Strolling down La Rambla, avoiding the pickpockets…the top five cities for pickpockets are all in Europe, see below*. It’s all a bit touristy here, but there are some gems. See Café l’academia on this blog.

Anyway, a spot of lunch is required. It takes a bit of finding but Irati on Carrer del Cardenal Casanas is a traditional tapas bar. The food is provided by lots of “small plates” of every description; you help yourself and they count the cocktail sticks at the end. The “drink” is a bit more spectacular: the barista pours the wine/sherry out of the bottle over his/her shoulder and somewhere near a glass held behind the back. Astonishingly successful – must have had a lot of practise.

So welcome stop, interesting food, good wine and no pickpockets.

Bar Irati on Carrer del Cardenal Casanas

If you want a bit of architectural culture that’s not Sagrada Familia, then visit the the site of the Barcelona 1929 Exposition and imagine living in the German pavilion by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. No need for curtains. We don’t like curtains.

* according to “research” reported today [Saga!!], the top five cities where you’re at risk of having your pocket picked are:
Barcelona
Rome
Prague
Madrid
Paris

…and no, we didn’t – nowt to pinch

The food…

Sagrada Familia…still building