Highlights-Barcelona departure
The automatic coffee machine in the World Cafe produced an execrable latte, at least with me at the controls. I worked out in the ship’s gym, which is modestly equipped but suitable for my needs and better than I expected. I did a shore excursion, Iconic Barcelona. It consisted of a bus ride to La Sagrada Familia, a guided walk around the outside, and another walk around El Born that included the Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar, the monument for the martyrs from the Siege of Barcelona 1714 (like the Alamo without the building, but with an eternal flame), the narrow street of the MOCA and Picasso museums, remnants of the Roman wall (they kept wall and road builders busy), the Barcelona Cathedral, the royal palace, and the Monument to the Heroes of 1809 (for resisting Napoleon). The ship departed at 6pm. I learned a lot about French history (stone age until now) from the Resident Historian at an evening lecture.