Chocolate, Picasso and the Olympics

View from our 14th floor hotel room.

After breakfast at the hotel, we caught the Metro and rode it to the Arc del Triomf station.


Arc del Triof, gateway to the 1888 Universal Exhibition

Our first destination was Museu de la Xocolata, the Chocolate Museum. The museum tells the story of chocolate from the Aztecs to the Europeans, with emphasis on Barcelona. I was amazed at how interesting the history of chocolate is.




Brandon holds his ticket into the chocolate museum, a chocolate bar




A few chocolate sculptures, there were many more...




Wandering through the Gothic Quarter, towards the Picasso Museum.

After getting our fill of chocolate, we headed to Museu Picassa. This museum is considered to be the best display of Picassa in Spain. Picassa (1881-1973) spent his early years in Barcelona. In this museum are many of his early works. Unfortunately, no photos allowed inside the museum.



The Picasso Museum is in the Gothic Quarter


Creative mosaic above a little shop. I wonder what they sell?

Lunch time. We caught the Metro towards the Ramblas and decided to enjoy some nachos at the Hard Rock again. While they were tasty, we didn't enjoy them as much as the first time.


Brandon performs magic while we wait for lunch.

After lunch we caught the Metro and funicular up to Montjuic. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, Monjuic is the high hill area that is home to the Olympic Stadium.



We wanted to visit the Olympic museum, near the stadium. The museum is a mixed collection of general sports history, Olympic sports history and Barcelona Olympic history. We found the museum to be very interesting and fascinating. I was especially interested in all the cycling displays.












5 time Tour De France champion Miguel Indurain's jersey


Olympic torches


We figured out why Brandon isn't a basketball player. His shoes are too small.





Prop and costume from the 1992 opening ceremonies





From the museum, we walked across the street to check out the Olympic Stadium. All I remember about the 1992 Olympics is an archer shooting a flaming arrow to light the stadium torch. We checked out the stadium a bit and enjoyed a lemon beer at the cafe.


We spotted this outside the Olympic Stadium. Lance placed 8th in the Olympic road race. Miguel Indurain took the gold.


Olympic torch


Olympic Stadium - Barcelona

We were tired. Our feet were hurting. We were ready to start heading back to the hotel. We made a short stop to rest our feet at the Catalan Art Museum, then headed downhill to the Metro.



Once back at the hotel, Brandon and I walked across the street to get a sandwich for dinner. We ended up inside the Disney Store where Brandon found a puffle he didn't have and a new puffle backpack.

Packing, resting our feet and getting ready for an early flight home...that was our evening. We had a great four days in Barcelona and barely scratched the surface of all there is to do here. I would definitely come back if I have the chance.