The Week in Barcelona
I was doing another tour of Barcelona today in the blazing sunshine, when it suddenly struck me that (a) I’ve been here for a week already and (b) it’s October! It certainly doesn’t feel like a normal October with not a cloud in the sky and the temperature at 27°C.
The tourist crowds were out in force. I always find it quite interesting listening for different languages as I go around. There are a few British and American, and of course Spanish, but the language I’ve come across most often among the tourists is French. That’s not surprising, of course, given the proximity to the border and, e.g., train services to and from France.
A bit of advice for people visiting. Many of the interesting locations (museums and art galleries, for example) are very busy and one can’t just turn up, buy a ticket and go in without a very long wait. The best way to do it is to buy a ticket online with a specific time on it, then you can bypass the queues and go straight in at the appointed hour.
The main that to have struck me while I’ve been here is that the cost of living is so much lower than Ireland. The grocery stores and supermarkets are stocked with a huge range of fresh food at prices much lower than back home. The choice of good quality wines for less than €10 per bottle is astonishing.
Eating in restaurants – even in the touristic areas – is generally inexpensive (although there are of course expensive places). In the area I am living in, every street corner seems to have a place where you can get something to eat and/or drink. I’ve sampled a few in my neighbourhood, and most have been very good indeed. There are, of course, some that aren’t so good.
Actually, I’m eating rather a lot less these days. I have a hearty breakfast but usually skip lunch and often only have a light snack or tapas in the evening. I think the temperature has reduced by appetite (at least for food….). That’s not bad, actually, because I could do with losing a bit of weight.
I’m still in my (very pleasant) hotel but will be moving to an apartment later next week, assuming nothing goes wrong with the contract.
In the Dark 
October 1, 2023 at 6:24 pm
Unlike Napoleon’s Arc de Triomphe (and those of ancient Rome, from which Napoleon got the idea), this Arc(h) does not celebrate military victory, but was the entrance to a World Fair that was held in Barcelona in 1888. To me it looks rather Indian.
October 1, 2023 at 6:49 pm
You’re right that Octobers aren’t what they used to be. Today, when I was out walking the dogs, I was aware that I was hugging the shade to avoid overheating in the sun while wearing a T-shirt. And this is in Edinburgh – it felt quite unnatural for the time of year, and it emphasised to me how things have changed with the climate. I remember this time of year very clearly from arriving in Cambridge as an undergraduate for the first time (on 5 October 1974): it was so cold that I had to go out and buy a pair of gloves. If I’d worn today what I was wearing 49 years ago, I’d have died of heatstroke. I looked up some historical data; I couldn’t find Cambridge on that day but I found the Oct 1974 records for Kew Gardens, which was presumably similar. The average daily maximum for that month was 10.8C. The forecast for Cambridge on 5 Oct 2023 is 19C: this is not an encouraging trend. But of course in absolute terms these temperatures are still tolerable – not so further south. I hope for your sake you’re not planning to be in Barcelona come the summer.
October 1, 2023 at 6:56 pm
Officially my sabbatical lasts until 31st August 2024, but the ICCUB closes for all of August so I won’t be here then, and may move before to avoid the heat.
October 1, 2023 at 8:41 pm
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October 1, 2023 at 10:49 pm
NB Tuesday is Nobel physics announcement day. Any bets?
October 2, 2023 at 7:24 am
I got it right last year but this year I have no idea this time. I’ll do a post and ask for suggestions!