Montjuic

So, having done two cathedrals in a morning I decided to do some less cultural stuff by going up Montjuic, the hill that overlooks Barcelona. Its is largely a park area but filled with things, be it museums, gardens or indeed an Olympic village, for here was the site of the 1992 Olympic complex. More of that later.

I started off in a small sculpture park. Nice enough but some of the sculptures were a bit way out - you know, you aren't quite sure if its a work of art or scrap awaiting recycling.

I decided just to walk on by past the Fundacio Joan Miro. Just don't like modern art enough to spend a lovely sunny day in a concrete bunker.

So instead I wandered into the Jardins Laribal - a lovely set of gardens which step down the hill in terraces leading to an impressive Greek Theatre built into the side of an old quarry. If you wanted to see something just perfectly Mediterranean I think this little slice of Montjuic fits the bill perfectly.

From there I popped into the 1992 Olympic stadium (which is actually a pre-war stadium restored for the Games - and very nicely done too) followed by the neighbouring Olympic Museum. The latter unfortunately suffered from an invasion of school kids shortly after I arrived. Otherwise I would have had the place to myself.

 The sporting equivalent of Hollywood handprints. Seb Coe's trainer print in concrete just had to be snapped.

 If you are wondering, these are costumes used in the Barcelona opening ceremony

And then to close the day a wander around the Botanical Gardens. These are new, so not like Kew. Could do with some more time - all a bit sterile.

 

A bee hotel... if you were wondering

 And finally back to my hotel, down the funicular railway,