We woke up early, learned that France beat Spain in the World Cup quarters from BBC World, ate, showered and got a cab to Placa de Sant Jaume in the Barri Gotic area. We started with a little shopping at a couple of ceramics shops and then walked to the Sinagoga Medieval de Barcelona, the old medieval synagoge that’s being restored. Its on top of Roman ruins, some of which are visible.

The ticket

The ticket

The sign for the Sinagoga

A view inside the Sinagoga

We ate a quick sandwich at a little sandwich shop, and then walked over to the Cathedral.

An overhead bridge like the "bridge of sighs" in Venice

The Cathedral includes a cloister with a flock of geese said to be of a lineage from the geese on Capitaline Hill in Rome, a pool with fish and a turtle, and palm trees. The cathedral itself is very dark. It has a unique, open alter, and a tomb for St. Eulalia, who was martyred after 13 tortures (she was crucified on an X cross).

The ticket

The facade

View towards the altar

The main alter in the Cathedral

A view of the ceiling

The tomb of St. Eulalia

Pipes for the pipe organ

A detail of the choir

Stained glass windows

Keystones at the cathedral

A tombstone in the floor

There’s a turtle in there with the fishes

Geese at the cathedral

The fountain next to the geese

We then walked around the Cathedral to see a few other sights, then walked north to a modernist house, Casa Marti.

Casa l’Ardiaca

Sign for Casa Marti

A dragon light outside Casa Marti

I thought this tatoo was amazing!

We walked back into Barri Gotic, doing some more shopping along Carrer Banys Nous, especially at Caelum, Carrer de la Palla 8, a shop specializing in “temptacions de monestirs” (temptations of the monistaries), finally stopping at a tapas bar, la Calxa, for dinner – the tapas were really fresh and really good.

Caelum card

We walked out to Via Laietana (I bought an FC Barcelona jersey at a tourist shop, this one official) and got a cab back to the hotel.

I bought a homemade CD from this classical music group playing

Old water spigots on Avenue del Portal de l’Angel