Vista 7/1/16 8 day Med Review - a Vista like no other

[jimbo5544]

and another

[jimbo5544]

and one more

 

[jimbo5544]

The shower and bed were whispering me to stay....just for a little while, but we headed out. We met up with everyone downstairs and then split up into groups and went out our separate ways to explore Barcelona in the time we had.

 

Barcelona is a big city, it has a a good subway system and had a hop on hop off bus. There were a few of us who had experienced Barcelona as a cruise stop in the past. Ten years ago when we stopped here on the Carnival Liberty, we had gone to Montserrat and then some shopping at Las Ramblas. This time, with the limited time our little group wanted to hit Familia Sagrada and then do whatever we could.

[jimbo5544]

We had decided in advance to use the Subway (other sub groups did the hop on/off bus and some walked). With a little assistance we purchased a 10 ride ticket which covered our group for one ride. Here are some pics as we headed up to the subway stop.

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

and a couple of more

 

 

 

 

 

[SMSACE6]

Jimbo, thanks for your review! Enjoying it.

 

Are you still using tinypics? I ask because your photos are not tiny, lol. Just right size for reviews on here.

 

It might be quite some time before I ever get to cruise on the Vista, but that does not mean I am not interested. always something to hope and strive for:)

[jimbo5544]

Jimbo, thanks for your review! Enjoying it.

 

Are you still using tinypics? I ask because your photos are not tiny, lol. Just right size for reviews on here.

 

It might be quite some time before I ever get to cruise on the Vista, but that does not mean I am not interested. always something to hope and strive for:)

 

Glad you are enjoying it, I am enjoying doing it (but fading tonight). I am still using tinypics, but more of a habit thing. The Vista is a wonderful ship, it is a good thing to strive for. Glad I can help in "scratching the itch" until you can sail her. Without cheating on the rest of the review, she is worth the wait.

[jimbo5544]

After a few Subway changes we exited wight at Familia Sagrada. Wow is a word that comes to mind. We should have bought advance tickets and when we saw what the times were (6:30 pm) we had to pass. Some others in another one of ur groups did get inside and I can post some of his pics if people would want to see them. Here are some pics from the outside.

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

and some more

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

and a couple of more

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

After we had our fill, we headed back on the subway down to Las Ramblas, where we shopped and got something to eat. The food was good and pretty inexpensive. About this time I was fading fast, and we headed back to rest for a while before heading back out later on. A shower and a nap were def in order.

[aberdeener]

Loving your review and can hardly wait to read about the Vista and are now confident that your comments will be mostly positive. We have our 3 children and their families joining us on the August sailing. Our middle daughter and her family will be on their first cruise. We are thinking that the Vista will blow their minds and help them realize why we cruise so often.

[cshellz]

Following we're doing 8 day in August. Excited to read your review.

[trogmd]

Hi Jimbo, great start to your review. I would like to say thanks as well for your words of encouragement in respect of me doing my own review in Oct.

I will no doubt learn a lot from the way you do your review.:D

[jimbo5544]

Loving your review and can hardly wait to read about the Vista and are now confident that your comments will be mostly positive. We have our 3 children and their families joining us on the August sailing. Our middle daughter and her family will be on their first cruise. We are thinking that the Vista will blow their minds and help them realize why we cruise so often.

Thanks for the kind words. Sure will be a nice way to start cruising!

[jimbo5544]

Following we're doing 8 day in August. Excited to read your review.

 

You must be doing the same itinerary that we did. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

[jimbo5544]

Hi Jimbo, great start to your review. I would like to say thanks as well for your words of encouragement in respect of me doing my own review in Oct.

I will no doubt learn a lot from the way you do your review.:D

 

Thanks, I do not think you will be disappointed in the Vista or in doing a review. There are many styles people use here, I was worried about finding one that felt right for me when I started my first, but the style found me. Doing a review is as much for me as for providing info on our cruise experience to everyone else.

[Clarea]

Enjoying the review and photos!

[jimbo5544]

Enjoying the review and photos!

 

Thanks! Much more to come, if only this "job" would not stop getting in the way.....:)

[jimbo5544]

After some charging of the batteries, we headed back out. We walked around for a while and in the end ended up at the converted bullring which was near our hotel. I guess (at least in the Province where Barcelona resides - I getting sketchy here on the facts) they outlawed bull fighting 4 or 5 years ago (go figure... maybe it was the bull union calling out that there numbers were dwindling ;) - humor attempt). Anyway, they had this bull ring and needed to decide the future of it....what to do, what to do????

 

They ended up making it a mall, pretty cool. The top level was restaurants, and then lower inside were shops and movie theaters and such. We ended up eating in the top level and had a blast. I guess we tipped American as opposed to European at the end of the meal because our waitress acted as if she won the lottery (maybe we were drunker than we thought.... and it was late) and came over and was hugging and kissing all of us (I could get to like this town...:);)). The food was good, the alcohol flowed freely and good times with old friends and some new ones, not a bad start to great vacation.

Edited July 13, 2016 by jimbo5544

[jimbo5544]

I may have posted it before, but here is a pic of the bull fighting stadium....

 

[jimbo5544]

and here are some pics I took from the walkway around the top of the stadium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

and some more

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

and some more.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

....and one more. It seems that a lot of hotels have their pools on the roof tops, which I thought was kind of cool. Here is one we could see from the top of the bull ring.