Marilyns' Account of Barcelona


Alf and I would be sorry to miss a Shepshed Singers' overseas tour, as the first two had been great, but we were particularly delighted to go to Barcelona, as we already know the city well and have long-standing friends there. This trip for us combined so many elements: the chance to have a break from family pressures, an opportunity to see old friends and speak some Spanish, and freedom to explore some more of Barcelona's cultural riches.

We also enjoyed some fantastic Catalan cuisine, and discovered a famous restaurant - the 4 Gats. Picasso staged his first exhibition in this building in 1899, and the design for the menu cover was his first paid commission. Gaudí and the Catalan impressionist painters Ramón Casas and Santiago Russinyol also held meetings of their Centre Artistic de Sant Lluc here in the early 20th century. It continues to be a centre for artists of all sorts, also for writers and poets. We were only in the city for four days, but having been introduced to it on the first day by a friend, we couldn't wait to go back there, and managed to take the rest of the choir with us for dinner on the final evening.

I nearly forgot the music – the main purpose of the visit! Well, it was certainly hard work, but well worth the effort, and we sang in some beautiful venues. I had visited the Monastery of Montserrat twice before, but never dreamed that I would ever sing there. It was the experience of a lifetime – quite overwhelming!

WebMaster: Thanks, Marilyn, for your contribution to the website.