Log Ninety Three – I Gotta Pick a Pocket or Two

5 July 2023

There are all sorts of warnings about pick pockets and how to protect yourself but these guys are good at what they do. It was a weekend train ride on the Metro and our friend had no idea his wallet had been lifted until he went to find his train ticket. No train ticket and no wallet.

Two 20€ purchases had been made at a supermarket within minutes and before our friend had called his bank to cancel the card. The purchases were small enough that a password wasn’t required.

We are now hyper vigilant and only carry a travel card and rail ticket.

Enough of the dark side to travel. Our last few days have been spent exploring Barcelona and visiting Gaudi buildings. My awareness of Gaudi’s was naive to say the least. After visiting three of his buildings, Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo and La Pedrera I have some appreciation of this man’s talent. I can only imagine the criticism he would have attracted 100 years ago with such radical designs supported by architectural innovation unheard of at the time.

The basilica Sagrada Familia is still under construction 120 years after work started. From the outside it is an imposing masonry structure, inside it is a massive open area full of light and colour. Maybe I will see the completed building in some years to come.

Casa Batllo and La Pedrera were designed as homes or apartments for families. They are filled with organic shapes and spaces inspired by nature.

In all three sites the one challenge you face is finding that opportunity to take that photograph without another human in view. It can be done but it’s not easy.

In Palma and Barcelona we have come across large groups of African men selling their wares in the street. They display their goods on large sheets laid out on the footpath. Many of the goods are football emblazoned clothing and designer products. What is fascinating is that when the police arrive the African sellers are able to fold up their displays in seconds and vanish down into the Metro. Just as quickly they reappear and are back open for business as soon as the police leave. It all seems to be a game. At night the sellers appear to bed down in the entrances to the Metro.

Just when you think you have worked out the extensive Barcelona Metro they change the rules. There are lots of announcements but they are all in Spanish so you go on your merry way until you reach a barricade and discover ‘your’ line is closed for maintenance. You are now faced with the challenge of plotting a new course on unfamiliar Metro lines, getting on and off at different stations all the while being vigilant about pick pockets. It’s time to celebrate when you get to your destination or return to the apartment at the end of the day.