I don’t think I have written anything about La Rambla – the tree lined street that runs downhill from Plaça Catalunya towards the port and the sea.  I often find myself threading my way up or down it, and equally often I am trying to avoid it as it is so much nicer to walk through the little streets on either side, but I have to admit I also enjoy the feeling of “Well here I am! In Barcelona!”
The first time I cycled up La Rambla I was so excited I missed my turning and then had the less than pleasant experience of whizzing round Plaça Catalunya, too proud to dismount and and walk in safety

After my recent visit to Santa Maria del Mar I started walking back to catch the train at Passeig de Gracia. And my route took me along the top stretch of La Rambla. This part is called Rambla de Canaletes taking its name from a famous fountain which replaced the much more ancient water trough near the old city walls

Admission time…. I knew the name of this section but I had never heard of the famed fountain nor it’s reputation for providing drinkers not only with water but with a magic spell which will always bring them back to Barcelona. Only now when researching for this post I read about it and noticed that one of my photos features the fountain. But I had to dig it out of the Trash first – perhaps I am the only person who has never heard of it before.
Many towns have Ramblas. It means a street which at times has water flowing down it towards the sea. Many little streams would fill with rain water and come together in the Rambla forming a river. This doesn’t happen now in Barcelona as the ancient natural waterways have been piped underground

Rambla de Canaletes is lined with wooden seats arranged in groups so that people can sit together talking and discussing the themes of the day. One thing I have noticed about Catalunya is that if you install a new bench or seat then within hours someone will start to use it. It is like magic! They are magnets. And if you put them at an angle together then several friends will come and start to talk.

Or they will stand and talk – perhaps because the tourists have sat on all the benches

Or just read the newspaper to have something to talk about later. Did you notice they were all men?