You know when a new movie comes out and every single one of your friends and family says ‘You have to see that movie – best movie I’ve seen in years’ and finally you get around to going and … well you wonder what all the hype was about? That’s how I feel about Barcelona. Don’t get me wrong, this city has some great things to see. Gaudí buildings everywhere lend a quirkiness you don’t see elsewhere. The Cathedral and park guell are stunning. The man was a visionary and a genius there is no doubt about it. The city is rich in history with its Roman walls, its Jewish area and its courtyards. But beyond that? The gothic quarter is not unlike other old towns with their meandering labrynths. Just more expensive and full of tourists. El Born and Gracia are full of overpriced brand names, souvenir places, and ordinary tapas bars. Raval is seedy. And the perfume of stale urine is everywhere. There’s a brashness about Barcelona which reminds me of me in my late teens/early twenties. Full of false bravado and thinking the world owed me. All glitz but no substance yet simply because I hadn’t been around long enough to be of substance. Maybe that’s why being here has irked me. I don’t feel there is a soul or an authenticity to this city. Not yet anyway. Apparently it started coming into its own after the Olympics in 1992. But to me it’s the sort of place that, when you scratch not far below the surface, you don’t find anything worth finding. Maybe if Barcelona was the first Spanish city you visited, it might enchant you. Maybe I’ve been spoilt by too many others. Here are some photos from our visit. Unlikely I will be back.