Filling in some gaps in Spain, a Greenland cruise and I'm getting a tattoo!

[RooFlyer]

At the end of the Sagrada I was struggling - abt 34 degrees and on the go for hours. I foolishly decided to walk back to my hotel (rather than taking the metro), at abt 2pm. Don't ask me why. When I got back, shower and then I thought a nice swim in their rooftop pool.

Unfortunately it was a no - a million kids in the pool.



So I settled for the Accor drink (a beer) and looked at the view.





Place next door also had a pool and bar going



After a G&T, and therefore much revived I decided to venture out to the Cathedral and the 'Gothic Quarter' - on the Metro, getting off at Urquinaona at Placa de Catalunya, once on the edge of the Old Town, now considered the centre of Barcelona. A protest was gathering as I walked past heading for the Cathedral.



Straight into pedestrianised area, with many enjoying the Saturday afternoon.



Straight ahead, the Roman Porta del Bisbe gate with two cylindrical towers. It was built in the 1st century. and extended in the 12th centuries. The stones for its construction came from a quarry on the Montjuïc mountain and the Romans called it the "Praetoria Gate".



At the bottom of the LH tower is the remains of an aqueduct.



I just think its incredible that, over 2,000 years, no-one nicked 100% of the stones of these things.

Almost next door, Barcelona Cathedral.

The present cathedral was built during the 13th and 15th centuries on the site of the old Romanesque cathedral , which was itself built on a Visigoth- era church preceded by an early Christian basilica , the remains of which can be seen underground in the City History Museum . The completion of the imposing façade in the same style, however, is much more modern ( 19th century ).

Unfortunately, it was closed. When will it be open? Between 2pm and 4:30pm tomorrow. Phooey.

 

[RooFlyer]

So I walked around the neighbourhood. Back of the Cathedral. No flying buttresses, just buttresses.




Love a good grotesque and gargoyle





Around the corner, the The Palau Reial Major "Grand Royal Palace", a complex of historic buildings located in Plaça del Rei. It was a residence of the counts of Barcelona and kings of Aragon and built between the 14th and 16th centuries.

This is the tower




The Placa del Rei.

 

[RooFlyer]

Continued a bit of a random walk. Found the Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, named for the church at its end. The pock-marks on the church front have a horrible origin - its easy to forget the Spanish Civil War



Wikipedia

The square was once home to the Palace of Neri built in 1752. In the mid-20th century, Renaissance buildings from other areas of the city were moved stone by stone to the square, instead of demolishing them to make room for urban developments. When the hotel Neri was built it was faced in similar gothic stone to maintain the gothic style of the square. In 1938 during the Spanish Civil War, Francisco Franco laid siege to the city of Barcelona. On January 30, one of Franco's Nationalist forces bombed the church, killing 30 people, most of whom were children from the School of Sant Philip Neri and some of whom were refugee children from Madrid, who were in the church as it had been turned into a makeshift orphanage. As people pulled survivors from the rubble, a second bomb hit the square, killing 12 more bringing the death toll to 42. It was the second worst bombing hit in Barcelona during the war. Evidence of the bombings can be seen in the pockmarked walls of the church. Museu del Calçat, a footwear museum in the square was closed in 2015 and the building remains unused.

Agnus Dei, which is Latin for "Lamb of God". This symbol is commonly found in Christian art and architecture and represents Jesus Christ as a sacrificial lamb.



The emblem of the shoemakers guild (or so Google tells me)




I discovered a lot more interesting history later

Plaza de Sant Felip Neri: un rincón de paz que recuerda la guerra

La plaza de Sant Felip Neri nos recuerda los horrores de la guerra, pero también un videoclip y un edificio del Born entre otras historias

becinadas.es

Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi.

It is known that in 987 there existed a church outside the city walls and to the west of Barcelona. This was a small Romanesque church dedicated to the Blessed Lady of the Pine Tree (one of the titles of the Virgin Mary). The church was most likely built between 1319 and 1391. It opened on 17 June 1453. The style of the church was Catalan Gothic, with a single nave almost devoid of ornamentation. Peter the Ceremonious made donations at the year 1379 to begin to build the bell tower, which ended in the works directed by Bartomeu Mas, between 1460 until his death in 1497. The chapel de la Sang also was built by Bartomeu Mas in 1486.

The rose window is covered on the outside, so not very bright.

 

[RooFlyer]

The church has had a rough history

It was affected by the bombings of 1714 during the War of the Spanish Succession and by the explosion of a non-related ammunition dump causing the collapse of the presbytery and destroying the main altarpiece and all the ornaments that there were, although the Virgin and other images were saved. There was also damage to a side chapel as well as in all of the nave's stained glass windows, which were broken during the siege. The church finds itself without the kidnapped bells and the ruined temple. Beginning in 1717, repairs began with the work of Joan Fiter, but a first restoration project was not carried out until 1863-1884 by Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano. The roofs of the chapels, the front and the rear facade were restored. The Baroque decoration of the temple was also eliminated. Towards 1915 it was restored again.

In 1936 the church was gutted by a fire deliberately set by anarchists, who wanted to destroy the building. The church was restored following the end of the Civil War.

The bed of Santa Maria del Pi - used in the celebration of the Assumption of Mary, with a cataflaque bearing a recumbent image of the Virgin - this one dating from 1801.





The pavement of the chuirch has many ancient tombstones.

 

[VPS]

Nope, not at all Pushka. We did, but just for the architecture. We're pretty much a church free zone, catholic churches especially.

Interesting I am completely agnostic but just admire the architecture and consider it similar to visiting a stately home or a museum. Friend who was abused by the Catholics as a child will not step foot in a church.

I have no issue with people that don't want to engage but for me I love them.

 

[tgh]

I have some thoughts about the rise and fall of christianity but there can (should ?) be no argument that the artistic expression in buildings and in music remains one of humanities greatest achievements.
Having thrown that pebble , I opine that the Sagrada should not achieve entry to the human achievement register…yuk !!

 

[RooFlyer]

Next morning, I went to Tarragona, about an hour south of Barcelona by train. I checked at the Novotel reception where I should catch it from and the answer was Barcelona Sants - the major station in the SW of the city. I checked the Renfe app and found the train originated further up-rail and the closest for me was Passage de Gràcia. So I checked the metro route to get there with the Novotel guy and he very confidently gave me a route. I checked - he was wrong.

Anyway, metro to Passge de Gracia and then the fun started. The underground passage way to the P de Gracia Renfe platform was long and circuitous, up and down stairs; 450m.



Got to the platform and the train arrived, nearly empty. I got a seat with plenty of leg room and was fine until a few minutes later when this lady appeared and organised herself directly across from where i was sitting (bottom right out of sight in the pic)


So I moved but at the next stop, Sants, it made no difference as the crowd was huge and the train was packed, standing in the aisles.

Pleasant ride to Tarragona along the Med coastline. First stop there was the Roman amphitheatre





It was stinking hot again, so i didn't go down and in but cut across to the town. Like most of the medieval citirs I've been visiting, its made of limestone, hot and glaring in the sun.









What looks like Roman writing on blocks re-used in buildings

 

[RooFlyer]

Tarragona Cathedral was built in the 12th and 13th centuries on the site of a mosque and before that, a Roman temple, of which vestiges remain below street level.





11m diameter rose window







16th century organ and choir stalls

 

[RooFlyer]

Chapel of the Holy Sacrament
A classical doorway flanked by two granite columns brought by Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century BCE to decorate the sacred area of the Temple of Augustus provides the entrance to the chapel. Once inside, a massive, slightly pointed barrel vault can be seen, which originally formed part of the 12th-century Canons’ Refectory.







The chapels contain elements from Roman times, but mainly 15th to 18th centuries

 

[RooFlyer]

Nearby









Then onto the Roman Circus and Praetorium and by this time I was labouring under the great heat. I came as close to as I ever want to to fainting as I climbed some stairs - I suspect low blood pressure, combined with the great heat, along with a bit of dehydration (although I was chugging down water as fast as I could).

Located between Via Augusta and the provincial forum, Tarragona's circus was once used to hold horse and chariot races. An elongated structure measuring 325 by 115 metres, its original capacity has been estimated at 30,000 spectators. The complex was built in the 1st century. Unusually, it was located within the city limits and is thus endowed with several atypical architectural features. It is considered one of the best-preserved circuses in the West, although some of the original structure remains hidden under old 19th-century buildings. The Praetorium is a Roman-era tower that once housed the stairs that connected the lower city to the provincial forum by way of the circus, to which it is connected by means of underground passageways. It stands at one of the corners of the vast rectangle of the provincial forum square. In the 12th century, it was transformed into a palace for the monarchs of the Crown of Aragon. It was subsequently used as a prison.

 

[RooFlyer]

Time to head back to Barcelona. Passing

As 13-14th century manor house in the Jewish Quarter





A 12-15th century hospital



and, blessedly, some gelato



Fortunately the walk back to the station was then downhill



The train was uncrowded on the way back, along the scenic coastline

 

[RooFlyer]

You would think having nearly keeled over on a Roman monument that would be all for the day.

Noooooo. The hour or so on the train and a lot of water revived me, so on the Barcelona metro I made my way to the foot of Montjuic where a funicular (part of the metro) takes you up the first part. But first the inevitable maze and marathon from the metro station to the funicular



Then to the cable car. They only allow own groups per car, so I had one of my own

\\

Some fantastic views of Barcelona, but God it was hot in that glass box.





At the top, the citadel, which has played an important part in Catalan and Spanish history cince the 17th century

Montjuïc Castle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Best views over the city and coast





Gaudi planned the Sagrada familia to finally be just short of the top of Montjuic.

 

[RooFlyer]

Next day was a major deviation from my originally planned trip, which involved driving north into Andorra and the Pyrenees.

Instead, inspired by @Seat0B , I decided on a major diversion to Cordoba. I had seen a lot of Spain about 10 years ago when I made three work trips to the Salamanca area of a couple of weeks at a time and could slouch off on weekends and after the work part was done. But Cordoba for some reason eluded me and this was a chance to make amends, although it involved a major investment in time - a day rail there, and another back to Barcelona. Such was my interest.

So I booked Renfe tickets in Confort class (thank goodness, given what happened; the rest of the train was packed)) and planned for a relaxing day on the train.

Not so. Disaster at check-out of the Novotel when they declined to store my suitcase for the 2 days I would be away (I had another stay at the Novotel booked for my return). Not an entitlement, but given the size of the hotel, status and my experiences in other Accor properties, I had counted on it. No dice.

First it meant a taxi to Barcelona Sants station rather than the metro - abt 20 euro (ditto back of course). Then, very fortunately, I noticed a sign in the railway station for stored luggage. Whew! But then another maze followed - right through the station, out the other side, down in a lift to the carpark, right through the car park ..... anyway 10 euro a day for storage. So total cost abt 70 euro. Thank you Novotel.

Then, trying to find the platform entrance in the huge, heaving station. Fortunately, my innate conservative travel planning paid off big time, as my early check-out meant I had time for the luggage thing and finding the platform.

Through security (bags cursory xray) and try to find the actual platform entrance. Impossible! Humanity everywhere. Eventually found this - a mega queue, and it was still 30 mins to departure. Note the rope lines L and R.



and lots of these



So they held us there for about 15 mins, by which time the queue had doubled or more behind me - the entire train load, basically. We finally started to inch forward and then the reason for the crush was obvious. One. single. narrow. bloody. escalator down to the platform. Ludicrous.

Then, at the bottom of the escalator, another crush because there was no sign or indication of which way the coaches were. People milling around as the escalator deposited more people in the same area. Stupidest thing ever. Or almost. I asked a couple of people and eventually got pointed to the far, far, far end of the train. And it was a huge long train. Second last coach.



The Confort seat was one of 1-2 and mine against the window. Took ages trying to find out how the wi fi worked only to eventually conclude that it was for streaming Renfe entertainment only. No wi fi!! My mobile data was a bit flakey too. No power at the seat.

This is my route - Barcelona to Cordoba on a high speed AVE train, abt 4.5 hours. We didn't actually go through Madrid, but bypassed to the south.



There was a cafe car and the coffee was good, thank God. Major stressful morning, but under way, though 'typical' Spanish countryside. Speed mostly 250-280km/hr, hitting 300 in places.

 

[RooFlyer]

Arrived Cordoba station pretty well on time. 'No rides' was Uber's response, so a taxi to my hotel, the Hesperia, again per recommendation of @Seat0B.

Weather in Cordoba



The hotel was good. Throughout my stay, there seemed an obsessive focus on cleaning. The floors, all the time; elevator etc. The next morning, i got a knock on my door at 9am - cleaner!







When i arrived, the room was very hot. Top floor, on the end, so getting the full force of the sun. In spite of an impressive air con, it didn't get below 24 degrees, although, sensibly, there was only a sheet atop the bed.

I booked a Cathedral view room, and it delivered!







In spite of the +_40 deg heat, I went for an orientation walk.

The Roman Bridge (restored)





An old mill in the river - one of several. The river was still flowing quite strongly in the middle of summer.



But quickly retreated. The rooftop bar was deserted, and baking and it was even too hot to use the pool.