July 9, 2024: We had a full schedule today in Barcelona. After enjoying the breakfast buffet at our hotel, we headed out to join the free Gothic Quarter walking tour. Although termed "free," these tours typically end with participants paying what they feel the tour was worth. We've taken several of these tours in various cities over the years and have found them to be quite informative. We usually do them on the first day at a new destination so we can explore the area in more detail later.

Our tour guide was young and very knowledgeable about Barcelona's old neighborhood. He not only shared fascinating stories about the area but also pointed out the “fake” old buildings, which had been renovated to look clean and attractive to tourists. We’ve noticed similar trends in many places around the world.

After the walking tour, we went to a nearby Tapas Bar for some quick bites and then took a taxi to the Sagrada Familia, the most famous church under construction for the last 142 years. Both the interior and exterior of the church were stunning and awe-inspiring. The vibrant light streaming through the stained glass windows inside the basilica was unlike anything we had ever experienced before. The columns branching out like trees were also very intriguing.

We then took a taxi back to our hotel for a short nap before heading out again for a Spanish cooking class. There were 19 participants in the class. First, we went with the chef to La Boqueria Market to get some fresh squids, shrimp, and mussels before walking to the kitchen. We started by sitting down and drinking Sangria, a famous cocktail in Barcelona. After a glass of the drink, we gathered around the kitchen table to prepare seafood paella. The chef showed us how to make the dish, and we helped with the cooking. Meanwhile, we also learned how to make Sangria. It’s a mix of two bottles of red wine, four shots of whiskey, four shots of gin, vodka, and some juices. We realized why it tasted so strong!

While our fellow travelers managed to finish two jars of the drink and became quite high and talkative, we focused on the cooking. The seafood paella turned out to be very good, and we’re eager to try making it at home using the techniques we learned. After the class, everyone was offered a free shot at another bar, but we decided to head back to the hotel directly. It was definitely the best experience we’ve had in Barcelona so far.

巴塞罗那

2024年7月9日：今天我们在巴塞罗那安排了满满一整天的行程。享用完酒店的自助早餐后，我们出发去参加免费的哥特区（Gothic Quarter）步行游。虽然称为“免费”，这些游览通常在结束时由参与者根据感受支付费用。多年来，我们在不同城市参加了几次这样的步行游，发现它们非常有益。我们通常在到达新目的地的第一天参加这种步行游，让我们对城市就个初步了解，以便之后能更详细地探索该地区。

我们的导游很年轻，对巴塞罗那的旧城区非常了解。他不仅分享了关于该地区的有趣故事，还指出了一些经过翻新以吸引游客的“假”旧建筑。我们在世界各地都看到了类似的趋势。

游览结束后，我们顺路进了一家附近的小吃（Tapas)酒吧，里面挤满了人。我们点了几份小吃,  有熏沙丁鱼、火腿，橄榄等，再配上冰啤，每一样都非常美味。因为要赶场，我们站在吧台前，匆忙地吃完了小吃和啤酒，然后赶往下一个目的地。

打车来到了圣家堂（Sagrada Familia），这座著名的教堂已经建造了142年，还没完工。教堂的内外都令人惊叹且敬畏。像树枝一样分叉的柱子不同寻常，教堂内部的彩色玻璃窗透出的光线极其鲜艳，这是我们从未经历过的景象。

回酒店小憩了一会儿，我们再次出门去参加西班牙烹饪课，我们这组有19名学员来自世界各国。厨师首先带着我们一起去了波盖利亚市场(Mercat de la Boqueria)购买新鲜的红虾，墨鱼，鱿鱼和青口，然后步行回到厨房。我们先坐下来喝了巴塞罗那著名的鸡尾酒——桑格利亚汽酒，然后大家围着厨房大桌子准备海鲜烩饭。厨师向我们展示了如何制作这道菜，从准备各种海鲜到烹饪，我们全程参与。同时我们还学会了如何制作桑格利亚汽酒。一大罐酒是由两瓶红酒、四份威士忌、四份杜松子酒、伏特加和一些果汁混合而成。我们终于明白为什么它的酒味如此特别。

大家喝光了两大罐酒，变得非常兴奋和健谈，不知不觉饭已熟。海鲜烩饭非常美味，整整一大锅也是一扫而光。我们以前自己也做过海鲜烩饭，但完全不一样。这次等回家后一定会尝试用新学到的技巧来做正宗的海鲜烩饭。课后大家都被邀请去另一家酒吧继续喝免费的酒同时看欧洲杯足球赛，西班牙对法国。但实在是太晚太累了，我们直接回了酒店。这无疑是我们在巴塞罗那最难忘的一次体验。

西班牙赢了，大街上人们兴高采烈，高声唱歌为此庆祝。