Barcelona

The journey to Barcelona was uneventful, with the exception of getting into Barcelona itself. The roads, especially around Barcelona, are not for the faint hearted. It helps if you have a good idea where you are going because the roads are very busy with the locals driving at breakneck speed. It really helps if you have a good navigator. Jan’s good. Even getting off the ring roads doesn’t help much because, when you do, the streets are so narrow and many are now newly pedestrianised that a local map is only so much help. All these issues were compounded with a very heavy thunderstorm as we entered the city. Welcome to Barcelona!
The rain cleared enough for us to walk out for dinner. Ben and Paula, whose flat we are using, live in an area called Gracia, an interesting area to the north of Barcelona with a distinct bohemian feel. The streets are very narrow, difficult to traverse, especially with our car, but quaint nonetheless. Dinner wasn’t memorable; we rather stupidly chose a restaurant that served food with a heavy French influence. We were tired!