Seniors in Spain 2018: 7/15/2018-Barcelona-Sardana dancers at Barcelona Cathedral, pool time at our hotel CHI, dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, Magic Fountain

Breakfast is again across the street at Serra Pastisseries. This time I have a glazed donut and Richard has a ham and cheese sandwich. Cost €8 This place is working out well for us for breakfasts.

I want to see the sardana dancers. This happens in front of the Barcelona Cathedral on Sundays at 12:00 PM. Sardana is a Catalan patriotic dance in which participants link hands and dance in a circle. There is a band consisting of long flute, oboes, brass instruments. During the years of the Franco dictatorship the sardana was forbidden. I am so upset with myself. I didn't read carefully enough to see that entry into the church on Sundays is not until 2:00 PM. We can't wait that long as I told Dorie we'd be back at our hotel by 2:00 PM. They planned to come over so Ronan could swim in the pool. I do take tons of pictures of the outside of the cathedral. And we do get to see the sardana dancers which was nice. In the square in front of the cathedral we see stilt walkers in costumes, people selling flowers. It's a good place to people watch.

Sardana dancers

Sardana band

Stilt walker dressed like a pirate

More stilt walkers

Back at our hotel I message Dorie that we're back. She will message me when they are on their way. Richard and I go up to the pool. There are a few others there. Soon I get a message that Dorie and Ronan are here. Richard goes down to bring them up to the pool. Ronan has fun showing us how he can swim under water and also do handstands. He's quite a good swimmer. Dorie says he's taking swimming lessons and has become a vey strong swimmer. They leave around 4:00 PM. They intend to watch the final game of World Cup Soccer. We will go to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. At the shop I'll get shot glasses for my stepdaughter and the hooded sweatshirt she wants.

Ronan showing his grandpa Ricky a handstand

Dinner-Hard Rock Cafe. When we arrive at 6:00 PM there's a ton of people around the bar watching the game on the giant screen. In the shop I get the sweatshirt for Arleen, a T shirt for myself, and the shot glasses. Cost $124.07. I'm given paperwork for the VAT. Then we go to get a table for dinner. Told 40 minute wait. Game over and bar area empties out. We don't know who won but we were rooting for Croatia instead of France. France has already won a World Cup. We get a table. Drinks-beer and Pepsi. Something different from our traditional legendary and cheeseburger. Richard orders the black bean and quinoa burger with fries and I opt for the southwest chicken flatbread. It was good but we like our traditional fare better. Cost without tip $44.97. Walk around Placa de Catalunya. See a group wearing jerseys celebrating. Some are wrapped in a flag. We still don't know who won the World Cup. Lots of pigeons. Statues. Fountain. Vendors selling balloons. We decide to take a taxi over to catch the 9:30 PM Magic Fountain show.

Taxi stand

Hard Rock Cafe

HR Shop

Drinks

Southwest chicken flatbread

Black bean and quinoa burger with fries

Placa de Catalunya

Celebrating after the World Cup but we still don't know who won!

Shot glasses for Arleen

Hooded sweatshirt for Arleen

This HR Barcelona T shirt I bought for myself

Magic Fountain. Located in front of the Palau Nacional at the start of Avenido Maria Cristina in the Montjuic neighborhood. The fountain was created as part of the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition. Designed by Carles Buigas. In 1980s music was added to the light and water fountains. At this time of year only can be experienced Thursday-Sunday from 9:00 PM-11:00 Pm on the half hour. It was very crowded so we had to stand and my back was hurting. It was a nice show but not as spectacular as the one we saw in Lima, Peru. After the show we walked back to our hotel as it wasn't too far and it was a nice evening. Back at our hotel we learn France won the World Cup, not Croatia. 😞 Tomorrow is our day trip to Monteserrat.