Barcelona waterfront life

love it or hate it, Barcelona's waterfront is indeed thought provoking on so many levels....from the densely packed narrow streets of Barceloneta to the Olympic marinas, cable cars high across the docks, IMAX cinemas and novel sliding bridges.......plenty to see, gasp at, shake your head over in deep consternation.................

So the Missus and I were lucky enough to have an old friend offer us her boat for a week. A modest affair, a sort of up market cruiser with skeleton crew. Hey, who are we to turn down a luxury freebie!

I confess I found it rather ostentatious in all truth; drinks at the Ocean Club each evening! Only so many G and T's  a man can take!

Ok! Ok! I'm lying. We stayed at a budget hotel in the El Born Gothic quarter.....but a man can dream can't he? Had some of you going though didn't I!!!!

To be truthful I can't stand boats like this. Give me a classic wooden boat any day. Mind you, I wouldn't have said know to a trip on this one................

....and I did like this little boat as well....although I can't articulate why.......!

Can't say this sculpture particularly grabbed me........

and let's face it - I found this 'thing' down right weird................

It was nice to see old traditional craft being moved about.................

And I would certainly recommend a visit to the maritime museum..........

wooden subs...........

glorious wooden models

rather inspired use of shipping crates as exhibit displays and cases

an excellent history of surfing at Barcelona exhibit

here is a nice medieval galley.......a model

and here it is fully lifesized!

some nice sculpture..........

Outside on the waterfront was a very interesting standoff between immigrant street traders - about 100 of them and 14 maritime port police officers who clearly had the audacity to move the traders across the road so that they became the city police problem, not that of the maritime police.......tense but fun!

and then of course, the tourist entertainers......just plain impressive........

Pretty sure I taught him last year!