Day #2 started with a great breakfast at the Renaissance Hotel. It was then off to the Mercal de la Bocaria, a food market of magnificent proportions. Just the displays are an art form, in and of themselves. To get there, we had to learn to ride the subway system. We purchased a 2-day unlimited ride ticket and were please to find that there was a stop an the Mercal. Below are some of the sights you will see. It is best to see this place early in the day.
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| Entrance to Mercal de la Bocaria |
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| Iberian Ham |
Iberian hams are very unique to the Iberian Peninsula and the method of curing them has been done for a 1000 years. Special Iberian pigs that are black, are fed a diet of acorns to produce a unique amount of fat and meat with antioxidants. The meat is cured in salt and the winter air for two years. It sell for about $170 Euros per kilogram.
     Merluza Fish  Saffron  Snacks that are healthy  Rooster Combs - What do you do with them? Make Synvisc to inject in the joints?  Yummy - Tripe  No part left uneaten  You can eat in the market too.
Following this experience, we took the L5 subway line to the Familia Sagrada basilica. This basilica has been in the process of being built for over 150 years. It was designed by the architect Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi was born in 1852 and was a sickly child. His mother spent a lot of time with him and took him for many nature walks that later affected his style of architecture. The Familia Sagrada incorporates many facets from nature in its design and is a UNESCO world heritage site. This is definitely a tourist site not to be missed despite the cost of $18 euros per person for a self-guided tour. You will never see another basilica such as this.
Its is very crowded on weekends, and despite our arriving a 11 am, the earliest admission we could purchase was for 3:15 p.m. If you have a short time schedule, it might be best to purchase a tour from an established company so that you can jump the lines and not be delayed. You can also save some money by purchasing tickets online.
         A Subirachs' square - What is the meaning of the number 33?It is the age of Jesus Christ at the time of crucifixion.
Following the Familia Sagrada experience, we returned to the hotel for a quick nap and then we departed the hotel to find some dinner. We were attempting to eat at a restaurant called “The Four Cats - El Quatro Gato” but the earliest time we could get was 10 pm. This restaurant was a favorite of Pablo Picaso. We settled for a restaurant near our hotel on Pau Claris, called Restaurant Marinero. This turned out to be a great find as the food was exceptional. Even the wine was reasonably priced at 12.50 Euros for a bottle of excellent temparinillo wine.
 
With tummies full and after walking 8 miles, we returned to the hotel. Tomorrow morning by 8 am we must put our luggage near our door for collection and transport to the cruise ship. We will be transported at 11:30 am to the ship and then have the day to do more exploration of Barcelona. We plan to use our unlimited metro tickets to ride the bus to various areas to see what is out there. My right foot has developed a blister so I must be more sensible in my walking. :(
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