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The train from Madrid to Barcelona is convenient and affordable which makes up for the lack of scenery.

Barcelona is a vibrant city with a young population, and full of things to do. Main streets branch into different alleys often, and the narrow streets are often lined up with shops and eateries.  Barcelona is a big international city with tourists as well as plenty of locals wherever we go.  Tourist books mention pickpockets so much that we become more guarded of the surroundings and often put our backpack on the front in busy street traffic.

La Rambla is the most famous street in Barcelona and it spans over multiple metro stations.  It is a good place to take the pulse of the city, get some snacks and shop for souvenirs.  

The hotel reception desk suggested we visit the fountain and its night show located near a metro stop.  We arrived with more than half an hour to wait, and there were already hundreds, if not thousands of people, around the fountains. The evening climate was comfortable.  The show started with the musical chant of “Barcelona”, as tons of water started to fill up the central pool and its surrounding moat.  The pillars of water came alive in different heights, different colors and different patterns. There was energy and happiness in the air as the crowds, tourists and locals alike, gathered around with some dancing, some singing, some relaxing and some simply hanging out. The show lasted over an hour and was totally worth waiting for.  This ranked among the best musical fountain shows.

La Sagrada Familia (The Holy Family) is the attraction of the attractions in Barcelona. I would claim it in the top ten attractions in Europe.  After decades of construction, the basilica is open for mass service but remains the largest unfinished catholic church after decades of construction.  No photos can fairly capture the originality and power of its architecture.  It is surreal standing in front of La Sagrada Familia and I would remember that sense of dizziness in my first sight of the architecture. Gaudi is a genius and has been underrated in the English speaking world population. He designed the basilica design inside out, where the bible stories can be appreciated through the sculptures on the outside, while the outside nature is fully on display in the interior. I can be at the site for hours and hours to experience the holiness and discover the magic.

It was a blessing in disguise when we were infected with COVID-19 just weeks before the trip.  After the recovery, we felt invincible and decided to watch FC Barcelona playing live at Camp Nou.  On match days, the whole city of Barcelona came united with people of all ages wearing team jerseys, turning strangers into fellow soccer fans.  Messi has left FC Barcelona recently and we missed his star power. (FC Barcelona discovered Messi in his teens, and Messi played for FC Barcelona for 20 years until his emotional departure in 2021.  In December 2022, he led the Argentina team winning his maiden world cup, and we were so happy for him). Camp Nou has a capacity close to 10,000 and is the largest stadium in Europe. We got good tickets that give a good view of the soccer field and the players.  The stadium surprisingly gave a cozy feeling, unlike some other smaller stadiums we have been to watch tennis, or shows.  The team played well against team Elche.  What impressed us the most was not from the soccer players, but from the spectators who were so full of unity and team spirit.   They sang songs, they booed the opponents, they made gestures and they celebrated the goals.  FC Barcelona got an easy win over Elche.   Sports are among the best things to unify people.  We hope that more cities would consider adopting the “sport” strategy to cultivate a sense of camaraderie.

Established in the 11th century, Montserrat Monastery, located in the volcanic landscape of Montserrat, made a decent day excursion from Barcelona. Arriving on a Sunday, the plaza area was surprisingly touristy and there seemed some hiking events going on. It created a contrast to the monastery being the most important Catalonia religious retreat and still have over 70 monks in residence. The basilica has the more traditional architecture filled with luxurious golden decorations, depicting solemnness. We attended the Sunday mass partly to listen to the angelic voice of the famous Montserrat choir. After the mass, we went for short hikes around the rugged landscape.

Next up Mallorca.  How does the island compare to the Barcelona beach?

A trip is a project.  It starts with an idea.  The first commitment comes with the booking of plane tickets, followed by additional commitment to get the accommodation.  Then comes the itinerary, traveling, enjoying the moments, and effort to turn the moments into immortal memories.   That process of turning the moments into immortal memories always has flaws as my brain operates in the exact opposite of a photogenic memory.  Photos and videos supplement the imperfect memory retention only that I hardly go and check them out.   Days after the trip, the memory  is vivid; A bit further, the itinerary still brings back some detail. Weeks after, we need some help from the photos. Further down, we need the video to relive the experience.  Few years down the road, the photos and videos would be more like new memories of something that we cannot recall.  What is left becomes more like the impressions of the place, the food, the culture and the experience. 

The trip to Spain started with the idea to watch the Laver Cup in London last September.  After having been to London a few times, we decided to enrich the trip with an ABBA show in London and a trip to Spain – Madrid, Barcelona and Mallorca. I would relish the moments of visiting La Sagrada Familia, watching FC Barcelona in Camp Nou Stadium and witnessing the emotional farewell of Roger Federer in the Laver Cup plus some much more.

Itinerary

• 5 days in Madrid, stayed @The Westin Palace, Madrid
• 5 days in Barcelona, stayed @Catalonia Magdalenes
• 3 days in Mallorca, stayed @Melia Palma Bay
• 3 days in London, stayed @The Stratford London

Madrid is a beautiful city.  We stayed at the Westin Palace, an authentic landmark in the Heart of Madrid.  Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real de Madrid, Templo de Debod,Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Museo Nacional del Prado are all within walking distance. Despite the construction around the Plaza Mayor, most businesses were in operation and there were no shortage of attractions. It is a walkable city and the streets are lined up with pleasing architecture, appealing restaurants, small eateries of Museo del Jamon, and souvenir shops. 

I am thrilled to discover the many similarities in the vocabulary of Spanish and English. A few Spanish phrases, here and there, are sufficient to roughly understand the Spanish menu in the eateries, and many street signs. It is like the similarity between Japanese Kanji and Chinese characters.  

In Madrid, we tasted as many Tapas as possible.  Tapa is the Spanish dim sum.  We often stopped in the middle of the road taking pictures of the different Tapa menus.   Spanish cuisine is underrated both in the quality and variety of the food.  Maybe Spain does not market itself as much as its neighbor, France.  We love to discover the outdoor street cafes on the way to tourist attractions. These outdoor cafes have great prices.  In one meal, the two of us enjoyed burrata salad, grilled pepper, Jamon de Bellota, the tasty tender baby lamb chop, and drank Sangria.  In another meal, we tried Churro con Chocolate.  In another snack stop, we tried espanada. Jamon de Bellota is the best ham in my book.  

The most memorable meal in Madrid has to be the Suckling pig (Cochinillo) at Botin.  This record-setting restaurant has been serving up classic dishes since 1725, and not much has changed in the centuries since. The simple decor and classy service transported us back in time. The decor reminds me of the restaurant in Hong Kong 太平館餐廳.  Botin has done a good job in its upkeep.  How is the Cochinillo compared to the Hong Kong style suckling pig (乳豬)?  In terms of presentation, each has its own characteristics.  It is a tie. In terms of the smell, Hong Kong style suckling pig can be served hours after the roast.  The Cochinillo dish, we had, was served right off the oven and the smell made the mouth water.  The Cochinillo has an edge. In terms of palate pleasure, Hong Kong style suckling pig serves the most tender part of a baby pig. Botin serves pigs from Segovia and uses more portions of the pig in Cochinillo.  Hong Kong has the edge in terms of pork tenderness.  Botin has almost three hundred years of history and counting.  That alone is hard to beat.  We thoroughly enjoyed the meal and would highly recommend making a reservation when you visit Madrid.

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía organized with crisp clarity the art history of the last few hundred years.  Picasso impressions can be found everywhere.  His genius was thoroughly demonstrated in this powerful, iconic and yet tragic Guernica – a large black and white oil painting in 1937 following the German bombing of the city in Spain. Standing next to Guernica, I wish for the eradication of wars regardless of the rationale.

The Museo Del Prado is an art museum in Madrid, with great collections.   If I have to choose to just go to one museum. The one with Guernica is my obvious choice.

We could not leave Madrid without a dinner-included Flamenco show.  While overpriced with the dinner price tag, we enjoyed the showmanship, the musical instrument, the song and the dance.

Next up Barcelona.