Monday, June 29, 2015

Taking a speed train to Madrid/Carlos Pueblo

Taking a speed train to Madrid/Carlos Pueblo
I went to Barcelona Sand Station for a train ride to San Sebastian,
a northwest seaport of Spain. I always like to visit the ultimate end
of a territory, such as the northeast end, the center, the southern tip
, the northern tip etc. I also hear a lot of Basque Independent and I
like to the actual place myself. Basque territory covers most of the
western Spain which facing the Atlantic Ocean. It would take 6 hours
to reach San Sebastian and I would not have a returning train till the
next morning; therefore, I decided to switch to take a speedy train
ride to Madrid, the capital city of Spain.

The train, AVE, can reach to 300 Km an hour and is about three hours
ride from Barcelona to Madrid. We passed by a city called Zaragoza,
in Aragon country. I can see the Spanish farms field and the pueblos.
By the way I change my last name Chuang to Pueblo due to the
difficulty of westerner to pronounce the word and the meaning of
that word is pueblo in Spanish, and from now on, no confusion between
Chuang and Chang when people says it.

Not too far from Madrid Station, I found a small restaurant which offered
the menu of the day special. A plate is 9 Euros plus a bottle of wine. I
finished a bottle and was still thirsty so I paid 6 euros for another bottle.
I did finish the second bottle and paid my bill; however, I was drunk. I
Believed that he called polices for help to escort me to the station. I missed
my return train yet I did get on the next one back to Barcelona.

On the train, I met a Chinese lady tailor from Liao Ning Province near North
Korean border. I guess her business is very well; therefore, she can afford to
take the train to Madrid to visit clients. She is very appreciative for Spain takes
her as an immigrant and let her start a new life in this country. She did recommend
he to live in Spain and I was not in a good state of myself to discuss with her
further more. Before arrival, she invited me to have the same shuttle with a
Chinese driver who had been in Spain for years as a taxi like driver serving in
Chinese community. I was very impressed for their effort to earn a living in

Spain.

馬德里行/莊峻華

馬德里行/莊峻華

早上到巴塞隆納山德火車站,訂下到聖寫別斯新市車票,火車是下
午二時,晚上八點才到,已經無班車回來,所以我連忙換成到首都
馬德里車票,這是西班牙最快速之高鐵,單程約是三小時,時速最
高達300公里,就是180哩。我想參觀聖寫別斯新市,因為巴斯克
獨立運動,巴斯克領域,遍佈西班牙西部,從西北到西南,聖市在
西北角落,我旅行最喜歡到各地之最,台灣最中心點,最南點,加
拿大最東最西,美國最西,麻州之最東等地,還有看過美國最高峰。

西班牙高鐵,確是很快,所以加州準備請西班牙來蓋高鐵,連接舊金
山和洛杉磯,大概可以包括聖地牙哥。馬德里沿途風光,比東北路更
乾燥,我不是嫌乾燥不好,就是不甚習慣,紅土甚多,使我想起台灣
之鹹鴨蛋,製作鹹鴨蛋,需要紅土。

火車超速,提前到達,馬德里很是忙碌,許多餐廳,我按照小費導遊
之建議,找好一家黑板上,寫有今日特價菜單,這是西班牙週日之特
別價格,約是九歐元,再加上一瓶酒,啤酒或葡萄酒,我選葡萄酒,喝
完一瓶,又叫了一瓶,然後喝醉,是和侍者結帳後,侍者就找兩位警察
,護送我回車站,然後我就失去記憶,醒來時,已錯過三點火車,只好
再補買另一張票,我吃東西,斤斤計較,犯錯時,浪費更多。

車上聽到一位中國太太打電話,於是我就向她搭訕,原來她是來自遼寧,
怕我不知安東,再補充是北朝鮮邊界,幾年前投資四萬美元,來巴塞隆納
打天下,是位裁縫師傅,能搭高鐵從巴塞隆納,到馬德里,接恰生意,表
示生意穩定。她建議我到西班牙鄉下,買房退休,生活將是非常舒適,我
因酒醉剛省,沒有向她說明,我對西班牙物價之看法,也許她說的是,我
出入場所,都是觀光旅遊區,東西當然比較貴。

車快到站,她建議我同搭其專車,也是一位中國男士,專門開車接送,講
好車資,她們先送我到加西亞大道旅社,翌日,我就搭車到西班牙東南角
落,馬拉卡市。



Visiting Portbou, Spain/ Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Portbou, Spain/ Carlos Pueblo
Portbou is on the northeast border of Spain with France. I have purchased
a nine days train ticket and planned to take a high speed train AVE to
 Figueres to check how fast it is. Actually, I took a regular train and boarded
at a wrong station. Once the train arrived at Figueres, I changed my mind to
 go to Portbou, the final stop. There is another Portbou, France and I think
that I can just walk across to the border; however, on the Eurail map, the
 border town on French part is Cebere. This is the first time when I see
Spanish field which is dry in compare with Taiwan, and the crops are olive
, grape, almond, and may have some wheat. I am surprised that Spain should
Be an agricultural country.

Portbou is a hill town of 1,214 residents. From the train station, you can have
look down to hill to view the town which is facing the Mediterranean. Most of
the residence are on the half way of the mountain. I walked down the stairs to
the town center near the beach. The lady in the information center suggested
me visit Walter Benjamin Memorial. He was a German philosopher who
committed suicide at this town during World War II by overdose heroin. He was
buried in the town cemetery. He was under Nazi’s oppression due to his Jewish
religion and his thought against Hitler’s. He escaped from Germany to Paris, then
to Portbou and was waiting for the visa to Lisbon, Portugal to immigrate to U.S.
Franco’s police got him and he had no other way to go. Recently an Israeli built
this memorial in honor of his work. In the memorial, there is a narrow stairway
between two wall towards the sea symbolizing a light of hope after darkness.

Many bikers choose Portbou’s hilly road for their trip. After checking the internet,
I learned that Portbou played a major role during Spanish Civil War. It served as
a main station for the Republican army to receive supply from France while the
Nationalist, Franco’s army, received theirs from Nazi Germany and Facis Italy.
The Republican lost and Spain had been under Franco’s dictatorship until 1975,
the same year for the death of Chiang Kai-sek. Spain has become a democratic
nation yet Taiwan had been under Chiang’s son.

I read an article about a nightly train from Paris to Barcelona starting at 9:30 pm
Passing through Portbou and arriving at 8:00 am in Barcelona. It is at daybreak
between Portbou and Barcelona, you still can enjoy the beautiful Mediterranean.



Sunday, June 28, 2015

波特菠行/莊峻華

波特菠行/莊峻華
波特菠在西班牙東北,與法國交界,我買一張九日用火車票,原想
搭乘西班牙高鐵,到維沽拉站,結果搭錯火車,搭普通車,每站都
停,問清楚後,乾脆坐到終站,波特菠鎮,我想走路,就可以跨越
法西邊界,我在網路上,看到法國也有波特菠,不過邊鎮,應是塞
別羅鎮。這是我首次,見識到西班牙農村原野,像是乾燥之高原,主
要農作物是,橄欖樹和葡萄,也看到一些麥田,很奇怪,西班牙應該
是一農業國度。

波特菠是一山鎮,濱臨地中海,從火車站,可以俯瞰整個海灘,小鎮,
和碼頭,剛才我才知道,人口僅1,214人,許多住宅,都在山腰上。遊
客中心女士,建議我拜訪,自殺德國哲學家,華爾特‧邊哲明。他是位
德國猶太人,得罪納粹黨,從德國逃到巴黎,也已經安抵波特玻鎮,準
備再取得葡萄牙簽證,從里斯本移民美國,但西班牙警察,受納粹德國
壓力,逼得邊哲明,服多量海落英自殺,遺體葬在鎮內天主教公墓。近
代有位以色列富人,出資在公墓立碑,並有窄巷石縫階梯到海,有海闊
天空寓意。

許多機車客,選擇這段,邊界山路旅行,回休市後,讀維基字典,波特菠
鎮,在西班牙內戰中,扮演共和軍補給軍火,重要角色,軍火彈藥等,需
要火車經過法國,運輸到波鎮,用以對抗佛朗哥之國民軍,佛朗哥有納粹
德國和法西斯義大利撐腰,結果共和軍敗,西班牙一直在佛朗哥獨裁統治
下,到1975年,當年蔣介石也死亡,但台灣仍然在蔣經國鐵蹄下,西班牙
國王,宣佈新政府,為民主憲政體治。

許多人坐夜車,從巴黎,經波特菠鎮,到巴塞隆納玩,晚上九點半出發,到
波鎮是早上六點,兩小時後,到達巴塞隆納,沿途尚可欣賞地中海岸風景。


A man released himself as a pigeon/ Carlos Pueblo

A man released himself as a pigeon/ Carlos Pueblo

In modern Taiwanese idiom to release a pigeon means a man is late
for his appointment with a friend, or even forgets the original appoint-
ment. He makes the friend wait and the friend looks as a released pigeon.
What is released pigeon? In the old time Taiwan, we call her Formosa,
man grew pigeons as personal hobby. He would release his pigeons to
the sky for flying exercise twice a day, morning and before sun set. It
was because that the pigeon needed such exercise and learned to fly back
to the cage. There were contests for pigeons flying from the south end of
the island to Taipei almost several times in a year. Once, the pigeon was
released, it would fly 400 Km distance home. Some of them might not
make it during the itinerary.  We call this case for the pigeon as a released
pigeon. I ran into a man in Barcelona, Spain released himself as a pigeon
and I helped him back to his tourist group. His name is Der Song Chen of
Banchao, New Taipei City.

I was sitting on a step to Barcelona Cathedral listening to two street guitar
players  performance. I saw this sweet potato face man and I asked him in
Taiwanese. You didn’t catch up with your group? He was released when
saw me. I, therefore, congratulated  him for running into me. Instead of
waiting at the spot, because I saw his team 30 minutes before, we started
searching the museum which was not allow camera, food, and backpack etc.
when entered. We asked the security polices for direction, store owners,
and information, and three museums nearby without any luck. The group had
been long gone.

He did remember that they would go to a Four Cats Restaurant for dinner. We
found four cats yet the night’s reservation was not his group. Luckily, he found
a restaurant nearby where his group had lunch. The waiter remembered the
group and called the lady Spanish guide to inform her the pigeon was here.
He was instructed to wait in the restaurant for the guide to pick him up. He
Bought me a plate of spaghetti, under the menu del dia, and the waiter treated
Me two glasses of beer.

This is a happy ending and I have ever since brag about it for my good deed.
I must thank the waiter and the chef for their kindness and hospitality. I did
Write down the restaurant’s name:
Melic del Gotic Restaurante
It is just three or four stores next to the Four Cats Restaurante, which I am
informed as a famous restaurant in Taiwan tourist industry for its life show.



Saturday, June 27, 2015

自放粉鳥者/莊峻華

自放粉鳥者/莊峻華

粉鳥為鴿也,舊台灣有飼粉鳥者,習慣放粉鳥,每天早晚各一次,
有比賽甚至從台北運粉鳥到屏東鵝鑾鼻,放粉鳥飛回台北,比賽速
度。放粉鳥活動,已經式微,但台語成語中,常見此語,意指約會
爽約,令人久候;帶人出遊,自己消失,令友落單。我在巴塞隆納
老廣場,休息聆聽街頭藝人,表演吉他,坐在台階上,看到一位台
灣男士,神情憂慮,我知道他是蕃薯面,所以台語問他,隊無著團?
他如獲釋重,說是是啊,我說你的團已經離開30分鐘矣,因為我在
小費導遊課結束後,因擬再上一課,再集合廣場等候,見到一隊台灣
團,由一西班牙女士,舉旗帶過馬路,我還幫一位自放粉鳥者,自己
也成粉鳥,需要歸隊,那位粉鳥著西服,也是手持堪農相機,都想多
拍張相片,頓時落單。這位男士,便裝也是好相機,後來告訴我其大
名為,板橋之陳德松先生。

我先恭喜他遇見我,於是我描述他之台灣團,和那位西班牙女導遊,一
切印證符合,此團有36位台灣遊客,來自台灣,美國,加拿大,和日
本等地之台灣人。中餐在一家餐廳,接近四貓餐廳,我請他放心,我可
以幫助問路,至少可以幫忙找到晚餐之餐廳。因為粉鳥已失,半小時以
上,所以不宜原地苦候,因為台灣導遊,有固定行程,而且有其他35
,需要照顧,所以我按照他之描述,尋找一座博物館,不能照像,也不能
帶背包者,此附近有數家博物館,我們一一查對,仍然無該團蹤影,西班
牙人,一聽我解說,立即全力幫忙,就是說找到警察局,也有語言困難。
於是我們決定,找四貓餐廳,四貓我把它說成西班牙語,真是畫蛇添足,
餐廳是英文原名,有現場表演,所以號稱都聞名台灣。四貓女侍者,查晚
上訂位,只有22位,沒有36位,所以粉鳥認為記錯,晚餐四貓,應該是
隔一天,但他找到午餐之餐廳,而且也認出一位菲律賓女侍者,女侍也認
出為放粉鳥,所以一位男侍,立即電話連絡那位西班牙女導遊,立刻連絡
上,決定要陳留下,待導遊來領回。

故事圓滿解決,這餐廳人很親切,比四貓好太多,我把餐廳大名抄下,
Melic del Gotic Restaurante
就在四貓隔三、四家,陳先生請我一碗義大利麵,餐廳請我喝啤酒。


Tipping tour guide/ Carlos Pueblo

Tipping tour guide/ Carlos Pueblo

There is an advertisement on the hostel wall for free tour to cover the
city on foot. Free, if you insist not to pay the free tour guide, that is the
only income he will receive. This is a kind of job in Spain and the guide
will explain it at the beginning of the tour. Most of the tourist is very
generous; therefore, after a 2 ½ hours tour, the guide should receive
some good income. I have joined three free tour during my stay in Spain
and I enjoy every one of it. This is a short cut for me understand the city
and its history and cultural background. On the second day in Barcelona,
I walked towards the free tour gathering point, la Plaza de l’Angel. The
Team left when I arrived; therefore, I followed an advice to catch up
with the team at a nearby museum.  

Most of the museum, churches, old allies, old buildings etc. in Barcelona
are with good shape and good maintenance. She pointed three flags above
the Museum, European Union, Spain, and Catalan. On the other side of a
civilian building, there are some more flags with a Cuban shape flag triangle.
She explained the reason. Catalan people, there are 4 provinces in the north
east part of the country, have a strong desire to be independent away from
Spain. They even admire Cuban who is independence. I am interested and
have checked the history after I come home to Houston. After the tour, I did
follow her back to the original gathering square and chatted her some more
about self- determination. She says that she notices Taiwan’s situation and
insists that Taiwan is not along, Basque in Spain, Quebec in Canada, Tibet
in China, Scotland in the United Kingdom, and more. I have since recognized
that triangle shape of Catalan flag in Barcelona, on my way to Portbou and
city of Portbou near French border.

There is a Chinese family from Shanghai, the adult daughter bring both
parents to Spain for a visit. Mother who has been to Taiwan is very impressed
with Taiwan, clean and politeness of Taiwanese. Her daughter explains to me
her plan to take a night train south to Granada and visit the famous Alhambra
Palace of the Moors. I was very close to Granada one day later at Cordoba and
decided to skip Granada; however, I should go back in October. I always wonder
what has been happened in Spain since the Re-conquesta, the expelling of the
Moors, Muslims, and Jews. I thought that Spain missed the industrial revolution.

There are two huge cathedral not too far between them, one was built in 200
years duration by the kingdom while another in a less period by civilian. She is
a liberalist. She pointed out a firing wall on a school yard by Francisco Franco
during the Spanish Civil War. That wall still kept the bullets holes.




Friday, June 26, 2015

小費導遊/莊峻華

小費導遊/莊峻華
西班牙旅社,廣告免費導遊,每天有兩班次以上,英語導遊,在名勝
古蹟前,講解步行遊覽兩小時半,結束時請求小費,當然是事先就講
明,這是一種職業,小費導遊,有的遊客群大方,一班下來,有些小
收入,我在巴塞隆納,參加一女導遊,印象深刻,所以連續三處,三
小費導遊課,我都參加,幫助我不做作業者,走些捷徑。抵巴塞隆納
翌晨,散步到小費導遊集合處,天使廣場,因我稍微遲到,導遊班已
經離去,有人建議我,在一博物館可以追上,於是我連忙趕上,
果然兩隊都在,導遊在博物館前小空地,開始解釋,建議旅客,下課
後自行參觀,幾乎所有博物館,都需要收費。

巴塞隆納之博物館,教堂,古街道,古蹟,古建築等,均有甚佳之維護
,博物館建築上,有三面旗幟,一面是歐洲聯盟,一面是西班牙國旗,
一面是卡塔奴妮亞旗,導遊很清楚表示,卡特蘭人,主張獨立於西班牙
之外,目前之自治政府,仍然不令卡特蘭人滿意,歐洲國家,像英國,
像西班牙,美洲之加拿大等國,都讓選民自決,而非妖魔化,獨立主張
,整個巴塞隆納市,和附近城鎮,都有居民懸掛,古巴型卡塔奴妮亞旗
,表示對古巴獨立之羨慕。導遊有解釋所以然,下課後,我特別請教她
,我只聽聞,西班牙有巴斯克要獨立,她說不止,南部之安塔露西亞也
是,我說台灣遭遇中國,情形也一樣,中國一直不認為台灣,曾經是一
個國家,她說西班牙也如此看待卡塔奴妮亞,但是這已經是世界性問題
,大家都不願意在大國統治之下,她說蘇格蘭,巴斯克,魁北克,北愛
爾蘭等,我非常感動。

我更加認真聽講,隊中有一上海人家庭,女兒孝順,帶父母親來西班牙
旅行,準備南下格林那達市,參觀阿拉汗布拉宮,這是摩爾王朝,最後
被西班牙天主教王國,所征服之回教王國,從此開始有,再征服,排斥
自由信仰之時代,許多猶太人,回教徒等人才,離開西班牙,我猜西班
牙,因此錯過後來之,歐洲工業革命。

附近有一大主教堂,一共蓋了兩百年,旁邊也有一平民大教堂,也花很
多資源和時間完成。女導遊算是自由派,批評佛蘭哥之獨裁,和西班牙
之內戰,帶我們去參觀槍斃人之牆壁,仍舊可以看到彈孔,墨索里尼飛

炸死兒童之學校。

Last minute cruise deal/Carlos Pueblo

Last minute cruise deal/Carlos Pueblo
I continue asking direction towards the harbor of Barcelona. I reached to
Columbus Square. His statue is facing the Mediterranean, very tall to the
sky. I checked  the history that he took his journey from three of the south
western ports in Andalusia, Palos de la Frontera, Cadiz, and Sanlucar, not
from Barcelona. Three sea ports are still existed and all becomes tourist
town. I am going to visit one of the largest cities, Malaga, at Andalusia next
stop after Barcelona. I took an exclusive bus to the cruise terminal and the
staff advised me to check with a travel agency for my last minute cruise
deal; therefore, I took that bus back to Columbus Square. There were even
more tourists on the Square including some Chinese. A travel agency is
located next to a super market down stair at a large shopping center.

There are 8 staff in the agency including a manager. Everyone is busy with
customers. There were two ladies kindly chatting with me while waiting.
They were planning to visit Quebec, Canada. They do have relatives in
Montreal City. I explained what I desired a last minute deal for the cruise
with a particular cruise liner. The agent checked on the screen for two dates,
the 17th and 24th. I did not like the rate for 17th; therefore she encouraged
me look at the 24th. Finally, I agreed to the 24th which was a week behind
Miss Connie of Hawaii. I did not consider another ship of 12 days trip ended
at Venice, Italy because the long distance from Barcelona.

This is a 7 days five ports tour on the Mediterranean, Naples, Civitavecchia,
Livorno, Cannes, and Palma. I am a solo traveler, of course, is more expensive
than the unit fare of a couple, yet last minute deal can be competitive in
compare with the airfare, train fare, food cost in Spain, Italy, and France. The
cruise room is much comfortable than the hostel plus nightly entertainment.
I also want to make up my scarify of cutting three meals to two every day in
Europe land by eating 4 or 5 meals at the sea a day.





最後一分鐘郵輪/莊峻華

最後一分鐘郵輪/莊峻華
繼續問道,繼續西向海港,我來到哥倫布廣場,柯倫布銅像,也是高
聳入天,面向地中海,我查一下歷史,哥倫布不是從巴塞隆納出航,而
是當今西班牙之西南,三小港口,都在安塔露西亞,佛隆德拉,卡地斯
,和山路卡,三小港仍在,都是觀光區,安塔露西亞大城市,馬拉卡市
,就是我的下一站。從哥倫布廣場,好多遊客,甚至有許多華人,我再
搭專門巴士,到郵輪碼頭,郵輪職員曰,如此最後一分鐘生意,需要找
旅行社代理,於是我再搭巴士回哥倫布廣場,再散步回加西亞大道,旅
行社,在卡塔奴妮亞廣場旁,一大百貨公司底層,超市隔壁。

旅行社有八位職員,七位代理,一位經理,每位都非常忙碌,五月大約
是歐洲春假開始,客戶幾乎都是中老年人,有兩位西班牙女士,等在我
後面,很和藹和我聊天,原來她們要到魁北克旅行,兩人在蒙特婁有親
戚。輪到我,我就說明最後一分鐘郵輪,代理馬上會意,在電腦上查資
料,17日報價出來,我嫌太貴,這是夏威夷康妮小姐那一班,另外一輪
19日,走12日,在義大利威尼斯下船,對我行程不方便,於是我正
準備放棄,代理鼓勵我再看下一班,果然便宜一些,是818甌元成交。
於是我在超市買了一盒鮪魚手捲,和一瓶特價珊地亞水果酒,在大道上
午餐。

這是地中海七日遊,從巴塞隆納港出發,在義大利西岸,停靠三港,法
國坎城,西班牙海島港帕爾瑪,然後回巴塞隆納港,一人旅行,單價較
貴,但是值得,因為我旅行算計,走如此行程,西班牙到義大利,從那
不勒斯,經羅馬外港,到佛羅倫斯外港,再到法國坎城,西班牙等,七
日四國火車票,加上一日四餐,七夜四星級大飯店招待,晚上有娛性節
目,是比較貴,但是值得花費。



Barcelona’s Passeig de Garcia/ Carlos Pueblo

Barcelona’s Passeig de Garcia/ Carlos Pueblo
A Nigerian nurse kindly helped me to purchase a train ticket, boarded
The train, and watched me exit the train at the station of Passeig de
Garcia. It was still at daybreak; therefore, I could not check in to the
hostel; however, the clerk allowed me use the terrace on 7th floor for
the free WiFi and at 8 o’clock down to the 2nd floor for breakfast with
1.50 Euro purchase. That was how I met Connie for the cruise idea.

After breakfast, my luggage was not arrived, I walked toward the harbor
attempting to reach the cruise terminal. Passeig de Garcia has been busy
with lots of traffic. Most of my 6 days stay in Barcelona, I believe that I
have been taking a walk on this avenue most of the time. In the old day,
I read the history, it was a rural street to connect Barcelona and Garcia,
then, the area became prosperous, the street was enlarged to a 42 meters
(138 ft.) wide avenue from Paseo de Garcia, a taking a walk street, to
Passeig de Garcia, one of the most popular avenue in Barcelona. There are
big office buildings, shopping stores, cathedrals, restaurants etc. along both
sides of the avenue. Restaurants extend their tables to both sides of the
street and the business is extreme well. I had had dinner experience twice
with a minimum expense, 9 Euros a plate spaghetti, a glass of wine or beer
4 Euros each, plus 15% tip. This basic cost has already made me concerned.
This is why I cut down my three meals a day to two and make it up at the
cruise, 4 or 5 meals a day.

 I reached a large square with full of crowd, the Plaza de Catalunya. Catalunya
was belonged to one of an old kingdoms, for example Aragon which leaded to
expel the Moors. Catalan wants to be independent from Spain and it is a very
touching story. The square is very busy and you can see the city is well prepared
with armed police on foot and ride on horse.

Passeig de Garcia interrupted on the square, I kept on going towards the harbor
On a busy street called La Rambla, my Japanese dictionary translates Orgi Tori
Means still a big street. There is a large fresh market on La Rambla, Marcat de
la Boqueria, I don’t want to mention the Spanish Japanese says what that
Boquera means because it makes no sense at all, a store of an opening of release
water; however, the market is very attractive, fresh fruits, meat, fish, and some
dry goods etc. I bought two bags of fruits, one cherry and one tomato. One night
before I boarded the cruise, I had a dinner at one of the restaurant inside the
market. I ran into two Chinese girl students from Macao, near Hong Kong, who
were on vacation from Munich, Germany.




Thursday, June 25, 2015

巴塞隆納加西亞大道/莊峻華

巴塞隆納加西亞大道/莊峻華
飛抵巴塞隆納機場, 搭地下跌到加西亞大道旅社,有位善心之奈
及利亞護士,指導我買票,上車,下車,英文流利,出車站尚早,
加西亞大道,建築宏偉,旅社也是七樓大廈,我還是不能投宿,但
許可上七樓,使用電腦,八點下二樓餐廳,買1.50歐元早餐,在七
樓遇見康妮小姐,前文敘述過。早餐收費低廉,比倫敦旅社好很多,
旅客多半是旅行學生,少數是成人。

 走出旅社,加西亞大道,已經是車水馬龍,仔細想來,我在巴塞隆納
六日中,都在此大道散步,舊日此路是鄉村散步徑,連接加西亞和巴
塞隆納,一直到19世紀初,才形成42公尺﹝138呎﹞寬之大道,有很
多大型商店,餐桌都擺到大道兩側,也有相當之生意,而且也有基本消
費,像是九歐元一盤義大利麵,一杯啤酒或葡萄酒是四歐元,再加上小
15%,我很節省,所以早餐,吞下很多吐司麵包,牛奶果汁,等到下
午,再吃一餐,過午就不食,補足營養,就等到郵輪旅行,一天進食四
、五頓。

我跟著人潮,走向海港方向,經過幾座大型廣場,其中第一座是,卡塔
奴尼亞廣場,卡塔奴妮亞,就是西班牙統一前之舊王國,統治西國東北
四省,是一自治區,而且居民公開要求,脫離西班牙,恢復獨立,這是我
後來學到之知識。廣場好熱鬧,有騎警戒備,也有明顯配槍警察,安全無
慮。

 過廣場,已經無大道,走進一鬧街曰,拉琅布拉,西班牙語就是大通道,
其中有一大型傳統市場曰,布凱利亞市場,規模甚大,進口是水果攤,五
花十色,我拍攝許多相片,然後就是魚類,肉類,也有不同乾貨,飲食攤
都是客滿,尤其晚餐時間,也賣各種果汁和冰水,我買兩袋水果,蕃茄和
櫻桃,補足維他命。從馬拉卡市回巴塞隆納,準備翌日上船,再問道市場
,在市場點一條烤小劍魚,和兩杯啤酒,花費是27歐元,而且沒有空位,
郵輪食物,實在是遠勝於觀光城市餐廳。

我座旁有兩位澳門留德國女學生,點那盤海鮮,一定耗費不貲,小姐一直
照相留念。