On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Argiope
Good morning, Juicers. In mid-October, I headed to Catalunya for a conference in Sitges, just outside of Barcelona. It was my first time there, and I very much hope I’ll get back again. Sitges is a little beach community about 45 minutes by train south of Barcelona, and public transportation is easy and plentiful. When Mr. Argiope and I arrived in Sitges after an overnight flight, dazed and confused in that way that arrival in Europe after a night of fitful dozing causes, I heard squawking. Yep, actual squawking. Looked up to find some cute little green parrots fussing in the palm trees above me. Quite a change from the increasingly cloudy and cool Midwest we’d left behind 12 hours earlier. I never did manage to capture the parrots, but here are a few other things we saw in Sitges and Barcelona.
First, one of the many beaches in Sitges. Most are clothing required, but at least one is clothing optional. Water was cool but still nice to dip one’s toes in in mid-October, but our taxi driver said it was unseasonably warm.
It’s possible to hike from down near the water all the way up to Parc del Garraf, a national park in the hills stretching from above Sitges to above Barcelona. We walked far enough uphill to be able to look down over Sitges and the hazy blue Mediterranean in the distance.
After 4 days in Sitges, the conference concluded so we took the train to Barcelona. This was the view from our flat window in the morning. Usually the sky was a bit bluer. We stayed on a very vibrant street with tapas bars and other storefront, but up here on the 4th floor it was absolutely quiet and peaceful.
We decided to take the Metro to visit a pop-up foodie event for Barcelona locals, the Mercat de Mercats (market of markets). There, we sampled the tastiest olives we’ve ever had, marinated in some kind of crack-like herb and spice mixture that made these irresistible. Washed them down with my new favorite adult beverage, Estrella’s Damm Lemon, which is a shandy mixed with fizzy lemon. Don’t judge, it’s fantastic and I can’t find it anywhere in the U.S. but someone should start importing the stuff right away. You’ll make a fortune…
With apologies to the vegetarians and vegans in the crowd, this is jamon Iberica, also at the Mercat de Mercats. We’re talking free-ranging pigs fed on acorns that taste happy and, unfortunately for them, scrumptious. Jamon Iberica is sliced off the actual ham by an expert carver using the thinnest, sharpest knife imaginable for paper-thin slices, which are served with hard little breadsticks. Swoonworthy, if you’re into it.
I’m going to bypass Sagrada Familia for now—that will be another entry—in favor of a few other sights. Here is one of the modernista houses in Park Guell, a Gaudi playground that was supposed to be a housing development but instead became a park. It was hot and stuffed to the gills with humans when we were there, but it would be just wonderful on a cooler day.
Underneath Barcelona is Barcino, the Roman outpost established about 2000 years ago. You can walk along the streets, still preserved under the Barcelona History Museum, for quite a ways. This was once a factory making garum, or fermented fish pickle sauce, which was apparently quite the sought-after condiment, and Barcino was a big exporter back in the day. I can only imagine the smell, but the giant vessels are still partially intact in the factory floor and archeology fans can get their geek on in a major way in here.
And this is the city street in the Gothic Quarter right above where Barcino lays quietly underfoot.
No Barca without tapas, right? We loved the many fish-forward tapas offerings but of course there was also meat, cheese, and veggies in an incredibly inventive and pretty darn affordable selection. A really delicious and filling dinner for two at a tapas bar in Barcelona, including drinks, was less than $40.
Finally, the regional administration and city hall in Barcelona are opposite one another on a plaza where the free exercise of democracy and protests often take place. Both buildings were sporting banners supporting Ukraine, and this one has the Catalan flag flying high. It was clear in Barcelona and Sitges that we were in Catalunya first and secondarily in Spain. Spain seemed like an afterthought, really, given that all signs were bilingual with Catalan first. Next time, Sagrada Familia, amazing and still under construction.
sab
30° 8n Ohio. I want to be on a beach somewhere warmer.
OzarkHillbilly
Oh, if only one could have said the same for my in-laws condo in Palma. The mopeds screaming down the street 4 floors below would wake me several times a night.
My wife dearly loves her Jamon Iberico. In fact she just bought one. It only cost her $100 so I doubt it’s anywhere near as good as what we ate over there (I saw some in the market that were pushing 500 Euros) It’s pretty much wasted on me. It’s good, but I like regular ham just as much, so why spend the money for it? I hope the one she bought is at least reminiscent of what she grew up eating.
Mimi haha
I’m not really a vegetarian but I don’t eat meat on a regular basis. OYOJ, if I had someplace to buy jamon I’d be very, very happy.
I know I could get it online, but I would be much more likely to buy it if it was there at the meat counter at the Jewel.
Wag
Loved Barcelona. What an amazing and vibrant city. I cannot wait to go back. Thanks for sharing your photos. Looking forward to seeing your photos of Sagrada Familia.
WaterGirl
Those buildings you see from your flat look like cardboard cutouts! It took me a minute of wondering what a “flat window” is – aren’t all windows flat? Or mostly all of them, anyway. Finally figured out it was the window in your flat.
Yes, I was up very late last night so I am a little slow on the uptake this morning.
Irishweaver
Second the love of Barcelona and Sitges. Have a great time
Yutsano
Did you know Italians still make garum? I haven’t shelled out for it (yet) but it looks intriguing. It’s apparently quite different from Asian fish sauce.
My urge to go to Europe is stronger now. Barcelona is absolutely stunning!
susanna
Spent good amount of time twice in Sitges back in the late 60s, long before development in and around the town. Hitchhiked to this sleepy and small beach town for a calm layover before heading for the crowded, vibrant times at the Monaco auto races that year. Being without many funds, we had a spare-but-adequate apartment stay in Sitges, and slept in a Volkswagon car-not-bus (3 of us) or on a stone-made ocean ledge (when not raining) at the second destination. Good times!
We being 2 women hitching rides, and eating at bar type road stops well-known by the friendly, safe trucker rides and every one had a massive jamon hanging down from the ceiling. Like proscuitto in Italy, a day didn’t pass without having some on the road.
MelissaM
@OzarkHillbilly: My wife dearly loves her Jamon Iberico. In fact she just bought one. It only cost her $100
Costco? Did it come with stand and knife?
Barcelona is somewhere on my list, for all that. Those olives look fabulous, as does the tapas!
Argiope
@Yutsano: I didn’t know garum was still obtainable and now I’m intensely curious!
way2blue
Argiope, your photo of the Jamon Iberico reminded me of my son’s stint as a pig farmer in the Central Valley of California. The pigs lived in an oak woodland, and were let loose in the plum orchard to eat fallen fruit. (Sometimes breaking into the neighboring vineyard—oops.) Local restaurants said it was the best pork they’d ever served…
El Cruzado
Those are Argentinian parrots. A bunch of them escaped from the zoo a few decades ago and now they are everywhere, having found the climate and lack of predators to their liking.
Technically an invasive species but as long as they keep themselves to the cities they’ll probably do fine.
As for jamon iberico I’ve seen it at Wegman’s a few times and at some very fancy deli places on the West Coast. If it’s less than $50 a pound it’s probably not the Good Stuff™ (but it’s still good).
JanieM
Late getting here, but this set of pictures is a wonderful mixture of landscape, architecture, and food. Thanks for giving us a taste of the place.