Barcelona

Well this is the last stop on our first cruise and what do they say about the best for last. It really is a beautiful blend of a modern city with old wold charm. Some spectacular architecture with a city revitalized by the olympics. They may be expensive but legacy for a host city is well worth it. You notice it in the pride in how they talk about the recent changes in the city, not just the skyline but the culture, art and history. 

We did a tour this morning to an old Spanish town which gave us the flavour of the architecture and culture of the entire country. What it is a reproduction of the kinds of buildings you would find in a Spanish village in different regions of the country. It's really cool how they built this small town and incorporated artisans and merchants into the whole thing making it a place of commerce yet also a living history. As we were leaving we saw many school groups coming into take a tour. Kids are the same all over the world as watching them get lined up brought back memories of many field trips to museums that I had organized. I recall how excited the kids were to be out of school and yet how they enjoyed hearing about the past.

Our tour ended after a gondola ride which have us spectacular views of the city and the harbor.