21/09/2007
Trip Start
Sep 18, 2007
1
4
7
Trip End
Sep 24, 2007
Barcelona,
Catalonia,
Spain and Canary Islands
Friday, September 21, 2007
Next we took a couple of long bus rides across town to the northern edge of Barcelona, thinking that we might check out the birding possibilities of the mouth of the Riu Besos. The number 43 bus is probably the best way to get here although the last bit on the map seemed to take ages, possibly because of a diversion due to road works.
There were quite a few passage migrants in the reeds and bushes along the edge of the river with lots of Common Redstarts and a few Whinchats. Kingfishers flew past several times and there were half a dozen Kentish Plovers on the shingle islands but the best bird was a fairly showy Spectacled Warbler that let us get several decent views as it worked its way towards the sea.
After nipping back to the hotel to shower and change we returned to the city centre to check out some of the first night attractions. We walked from Placa de Catalunya down towards the Cathedral, stopping at an oriental buffet-style restaurant for some fuel for the evening. The food was a little lacklustre and we won't bother eating there again. On the Corte del Ingles side of the square a team of workmen were loading scooters and motorcycles onto the back of a truck because they'd parked inside the exclusion zone. The atmosphere on the cathedral square was very upbeat and on the stage a traditional band was playing sardana music and a couple of large sardanas had started up. This is a Catalonian dance that involves groups of people forming circles and holding hands and performing a cycle of fairly gentle steps. When done more or less spontaneously, like this (sardanas were breaking out all over the place) it is rather charming and the music is fun too. Oddly enough we've seen quite a few sardanas over the years, but apart from in competitions we've never seen one either start or finish so presumably they have some sort of immortality, slowly drifting from one part of the region to another then back. Who knows?
Our next mission was to ensure that we had sufficient lubrication for the evening. Barcelona has many enjoyable bars but almost everything exciting is happening outside so if you fancy a drink then you need to carry your bar with you. Vodka is best. Our strategy is simple but effective. Find some cheap vodka in a shop - no need to spend more than 10 euros but there are bonus points to be earned for spending less. Anything below 6 euros wins our approval but should probably be treated with caution. Glass bottles are heavy, so get some half litre bottles of a fizzy pop that you don't mind too much, drink a bit out of the bottle and top up with vodka. Do this until you've used the bottle (which you should dispose of carefully) up and have a day sack full of vodka and Fanta Limon or similar. Thus equipped you'll be ready to face whatever the night has to throw at you.
Suitably tooled up we made for Placa St Jaume where La Mercé proper gets under way with a bang. The opening ceremony (Toc d'Inici) is like a distillation of many of the traditional parts of La Mercé. It's a chance to meet some of the important characters that you will see from time to time over the next few days - Els Gegants del Ciutat (the giants of the city), the eagle, the dragon, the big mule and the lion, amongst others. Most of them will dance for you on the stage in the middle of the square to musical accompaniment from a band that performs only once a year, at this ceremony. Representatives from all the groups that make up Correfoc in their demonic costumes will also dance and there will be a brief but explosive fireworks display directly overhead at the end. As ever, Jaume was crowded with tourists and Barcelonins alike and a friendly atmosphere prevailed as the giants were put through their paces.
We wanted to see at least one of the fireworks displays that make up the annual international pyrotechnics competition so were making our way to the harbour side of the square when the opening ceremony reached its climax we fireworks being launched from the top of the town hall. We were showered with the remains of dozens of rockets, but a well positioned fire engine bore the brunt. La Mercé had begun.
Sarah and John were located and we all went to find somewhere to watch the fireworks. The best location is probably the beaches of Barcelonetta, but we didn't have much chance of getting there on time so we went down to the harbour and sat by the water's edge on the seaward side of the Imax/aquarium area, where we had a pretty good view. After this we wandered around the city centre taking in some of the music that was on offer. Contemporary North African music near the harbour, jazz in Placa del Rei (CC and JD really can't get the hang of jazz, but what a setting!), something traditional and impressively robust in a flamenco kind of way in the main cathedral square and best of all the Orchestra de Montgrins in Placa Reial. Actually, this should have been the worst because the music is really the sort of thing that grannies like (they even did a version of Leapy Lee's "Little Arrows") but the atmosphere was infectious and young and old alike entered into the spirit of the evening waltzing, jiving and finishing up with the biggest conga you ever did see. Somewhere along the way we seemed to lose all our vodka.
