico. One is a white pig, while the other is a dark pig. For me the more tasty one is the dark pig and yes in almost every Tapas bar or restaurant in Barcelona, this is a main dish and yes, dinner has not yet been served as it is only 6 p.m. Dinner in Spain is at 9 p.m.!

There is also my favorite Croquettas, which even MacDonald’s serves. They have Tortilla Española, Gambas Ajillo and Pulpo ala Gallega and Patatas Bravas just to name a few popular ones. Incidentally I learned on this trip that there are many Filipino cooks in many restaurants in Barcelona. Nuria Restaurant at the corner of Plaza Catalunya is proud of their Filipino cook who made us a mean Paella! The best one I have ever tasted.

If culture is your trip, you can watch the Art of Flamenco, which has daily shows in certain bi-hourly schedules. In La Rambla alone there were two to choose from. One inside a theater, which costs 60 euros or a cheaper one inside a nightclub named Taranto’s inside the Plaza Real or as written in the Catalan Language, Placa Reial. Yup I took video shots of their powerful performance in a jam-packed room. I have seen one performed in Cebu once, but the one we saw in Tarantos was remarkable.

There is no doubt that Barcelona’s tourism is their major economic industry. I have never seen so many open top tour buses plying the streets of Barcelona except perhaps in Paris. Of course Barcelona’s famous tourism destination is the Basilica de Sagrada Familia, the first and last work of the world famous architect Antoni Gaudi. Aside from the Sagrada Familia, there is the Casa Galvet, the Casa Batllo and the Park Guell just to name a few. I have never seen a huge city that was transformed by a single architect.

I have seen the Sagrada Familia in many photographs and videos, but seeing it from upfront just takes your breath away. If you had the time to examine every single intricate detail, you will discover the genius of Gaudi and ran out of time. It is unfortunate that Gaudi was struck by a tram and left for dead until they had to look for him and found him in a pauper’s hospital. He died in June 10, 1926 and the Sagrada Familia took many decades to be at this stage today. The plan is to finish the Sagrada Familia on June 10, 2026 on the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death. He is buried inside a crypt within the Sagrada Familia Basilica. 

Finally no trip to Barcelona would be complete if you don’t huff into a tourist bus or a train and head to that unique geological formation called Mount Montserrat, stones and rocks where a minor basilica of the Our Lady of Montserrat or the “La Moreneta” the black Madonna sits on the main altar of the basilica. It is only an hour’s bus ride from Barcelona, but the view is breathtaking and the weather is always cool. They had a funicular, but I didn’t take it, as it was foggy that day. Indeed Barcelona is worth visiting!

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