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A wander through the back streets of Barcelona. Who needs Gaudi?
So much of the city was left unpodcasted, and I am really keen to return. The city cast a spell on me this time, and I think it was because we didn’t once think about doing anything really touristy (no Sagrada Familia for example). Being a good tourist can be so exhausting – Florence nearly killed me when I tried! – but just wandering around the back streets of any unfamiliar city is one of the greatest joys on earth.
To see all the fantastic Barcelona recommendations sent in by you lot, click here.
Pepino
5 Dec 06 at 10:00 am
Maybe my ears were deceiving me, and it was getting a bit late last night when I listened to this podcast, but at the point you were leaving the market and the sound faded out, was the band playing “Roll out the barrel”?
A little bit of Albert Square in the Boqueria??
Ben
5 Dec 06 at 10:46 am
I thought that music was strangely familiar too! It was too South American guys that were playing it!
greytop
5 Dec 06 at 11:45 am
Great podcast and the sounds in and around the market excellent. Thank you both
Ben
5 Dec 06 at 2:00 pm
And thank you for listening!
Janelle
5 Dec 06 at 7:07 pm
Great podcast, Im listening to it now as I am preparing for my trip to Barcelona this weekend. Can’t wait to visit the Boqueria market again. Looking to discover some different areas too. Gracias!
Ben
6 Dec 06 at 10:09 am
Have a great time Janelle!
Chris (Amateur Traveler podcast)
7 Dec 06 at 7:19 pm
Gee, I missed that part of Barcelona with the black prostitutes and drug addicts. So glad you filled in that part of my education.
Ben
7 Dec 06 at 8:09 pm
We aim to cover the entire spectrum of the Spanish experience
Marina
10 Dec 06 at 4:29 pm
Janelle,
I hope you’ve enjoyed the puente in Barcelona!
I’ll be great to read a bit about your expirience at some point.
Marina.
gary
19 Dec 06 at 11:12 pm
Thanks for the mention in this podcast. I feel the same about Raval – it seems dodgy but I never feel threatened. At the bottom of Rambla de Raval there is a bar called Ambar which doesnt open til 10 its shabby and studenty but ok til 3am. I am surprised that none of the prostitutes were blokes – dressed as stunning looking women. Glad you enjoyed Plaí§a de Pi The tapas are good at the tiny Bar de Pi. I will be there in February when I hope to snatch a drink with Dave Hall (Pepino) and explore the Paseig de Born – a new area for me with bars, tapas etc, that he has recommended. Great podcast, i closed my eyes and I was there!
Thorarinn Leifsson
4 May 07 at 1:51 pm
Hi Ben
Nice reporting on our Barrio
Made me want to forget my work and run down to the Barceloneta!
Daniel
14 Sep 07 at 6:14 am
On Sundays around noon, the locals meet in front of the Cathedral to dance the sardana (?) – the native dance of Catalunya. Tourists join in and dance with the locals forming large dance circles while the band plays music on the steps of the church. The steps are easy to learn, so join in!!
Katy
31 Jan 08 at 5:43 am
Hi! I have a friend from Spain, he lives in Barcelona. I had always heard about Barcelona related to Antonio Gaudi’s architecture, Las Ramblas, etc. but you talk in your podcast about another aspects of the city that he had never talked to me … interesting. Congratulations for your site, people from abroad can learn and improve our English in a funny way!
Ben
31 Jan 08 at 12:23 pm
Hi Katie,
Glad you enjoyed the podcast, and yes, there is more to Barcelona than Gaudi!