Wed/Thurs, Sept 3-4, 2014 –
We explored our new city further with the Barcelona Hop on/Hop off tour to get a better understanding of the layout of the city. Barcelona is the capital of the Catalunya region of Spain. 
The Catalon flag is flown along with the flag of Spain, and most signs are in both Spanish and Catalan. Catalunya borders France. The Catalan language sounds like a blend of French and Spanish and is heard throughout the city.
The city was revitalized by their hosting of the 1992 Olympics and has continued to flourish since. The metro and bus system is clean and easy to use. Bike paths criss cross the city with barriers between bikes and cars making it safer to ride a bike with traffic. Good thing since no one wears helmets. Motor bikes are everywhere with free, easy access parking for them, and the weather here makes them rideable all year long.
Many streets are pedestrian only; narrow to keep the sun out in the hot weather. Outdoor cafes are everywhere, filled with people enjoying coffee, wine, sangria, and tapas. Each tapas bar seems to have its own specialty, but they all have jambon (ham). Rick Steves described the Spanish diet perfectly in his guide book – “heavy on ham, deep fried foods, more ham, weird seafood, and ham again…” We love the weird seafood and are exploring new fish, but the ham, in spite of its high quality, is not top on our list.