BARCELONA, ETC.

​​MORE NEWS FROM SPAIN
 
         Reporting from Barcelona: We are in the final days of this TLC Doll Tour and headed to Museu del Disseny de Barcelona. Pat is working on her art project. We were all given a plain fan at the beginning of the trip with the assignment to produce a Picasso-like artwork. The competition is at tonight’s final dinner.
Barcelona is a bustling modern city with tourists everywhere. En route here we stopped for one night at the very old (est. 1400) town of Cuenca—never mentioned in Rick Steve’s’ book on Spain. This town features a high narrow bridge connecting our hotel with the town itself that traverses a deep gorge. The city consists of many houses that are constructed on the edge of cliffs overlooking a gorge—an amazing construction accomplishment. I walked across the bridge and up into the town. Not much there but an amazing sight to see and photograph.
         Our hotel in Cuenca was an old monastery turned into a Paradore. The Spanish government once owned these Spanish Paradores and many have been converted into hotels. Our room was unique with modern facilities but no Wi Fi.
On the long bus ride to Barcelona, we stopped and toured the fascinating Lladro porcelain factory. Founded in 1954 by three Spanish brothers in Valencia, this company designs and produces beautiful porcelain pieces that are sold all over the world. We were given an excellent tour and bought a cute little girl washing her dog for Dora. We’d visited the Meissen factory in Germany last year and Lladro was equally impressive—although nowhere near as old. (Meissen 300 years old and Lladro 62 years old.)
         Barcelona is a much busier city than Madrid with a totally different feeling about it. They are about the same size and I surmise Madrid to be more traditional with Barcelona more modern and catering to a younger more daring crowd.
This tour is almost over with. Although we have 34 doll-oriented people with us this tour, we saw very few dolls or doll museums. It gave us a fascinating look at Spanish history with a wide variety of old, traditional, and modern museums. Lynn Murray, our Tour Director is extremely knowledgeable about all of Europe and she assembled another wonderful group to travel and learn with.
Swam today for the first time on this trip. Back to the USA tomorrow.