Still More Barcelona
With the days either rainy or cloudy, I´ve continued to spend my time in Barcelona walking and eating. The Catedral de Barcelona (photo above from the garden) made a welcome respite from the drizzle.
So did the Museu de la Xocolata, which doesn´t really have that much to offer, but is a must for a chocoholic like myself.
There´s a little walk through history, including the use of cocoa beans as money (photo right), a slide show that I couldn´t make work, and some sculpures of chocolate that might be impressive in terms of craft but wouldn´t exactly win art awards.
Being Barcelona, a good amount of the exposition was given to FC Barcelona, although I couldn´t quite understand the connection between football and chocolate. Perhaps the best part of the museum is the shop, where you can buy all sorts of artisan chocolates or drink a cup of the hot stuff.
Another place definitely worth checking out if you like chocolate, is Cocoa Sampaka. There is a shop as well as a cafe in the back, and you are sure to come out with a bounce in your step.
I think it´s my favourite chocolate shop in Barcelona.
What else can I report? Tulanian´s suggestion of Bar Central at the back of Mercat Boqueria was spot on. Definitely worth a visit if you like seafood.
Many of the other places I´ve gone have been little hole in the wall places that my friends here have brought me. All of them good and interesting.
I had a beer of homage in Manu Chao´s pub.
Now I have one more day.
Spain has been great but too rainy. I need to go back to Ireland for some sun!
Technorati tags: Spain, Barcelona, travel
This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 at 8:33 am and is filed under Abroad. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
May 28th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Outstanding! Glad you liked Bar Central as much as my wife and I. Best grilled squid I’ve ever eaten.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I wish I was there! The chocolate museum sounds like my sort of place. Maybe next year!
May 29th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I know it isn’t sweet and maybe I have missed it in your previous post, but you haven’t been to Spain if you haven’t gone and tried some Iberico dry cured ham. Holy Toledo! Get yourself to a Jamon shop and ask for some A.S.A.P.!
Enjoy!
P.S. If I hadn’t said yet, I have found some “Chocolate Mint” very close to your shop in Dingle so I will bring it to you frsh when I visit in July on the 1st or 2nd.
Slán go fóill
May 30th, 2008 at 3:00 am
It sounds like your trip has been lovely. I especially liked your line, “I think it´s my favorite chocolate shop in Barcelona.” When you get to a spot in life when you can say something like that….then that’s gooood.
Also the photos are fantastic, like a virtual tour for us readers. Thanks!!!
June 18th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I love Barcelona – but I did not like the chocolate museum. I was more interested in the school next door… you can watch them learn through large windows from the gift shop… I think they train pastry chefs.