Barcelona!

Two days, three nights. As I am a card carrying urbanophobe, cities are not usually on my holiday agenda, but we had to pass through to meet our ship we made the best of it. For Anne cities are the veritable breath of life, so she was in her element.

I started with a meal of little fish, reminding me strongly of those we used to eat as relish with our Lunda friends mush in Zambia!

Our hotel was on La Ramblas, notorious for its feral life and so I had packed my Smith and Wesson, but actually the avenue was very attractive, without a hint of threat!

We spent two days doing hop on/off bus tours and so managed to see most of the interesting stuff, if only fleetingly.

Is Gaudi gaudy? I'm sure I'm not the first to ask that question but did he take himself seriously? I enjoyed his Parc Guell  with its riotous architecture, but the Sagreda Familia temple - still being built and likely to be so for a few more decades - was a bit too much for me. Now I can hear a sharp intake of antipodean breath and howls of "Philistine!" and I bow my head in shame.

We finished today in a market and abattoir where several heads were seen to roll.

Tomorrow the Celebrity Solstice...