Rambling Down La Ramblas

Despite the title of this blog post (it's kind of required when blogging about Barcelona to use the "Rambling. . .La Ramblas" construct), we hit a few sights in Barri Gotic that we did not get to on Sunday.

 These are the old Roman towers that guarded the entrance gate of the ancient Roman city of Barcino.  As you can see in the picture, the base of the towers are the original Roman, while the rest of the tower is reconstructed.

 This is the "O" in the whimsical sculpture that spells out "Barcino."  I didn't take a picture of the whole thing, because, with the festival coming, they had placed a number of port-a-johns right by the other letters.  That picture would have looked crappy.  (Blogger: Don't say it, I'm actually shaking my own head at that one.  Editor: You almost showed some restraint on that, but you still used it, so, no points for you!)

Pictured above is the Monument to the Martyrs of Independence.  These five Barcelona patriots (including two priests) receive their last rights before being garroted (strangled) by Napoleon's troops in the early 1800s.  They gave their lives for God, country, and King. 

 Gaudi's church -- not the Sagrada Familia, but the one he actually went to worship.   The is the Sant Felip Neri Church, and it is hidden away from the crowds on a peaceful little plaza.  The plaza has a fountain in the middle of it, and is surrounded by beautiful buildings.  

The church was not open when we were by in the morning, but the most remarkable thing about it can be seen in the photo (btw, click on any photo and it enlarges).  The pock marks in the wall are damage from the Spanish Civil War, when the Franco forces were bombing the Palau de la Generalitat, which is sort of nearby.  It also means the Franco forces were bad shots.

 The Jewish Quarter in Barcelona is not large, but it has narrow lanes and a pretty plaza.  The photo above shows the stone that marks what was likely the city's main synagogue during the Middle Ages.

This amazing fountain is not far at all from the Cathedral.  And yet, as hundreds streamed by, Carol and I were the only two paying any attention to it.  While the tiling is from 1918, the fountain itself dates back to at least the 1600s.  It served as the last watering stop for horses on the way out of town.  It is just a short block from the Foot Locker store.

The two photos above are of the Church of Santa Anna, which dates back to the 12th Century.  Based outside the city walls for the longest time, this Catalan Gothic church was part of a convent.  The cloister remains, although you can not go in it -- just look in it.

The marker cross photo is above the bell tower.  The church itself is pretty austere.

This photo of a grave inside the church sparked an interesting interaction.  There was a group of homeless men sleeping on the pews on either side of it.  Looking for the door to the cloister (it was locked) I didn't realize there were homeless sleeping until I was upon them.  

I quickly took a picture of the grave and left, as to not disturb them.  One shouted after me, and chased me down the row of pews.  He gestured at my camera, all the time speaking Catalan.  I have a fluency of one language, and that usually is English (go ahead dear Reader, insert snide remarks here).

I realized he thought I took pictures of the men.  I quickly showed him my pictures, and he clapped me on the back and went back to his group, explaining to them I did not violate their privacy.  Taking their pictures is definitely something I would not have done, so I am glad digital makes it easy to show that I had not.  Carol was a tad shook by what she thought was a confrontation, but I did not take it personally at all.

 Now, we actually got to La Ramblas.  As it seems most people do, we started at Placa de Catalunya and headed southeast down toward the Med.  The above sculpture, which looks like two staircases mating, actually represents the shape of Catalunya, in honor of a former president of Catalunya.  Declaring independence in 1931 was a bold move for the man, but it did not work out.

Just past the sculpture is a Five Guys, which, for some reason, we did not expect to see.  Speaking of not seeing, somehow we missed the famed Fountain of Canaletes, so we'll have to catch that on another ramble. 

The whole Bolger family had walked La Ramblas back during our short visit in 2009.  The difference between August then (even in a recession) and mid-September now was striking.  Far fewer people.  La Ramblas is the pickpocket capital of Barcelona, which is the pickpocket capital of Spain.  I'm not sure they had the crowds they need to purvey their pickpocket purloining.  However, I still have been keeping my wallet in a zipped up pants pocket, and my phone in a snap button pants pocket. 

Of course, now that I have bragged about defeating those who make their living picking pockets, I will no doubt let down my guard at some point and be ripped off.  Have to stay vigilant! 

Just a block off La Ramblas is a 2,000 year old tomb-lined road.  It's a Roman necropolis -- back in the day, tombs were built lining the roads out of cities.  It's impressive to see such as well preserved necropolis, realizing that it is a good ten feet lower than where the city is now.  

A fountain just off La Ramblas.  The beautiful tells

the story of a long-ago city gate, as merchants

sell their wares.

This Baroque Church from the 1600s is quite overpowering from the outside.  It is the Betlem Church, dedicated to Bethlehem.  Apparently the Nativity scenes at Christmas time are a crowd-pleaser.  

The inside is quite austere, having been burnt during the Spanish Civil War.  The interiors of many churches were destroyed back in that war.  

After strolling through, and lunching in, La Boqueria, Barcelona's most famous market (and rightfully so -- a separate blog post is coming on that), we continued down La Ramblas.  

We walked over to Santa Maria del

Pi, a medieval church.  We decided

to wait for another time to tour it.

In the Placa Reial are two helmeted lightposts that represent Gaudi's first public work.  The square itself is classic -- palm trees, a fountain, bars with outside tables (we'll be back for a drink there).  Big squares like this often originated as monasteries.   When the monasteries were dissolved in the 19th Century, the government took the land and left it open.  

Our next stop was a wonderful early Gaudi work that was being rehabbed last time we came through the city.  More on that amazing house in a separate post.