What's it like there this time of year?

Do they have cigar stores?

How are the taxis there?

How well do they speak English.

How much do they hate Americans?

An inquiring mind needs to know.

never been, but friends reported they preferred Barcelona to Madrid by a lot.

Si

I'm sorry but have no idea, brother Jpotts. I should be ashamed. I'm from Madrid and mom's from Barcelona ('92 Olympics). Dad's folks were from Sevilla ('92 Expo/ World's Fair). Some moved to PR. Haven't been back in many years (during Franco). Don't know that the people there are particularly happy especially during their financial crisis but I think they like Americans as much as Europeans can like Americans- more than the French anyway.

I DO remember that quite a few in Madrid understood basic english & the probability is even higher Barcelona.

Cab drivers are absolute maniacs and pedestrians seem to insanely taunt them.

Cigar stores should be easier to find than here & they have plenty of Cubans.

Perhaps some of the folks here can enlighten us both, my friend. When are you going there?

Never been, but my best friend's son went there after graduate school ... he wasn't impressed.

I think he timed his trip through Europe to coincide with the whole running of the bulls thing.

He had more favorable things to say about Ireland & Italy than he did about Barcelona . . .

You've just describe Italy and Israel.

Two weeks from now...allegedly.

You'll want to wear a nice Renaldo jersey for your travels there. You'll get a lot of attention.

Is he on the PGA tour?

Awesome city. If you are a fan of architecture, you must visit the Old Gothic Quarter, and La Sagrada Familia is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Also other Gaudi structures throughout the city. The metro system is excellent, and simpler even than in most other European cities. No info on the taxis, didn't use them.

There is a ton of tourist food in the city....find the local paces. Worth the effort, the paella is wonderful when you find a good restaurant. The places by the waterfront are very good but very pricey.

Cigars shops are a yes, but the prices will probably take your breathe away. Pack in if you are smoking on a budget.

Everyone there speaks some to good to excellent English.

In my experiences (been there twice), Barcelona is very friendly and warm to travelers. They will only hate you if you are loud, rude, and/or boorish with them. You will find their English begins to suffer rapidly if you are an arsehole. But, that is true anywhere you go.

There is a walking street area called La Rambla del Raval if I recall correctly. Shopping, street acts, kiosk vendors, food, lovely big trees to walk under.

Translation: They will only hate you if you are from Texas, New York, or New Jersey.

So it is like the rest of the world (with apologies for Major Asshat in NJ)

Pretty much

You make me wanna go![gonzo]

Jpotts, don't you dare screw things up for me and Watch. Mind your p's & q's. lol

Duly noted. I'm screwed.

I love my boss to death, but sometimes I don't think he understands that some people who claim that they don't know English actually DO understand it. So he assumes that he can say aloud whatever criticisms of the taxi driver and they are none the wiser...

And he travels in Europe extensively. I don't get it.

Hence, I'm paying for my own taxi on these trips. I don't need to find myself in some back alley somewhere three miles from my hotel without a map and a Spanish-to-English dictionary.

Don't know you personally, can't judge.

Just noting that in my travels it's not so much a prejudice against Americans as it is a prejudice against loud, rude, impatient, entitled people. The Germans seem to be somewhat reviled for those characteristics as well. Saw a lot of that in the Canaries.

I think you'll do just fine. Believe it or not you probably already know many basic words- romance languages have many of the same Latin/Greek roots- plus you can use your hands. (lol) Your clueless boss on the other hand, is playing with fire, IMHO, especially with waiters who can add "secret sauce" to his tapas.

Huh? I'm distracted. My avatar can't talk his eyes off your avatar.