I never thought that it could become so cold in mid-September. Perhaps writing about my three days in Barcelona (from 2nd to 4th July) will help me feel some warmth again!
想不到九月中已天寒地凍，不如靠寫寫七月初在巴塞羅那的三天（7月2至4日）取取暖吧！
My Hong Kong friend at my research institute once told me something about his colleague from Barcelona. She has actually been offered a post in Madrid, but was somewhat hesitant because Madrid was, in her opinion, a completely different place which would not make her totally feel at home. I thought that must be an overstatement, but once I’ve been in Barcelona, I could finally appreciate why she would have such an opinion.
我在研究所的香港朋友告訴我，他有個來自巴塞羅那的同事，本來已在馬德里覓得新職，卻老不大想去，原因是環境不同，不大喜歡，而且要適應一番。當時心想，究竟是不是如此誇張？去過巴塞羅那，就終於明白那人為何有如此想法。
Barcelona is situated in the region of Catalonia (called Catalunya in the local language) which has retained its own language of Catalan (Català). It’s actually quite close to Spanish but differences are easy to spot. Catalan enjoys a status that many regional languages or dialects can only envy, as most of the signs in the streets, public notices and even announcements in the underground trains are only in Catalan!
巴塞羅那位處卡泰隆地區（Catalunya，英語稱作Catalonia），擁有自己的語言，跟西班牙語很相似卻仍有不少分別，街道的招牌、路牌及地鐵的廣播，差不多是清一色卡泰隆語（Català，英語稱為Catalan），世上不少地方語言，地位都難與其相比！
As the two metropolises of Spain, Barcelona and Madrid are set apart by their different lay-outs and feels. While the capital can boast of its majesty and energy, Barcelona exudes its own character and has an added element of fun. Perhaps a strong local culture (like the Basque Country) and proximity to the sea have helped to shape the distinctive appeal of Barcelona.
同是大城市，巴塞羅那與馬德里的佈局和氣氛截然不同，馬德里有的是一國之都的氣魄和風格，而且充滿活力，巴塞羅那則自成一格，活力充沛之餘也有種活潑的氣氛，大概是受其濃厚的地方文化（就正如巴斯克地區）及臨海的地理環境影響吧。
Partying hard and loud on an open-top bus
Left: the underground railway exit at Plaça de Catalunya
左：卡泰隆廣場地鐵站出口
A square that can rival the spaciousness and grandeur of Plaça de Catalunya is the one adjoining the Arc de Triomf (Arch of Triumph), without the masses of people that pass through Plaça de Catalunya at any time. At the end of that square lies the Parc de la Ciutadella (Citadel Park) that hosted the World Expo of 1888. The Arc de Triomf was built in time as the official main entrance to the Expo.
另一個氣派上配得上卡泰隆廣場的，要算是凱旋門（Arc de Triomf）及相連的廣場，但遊人明顯少得多。廣場的未端是堡壘公園（Parc de la Ciutadella），1888年曾是世界博覽會的場地，凱旋門是為該世界博覽會而建，作為會場的主要入口。
Arc de Triomf
凱旋門
Parc de la Ciutadella 堡壘公園
The walk from Las Ramblas to Arc de Triomf took me through numerous side streets and several open squares, as well as the main Cathedral of Barcelona. While its side entrance was rather nondescript, the cathedral was rather distinctive for its pleasant small courtyard before entering the cathedral itself, as well as for its rooftop which was open to the public as a viewing point for the city.
從Las Ramblas到凱旋門，中間經過無數小街和好幾個廣場，還有巴塞羅那大教堂（Catedral），我從側門進內參觀，入口其貌不揚，但踏入教堂前先要經過一個挺精緻的小庭園，而教堂的屋背是對外開放，遊人可乘升降機到那裡從高瀏覽附近的景色。
Plaça Reial
The courtyard inside the Cathedral (right: a fountain called Font de Sant Jordi)
大教堂的小花園（右圖是Sant Jordi噴水池）
The interior of the Cathedral
大教堂內部
From the rooftop of the Cathedral
大教堂屋背的風光
The side streets and little alleys in that area formed an intricate network that rendered maps rather useless. It was actually better to explore the city without relying on a map as my familiarity with Barcelona grew. Indeed it was a lot more relaxing without having to worry about directions all the time, and as my exploration went on, I felt more and more at ease to the extent that it felt like home to me! The homely atmosphere was really pervasive, carried through by a series of open squares that opened up in front of my eyes one after the other as I meandered through the streets. The squares were filled with people who were gathering to relax, have a chat or enjoy a sip, and were inviting passers-by to slow down, take a breather and savour what was on offer in this kind of surroundings. Isn’t it like a home where people can make a retreat from the busy world outside and spend time with the loved ones?
那一帶的小街不祇多，而且錯縱複雜，就算有地圖也不管用，後來對巴塞羅那逐漸熟悉後，便索性隨心所欲到處亂逛，不祇更輕鬆自在，也令身處異地的我，突然有種舒適、回到家的感覺：隨意每拐一個街角，便會不經意來到一個又一個的廣場，不少人都會在歇腳、聊天或喝咖啡，開揚的環境，襯托着悠閒的氣氛，彷彿要留住各人的步伐，叫大家別要匆匆忙忙，祇顧不停上路，而忘記停下來充充電，細味身邊的一切，就正如家是個讓人忙了一天後歇歇息、聚天倫的地方一樣。
One of the many little narrow streets in the La Ribera district
La Ribera區內眾多小道之一
Plaça de l'Acadèmia 學院廣場
A leafy square at Carrer del Petons, just around the corner from Plaça de l'Acadèmia
學院廣場附近Carrer del Petons，綠樹成蔭的廣場
Plaça del Fossar de les Moreres, with a monument to commemorate the Siege of Barcelona (1713 - 1714)
Fossar de les Moreres廣場，紀念1713至1714年間巴塞羅那被圍困
Basilicia Santa Maria del Mar (The Church of Saint Mary by the Sea) opposite to the Plaça del Fossar de les Moreres
Fossar de les Moreres廣場對面的海上聖瑪利亞教堂（我不禁想，是不是西人的天后廟？）
Some of the residences along the side streets were more than just a place to live. The corridors were actually little alleys that connected one street to another, with their own little shops and food stalls. What a neighbourly setting it was for people to meet and enjoy some time together. Barcelona is really blessed with squares and laneways like those which help to cement neighbourhoods and maintain a sense of belonging among its people.
沿着小街的民居，有些原來內有乾坤，走進去仍是小巷一條，旁邊也有一兩家小商店或小食店，看來不祇是醫肚子的地方那麼簡單，也供街坊鄰里聚面、維繫感情，這些散佈民居之間的小巷和各大小廣場，引來這麼多人落腳、聚集，正好彰現巴塞羅那的社區凝聚力。
The Passatge de les Manufactures (left), a little alley tucked inside one of the buildings at Carrer de Sant Pere Mès Alt (right)
位於Carrer de Sant Pere Mès Alt街（右）一幢大廈內的Passatge de les Manufactures小巷（左）
Barcelona has many other interesting alleys like Passatge de la Pau (left) and Passatge Sert (right)
巴塞羅那小巷眾多，各有風格，如Passatge de la Pau（左）和Passatge Sert（右）
An international city that is not shy of its thriving local culture, a metropolis that hasn’t forgotten its local communities, Barcelona seems to have the right blend of these attributes that help to make itself attractive in a distinctive way. This shop sign can very well sum up Barcelona: ‘No es lo mismo / it’s not the same’ – as anyone else.
巴塞羅那雖是大都市，但仍保留着一股社區氣息，國際化之餘仍不忘向人展現固有的文化，交集起來，形成自己一種獨特的氣質，就正如這個商店門牌寫的：「就是不一樣」！
想不到九月中已天寒地凍，不如靠寫寫七月初在巴塞羅那的三天（7月2至4日）取取暖吧！
My Hong Kong friend at my research institute once told me something about his colleague from Barcelona. She has actually been offered a post in Madrid, but was somewhat hesitant because Madrid was, in her opinion, a completely different place which would not make her totally feel at home. I thought that must be an overstatement, but once I’ve been in Barcelona, I could finally appreciate why she would have such an opinion.
我在研究所的香港朋友告訴我，他有個來自巴塞羅那的同事，本來已在馬德里覓得新職，卻老不大想去，原因是環境不同，不大喜歡，而且要適應一番。當時心想，究竟是不是如此誇張？去過巴塞羅那，就終於明白那人為何有如此想法。
Barcelona is situated in the region of Catalonia (called Catalunya in the local language) which has retained its own language of Catalan (Català). It’s actually quite close to Spanish but differences are easy to spot. Catalan enjoys a status that many regional languages or dialects can only envy, as most of the signs in the streets, public notices and even announcements in the underground trains are only in Catalan!
巴塞羅那位處卡泰隆地區（Catalunya，英語稱作Catalonia），擁有自己的語言，跟西班牙語很相似卻仍有不少分別，街道的招牌、路牌及地鐵的廣播，差不多是清一色卡泰隆語（Català，英語稱為Catalan），世上不少地方語言，地位都難與其相比！
Want to learn Catalan? 想學卡泰隆語嗎？
As the two metropolises of Spain, Barcelona and Madrid are set apart by their different lay-outs and feels. While the capital can boast of its majesty and energy, Barcelona exudes its own character and has an added element of fun. Perhaps a strong local culture (like the Basque Country) and proximity to the sea have helped to shape the distinctive appeal of Barcelona.
同是大城市，巴塞羅那與馬德里的佈局和氣氛截然不同，馬德里有的是一國之都的氣魄和風格，而且充滿活力，巴塞羅那則自成一格，活力充沛之餘也有種活潑的氣氛，大概是受其濃厚的地方文化（就正如巴斯克地區）及臨海的地理環境影響吧。
Partying hard and loud on an open-top bus
開蓬巴士上的開心派對
This place is till pretty hot well into the evening!
巴塞羅那入夜後的活力仍未冷卻！
Las Ramblas is a street (or more correctly, a successive series of streets) that all tourists won’t miss. It starts at the eastern end with the column of Mirador de Colom (Columbus monument) that commemorates the discovery of American by Columbus in 1492. This very tall column, with the statue of Columbus atop, is an eye-catching landmark particularly by the sea.
市內一條遊客必到大街為名Las Ramblas，該街的東端是一座名為Mirador de Colom的塔，紀念哥倫布在1492年發現新大陸，矗立在海傍，哥倫布人像高高在上，是個搶眼的地標。
Left: Duana de Barcelona (Barcelona Customs Office)
左：巴塞羅那海關大廈
In the middle of the road of Las Ramblas is a pedestrian zone where many buskers and newspaper kiosks are stationed, and on my last day in Barcelona there was also a craft market. At the other end of Las Ramblas I came across three pet shops, and how unexpected I was to see the feathered creatures being sold as pets! Live birds being sold in public places is such a rare sight across almost anywhere in Europe, and even in places like Hong Kong it will soon be relegated to history.
Las Ramblas中央是寬闊的步行區，平時五步一賣藝者，十步一報紙檔，人頭湧湧，我在巴塞羅那的最後一天還擺賣手工藝，該街的另一個盡頭，有三家寵物店， 令我意想不到的，是那些店竟有不少禽鳥出售，包括小雞、小鴨，在公眾地方賣活禽鳥，莫說在歐洲絕無僅有，在香港遲早也變成歷史！
Those pet shops are not far from the enormous Plaça de Catalunya (Catalonia Square). Farther to the north there is the boulevard called Passeig de Gràcia which is not only a popular shopping street but also home to two of the many famous buildings designed by the architect Gaudí. It’s worth talking about his masterpieces in a separate blog post.
離那些寵物店不遠的便是敞大的卡泰隆廣場（Plaça de Catalunya），再往北走便轉到另一條大街Passeig de Gràcia，兩旁不祇商店林立，也豎立了兩幢由名建築師高廸（Gaudí）設計的大廈，另文再詳談。
This place is till pretty hot well into the evening!
巴塞羅那入夜後的活力仍未冷卻！
Las Ramblas is a street (or more correctly, a successive series of streets) that all tourists won’t miss. It starts at the eastern end with the column of Mirador de Colom (Columbus monument) that commemorates the discovery of American by Columbus in 1492. This very tall column, with the statue of Columbus atop, is an eye-catching landmark particularly by the sea.
市內一條遊客必到大街為名Las Ramblas，該街的東端是一座名為Mirador de Colom的塔，紀念哥倫布在1492年發現新大陸，矗立在海傍，哥倫布人像高高在上，是個搶眼的地標。
Left: Duana de Barcelona (Barcelona Customs Office)
左：巴塞羅那海關大廈
In the middle of the road of Las Ramblas is a pedestrian zone where many buskers and newspaper kiosks are stationed, and on my last day in Barcelona there was also a craft market. At the other end of Las Ramblas I came across three pet shops, and how unexpected I was to see the feathered creatures being sold as pets! Live birds being sold in public places is such a rare sight across almost anywhere in Europe, and even in places like Hong Kong it will soon be relegated to history.
Las Ramblas中央是寬闊的步行區，平時五步一賣藝者，十步一報紙檔，人頭湧湧，我在巴塞羅那的最後一天還擺賣手工藝，該街的另一個盡頭，有三家寵物店， 令我意想不到的，是那些店竟有不少禽鳥出售，包括小雞、小鴨，在公眾地方賣活禽鳥，莫說在歐洲絕無僅有，在香港遲早也變成歷史！
Those pet shops are not far from the enormous Plaça de Catalunya (Catalonia Square). Farther to the north there is the boulevard called Passeig de Gràcia which is not only a popular shopping street but also home to two of the many famous buildings designed by the architect Gaudí. It’s worth talking about his masterpieces in a separate blog post.
離那些寵物店不遠的便是敞大的卡泰隆廣場（Plaça de Catalunya），再往北走便轉到另一條大街Passeig de Gràcia，兩旁不祇商店林立，也豎立了兩幢由名建築師高廸（Gaudí）設計的大廈，另文再詳談。
Left: the underground railway exit at Plaça de Catalunya
左：卡泰隆廣場地鐵站出口
A square that can rival the spaciousness and grandeur of Plaça de Catalunya is the one adjoining the Arc de Triomf (Arch of Triumph), without the masses of people that pass through Plaça de Catalunya at any time. At the end of that square lies the Parc de la Ciutadella (Citadel Park) that hosted the World Expo of 1888. The Arc de Triomf was built in time as the official main entrance to the Expo.
另一個氣派上配得上卡泰隆廣場的，要算是凱旋門（Arc de Triomf）及相連的廣場，但遊人明顯少得多。廣場的未端是堡壘公園（Parc de la Ciutadella），1888年曾是世界博覽會的場地，凱旋門是為該世界博覽會而建，作為會場的主要入口。
Arc de Triomf
凱旋門
Parc de la Ciutadella 堡壘公園
The walk from Las Ramblas to Arc de Triomf took me through numerous side streets and several open squares, as well as the main Cathedral of Barcelona. While its side entrance was rather nondescript, the cathedral was rather distinctive for its pleasant small courtyard before entering the cathedral itself, as well as for its rooftop which was open to the public as a viewing point for the city.
從Las Ramblas到凱旋門，中間經過無數小街和好幾個廣場，還有巴塞羅那大教堂（Catedral），我從側門進內參觀，入口其貌不揚，但踏入教堂前先要經過一個挺精緻的小庭園，而教堂的屋背是對外開放，遊人可乘升降機到那裡從高瀏覽附近的景色。
Plaça Reial
皇家廣場
Sant Server Palau de Generalitat (Palace of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia)
卡泰隆自治政府大樓
The Cathedral (left) with its main entrance facing Plaça Nova (right)
大教堂（左）及正門對開的Nova廣場（右）
The side entrance that would have been easily missed!
毫不起眼的側門
Sant Server Palau de Generalitat (Palace of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia)
卡泰隆自治政府大樓
The Cathedral (left) with its main entrance facing Plaça Nova (right)
大教堂（左）及正門對開的Nova廣場（右）
The side entrance that would have been easily missed!
毫不起眼的側門
The courtyard inside the Cathedral (right: a fountain called Font de Sant Jordi)
大教堂的小花園（右圖是Sant Jordi噴水池）
The interior of the Cathedral
大教堂內部
From the rooftop of the Cathedral
大教堂屋背的風光
The side streets and little alleys in that area formed an intricate network that rendered maps rather useless. It was actually better to explore the city without relying on a map as my familiarity with Barcelona grew. Indeed it was a lot more relaxing without having to worry about directions all the time, and as my exploration went on, I felt more and more at ease to the extent that it felt like home to me! The homely atmosphere was really pervasive, carried through by a series of open squares that opened up in front of my eyes one after the other as I meandered through the streets. The squares were filled with people who were gathering to relax, have a chat or enjoy a sip, and were inviting passers-by to slow down, take a breather and savour what was on offer in this kind of surroundings. Isn’t it like a home where people can make a retreat from the busy world outside and spend time with the loved ones?
那一帶的小街不祇多，而且錯縱複雜，就算有地圖也不管用，後來對巴塞羅那逐漸熟悉後，便索性隨心所欲到處亂逛，不祇更輕鬆自在，也令身處異地的我，突然有種舒適、回到家的感覺：隨意每拐一個街角，便會不經意來到一個又一個的廣場，不少人都會在歇腳、聊天或喝咖啡，開揚的環境，襯托着悠閒的氣氛，彷彿要留住各人的步伐，叫大家別要匆匆忙忙，祇顧不停上路，而忘記停下來充充電，細味身邊的一切，就正如家是個讓人忙了一天後歇歇息、聚天倫的地方一樣。
One of the many little narrow streets in the La Ribera district
La Ribera區內眾多小道之一
Plaça de l'Acadèmia 學院廣場
A leafy square at Carrer del Petons, just around the corner from Plaça de l'Acadèmia
學院廣場附近Carrer del Petons，綠樹成蔭的廣場
Plaça del Fossar de les Moreres, with a monument to commemorate the Siege of Barcelona (1713 - 1714)Fossar de les Moreres廣場，紀念1713至1714年間巴塞羅那被圍困
Basilicia Santa Maria del Mar (The Church of Saint Mary by the Sea) opposite to the Plaça del Fossar de les Moreres
Fossar de les Moreres廣場對面的海上聖瑪利亞教堂（我不禁想，是不是西人的天后廟？）
Some of the residences along the side streets were more than just a place to live. The corridors were actually little alleys that connected one street to another, with their own little shops and food stalls. What a neighbourly setting it was for people to meet and enjoy some time together. Barcelona is really blessed with squares and laneways like those which help to cement neighbourhoods and maintain a sense of belonging among its people.
沿着小街的民居，有些原來內有乾坤，走進去仍是小巷一條，旁邊也有一兩家小商店或小食店，看來不祇是醫肚子的地方那麼簡單，也供街坊鄰里聚面、維繫感情，這些散佈民居之間的小巷和各大小廣場，引來這麼多人落腳、聚集，正好彰現巴塞羅那的社區凝聚力。
The Passatge de les Manufactures (left), a little alley tucked inside one of the buildings at Carrer de Sant Pere Mès Alt (right)
位於Carrer de Sant Pere Mès Alt街（右）一幢大廈內的Passatge de les Manufactures小巷（左）
Barcelona has many other interesting alleys like Passatge de la Pau (left) and Passatge Sert (right)
巴塞羅那小巷眾多，各有風格，如Passatge de la Pau（左）和Passatge Sert（右）
An international city that is not shy of its thriving local culture, a metropolis that hasn’t forgotten its local communities, Barcelona seems to have the right blend of these attributes that help to make itself attractive in a distinctive way. This shop sign can very well sum up Barcelona: ‘No es lo mismo / it’s not the same’ – as anyone else.巴塞羅那雖是大都市，但仍保留着一股社區氣息，國際化之餘仍不忘向人展現固有的文化，交集起來，形成自己一種獨特的氣質，就正如這個商店門牌寫的：「就是不一樣」！
Comments
我們這裡也未覺温暖
天氣常变
今天覺得有點凍
看相片內
各處街道都很乾淨
那裡的公民教育不錯不錯