41 22.729N 002 11 .121E Barcelona, Spain

Pipedream
Mon 10 Aug 2009 21:23
The Pipedream is safely tied up at Port Vell, Barcelona. We had the standard welcoming blow coming into to port. I was sleeping in the pilot birth, Matt and Chris were on watch, while we were approaching port about 3 AM a 30+ Kt wind change hit the boat. We instantly changed tacks and I was launched out of bed in a sound sleep and just managed to catch something before I hit the deck. Surprise! Then when we tried to shorten sail the roller furller jammed with most of the Genoa out. It took us about an hour to decide that we had no business working on it in the dark. After a while the wind died down and we were able to get the sails off. "Hours of boredom broken up by minutes of sheer terror!" At sun rise we worked our way into port. We went into Port Vell probably the best marina in Barcelona. Recommend by several folks. We are trying to arrange a longer stay- but everyone wants to be here.

Took the 'Grayline" tour around the city of about 1.8 million. The city is like an architecture museum. Picasso studied here as a young man. I have seen one other American flag at the marina which I think holds about 600 boats. We also went by the US Consulate and saw one there. Internet is getting harder to find. The WiFi in the marina is broken and we lost the antenna to the external WiFi gismo that allows us to get internet off the steel boat in the blow. The marina is more or less in the center of the water front and we are in the middle of a big city - no hardware stores, few supermarkets, and a constant parade of tourists down town. Flamenco dancers in the park overlooking the marina. I am sure we will find more the longer we hang around. More later.

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