Barcelona
Whether travelers are planning their break to Barcelona in advance or want instant guidance
as they explore, Cadogan is the ideal companion. Barcelona's buzzing nightlife, tapas bars and restaurants come immediately into view with Cadogan's extensive, selective listings, and the sights and attractions are treated with refreshingly honest, well-informed, and deeply fascinating descriptions. Cadogan will take readers on a tour of Gaudí's revolutionary architecture; to the beach or a football match; around the Picasso Museum and Miró Foundation; and to the best tapas in town. Complete with cross-referenced maps that feature clearly all the listings and attractions, Cadogan's Barcelona is the only essential item of luggage.
Excerpt: The Catalan Christmas Crapper
While attending Mass one day in Barcelona in 1959, Luís de Galinsoga, the pro-Franco director of the city’s leading newspaper, La Vanguadria, couldn’t stand it any longer. He stood up in church and shouted: ‘¡Todos los catalanes sono un mierda!’ (‘All Calatans are shit!’) Enough protests were lodged, and enough people boycotted the paper, for Franco to personally sack him. Barcelonans didn’t have much to laugh about that year, but Galisoga’s fate must have provoked a few smiles. The Catalans probably weren’t even as miffed as they let on. Just as Brussels has its Mannekin-Pis, Barcelona has a jolly fixation with Number Two.
It may be because the medieval city grew up between two torrents, the Cagallel and the Merdança, ‘turd taker’ and ‘shit stream.’ Both were buried centuries ago, only to become scatalogical streams of consciousness. ...click here to read the rest
Best tourist guide to Barcelona, /5
Easy to use format, many useful maps. Information is broken down by neighborhood. The writing is very fresh and incisive. Judgmental, too, which is what I want in a guide book -- it gives you an opinion (sometimes) as to whether or not a museum or other site is worth visiting. Hotel listings are a bit skimpy and, in my edition, out of date, but I have other books for that.
Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls can be reached at: michel.pauls@wanadoo.fr
