SPAIN - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1409

hangout by day or by night. Big spaces like this (as well as the site of La Boqueria market)
often originated as monasteries. When these were dissolved in the 19th century, their fine
colonnadedsquareswereincorporatedintowhatwereconsideredgenerallymoreusefulpub-
lic spaces.
Head back out to the Ramblas. Across the boulevard, a half-block detour down Carrer
Nou de la Rambla brings you to Palau Güell, designed by Antoni Gaudí (on the left, at
#3-5). Even from the outside, you get a sense of this innovative apartment, the first of
Gaudí's Modernista buildings. As this is early Gaudí (built 1886-1890), it's darker and more
Neo-Gothic than his more famous later work. The two parabolic-arch doorways and elabor-
ate wrought-iron work signal his emerging nonrectangular style. Recently renovated, Palau
Güell offers an informative look at a Gaudí interior (see listing on here ) . Pablo Picasso had
a studio at #10 (though there's nothing to see there today).
• Continue downhill on the Ramblas.
Raval Neighborhood (Barri Xines): The neighborhood on the right-hand side of
this stretch of the Ramblas is El Raval. Its nickname was Barri Xines—the world's only
Chinatown with nothing even remotely Chinese in or near it. Named for the prejudiced no-
tionthatChineseimmigrantswenthand-in-handwithpoverty,prostitution,anddrugdealing,
the neighborhood's actual inhabitants were poor Spanish, North African, and Roma (Gypsy)
people. At night, the Barri Xines was frequented by prostitutes, many of them transvestites,
who catered to sailors wandering up from the port. Today, it's becoming gentrified, but it's
still a pretty rough neighborhood.
The seedy zone attracts plenty of characters who don't need the palm trees to be shady.
You're likely to see some good old-fashioned shell games. Stand back and observe these
nervousno-necksatwork.Theyswisharoundtheirlittleboxes,makingsuretoshowyouthe
pea. Their shills play and win. Then, in hopes of making easy money, fools lose big time.
Near the bottom of the Ramblas, take note of the Drassanes Metro stop (close to the
Museo de Cera, or wax museum), which can take you back to Plaça de Catalunya when this
walk is over. The skyscraper to the right of the Ramblas is the Edificio Colón. When it was
built in 1970, the 28-story structure was Barcelona's first high-rise. Near the skyscraper is
the Maritime Museum, housed in what were the city's giant medieval shipyards (permanent
collection likely closed through 2014; see listing on here ) .
• Up ahead is the...
Columbus Monument and Waterfront: The 200-foot column commemorates
Christopher Columbus' stop in Barcelona after his first trip to America (see listing on here ) .
Continue ahead to the waterfront. Barcelona is one of Europe's top 10 ports, though this
stretch of the harbor is a pleasant marina with sailboats.