Pepito Tours

Wanting to get the best out of our short two day stay in Barcelona we looked online for a tour company who could show us what we were most interested in- the architecture of Antoni Gaudi and we found Pepito Tours and booked a 4 hour tour with them. They would meet us at 8.30 on the dock.

We left the ship to prepare to load another 3,000 passengers and went to the Customs Hall to find our luggage-only there wasn't any Customs to go through! That was the first time we experienced that in our cruises and we were happy that there would be no standing in line. We went straight out of the hall into the Barcelona morning and there was a man holding up a sign with my name on it-our driver, and next to him our smiling English speaking guide.

A black Mercedes E Class waited at the kerb and it didn't have to wait long until we were cocooned in it's leather comfort and sipping bottles of iced water.

We thought we were heading straight for La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's last architectural masterpiece but as it wasn't open just yet our guides wanted to show us some of the city first.

The Emerald Princess far below

We drove to the top of Montjuic as they wanted us to see their beautiful city from the best vantage point. It is raining heavily out to sea. Would the rain spoil our day? Yesterday it had prevented us from visiting France and our Captain made a good decision as there was flash flooding ashore and some people died as a result.

A bird's eye view of this beautiful city

After 20 minutes or so it was time to move on with our tour. This is Luis our careful driver.

We are driving along with Anna our guide giving a commentary on what we are seeing. I am taking photos from the car. I am loving everything I see.

We are driving on a very wide street called Passeig de Gracia. Hey! That's the street our hotel is on!

There is a crowd outside this building. It's Gaudi's Casa Batllo. It's not on our tour today but we will get tickets on line and visit it tomorrow, Sunday.

We wind our way through the city until it is time for Luis to stop and let us off. He will meet us in a couple of hours to continue our tour. Men are playing bowls in a park. We will walk to Sagrada Familia.

I think that's it!

The Basilica is expected to be finished in 2026

We had pre-paid tickets and Anna went to retrieve them. This allowed us to avoid the long lines of people wanting to buy tickets.

You could spend a long time just admiring the sculptures, so many and varied are they

People waiting to get in

The door is open and we will soon go in to marvel at the interior

Just so much to see!

There are many musicians and animals portrayed in the wall sculptures

The horse's head

Giant insects amid the ivy sculpture

Ok- we are going inside! (Next)

Waking up in Barcelona

I get up early and that's a fact when I am on a cruise ship as I want to see the ship approaching a harbor and docking. Five a.m is usually good. Having missed our stop in France due to bad weather the ship had a lot of time to sail on to Barcelona. So much time she arrived in the dark and when I awoke at 5 the ship wasn't moving. When I looked out through the balcony curtains I could see we were tied up in port and there was thunder and lightning and heavy rain.

I kept to my usual routine of coffee up on deck but under cover so I could stay dry. Would it rain all day?

I had to go inside and kill time by taking some last-minute photographs.

The Wheelhouse Bar which we visited for our Pub Lunch and that only

The library which neither of us use. Carol uses her kindle daily. I take mine but seldom open it.

Explorers Lounge where the art auctions are held and bands play at night

Art which reminds me our luggage is packed and will be waiting for us in the Disembarkation hall when we get off the ship in a couple of hours

Its still raining outside in Barcelona harbor but it's warm which is a plus and what you expect in Spain

The mountain (big hill really) is Montjuic (Mon-joo-eek pronunciation)

The Photo Gallery is ready to open for the last time on our cruise

Stairwell art

Celebrity Equinox is berthed behind us

As dawn approaches other ships arrive in the harbor

The Costa Fascinosa will go beyond the Celebrity Equinox and spin around to face back out to sea

The clouds haven't lifted so rain is still a possibility

Off to breakfast, our last on the ship. It is served in Sabatini's which normally is closed on Disembarkation Day.

Our last American meal until we reach Chicago on Monday

Another cruise ship backs into the harbor

She is the Pullmantur Sovereign but was formerly Sovereign of the Seas in the Royal Caribbean fleet once launched in 1988. She had a 20 year career with Royal Caribbean. RCI owns Pullmantur.

Sovereign was skillfully moved in behind us

Now we can see Montjuic in the daylight. Little did we know we would soon be at the top of it looking back down at our ship....