1936 On the Continent

where I should like to stay for six months each year.

    I will not mention the “ancient monuments” of Barcelona, for if you are interested in them you will find them in any case, with or without the aid of a Baedeker.Instead, I want to call attention to the Ramblas, bisecting the Old Town from the Plaza de Cataluña to the port, which form one of the most magnificent promenades in the whole of Europe. On the Ramblas you can witness the characteristically Spanish life of Barcelona, which is nevertheless very progressive. The Rondas, the boulevards which encircle the Old Town, are also interesting. Tram No. 29, which travels all along the Rondas, takes you past the university, and here again I should advise you to get a young
caballero
to show you what’s what.
Red-heads are Smart
    In this connection I venture to give you a piece of advice that is based on personal experience. I have met, and made friends with, hundreds of Spaniards, and although I have no criticism to make against any of them, I have found that red-headed Spaniards are the most intelligent and possess the quickest intuition when it comes to understanding the point of view of the foreigner. I do not profess to know the reason, but this is undoubtedly true, and I invite you to test my theory. It will not be difficult to find a red-head among the students of Barcelona University.
    Among the hotels, the Peninsular on Calle de San Pablo and the Ranzini on Paseo de Colon may be recommended for a longer stay, while among the restaurants Maison Doree on Plaza de Cataluña is excellent. Oro del Rhin on the Rambla de Cataluña is in the same class. However, under the guidance of a university student you may venture to visit the purely “native” restaurants.
    Amusements, including theatres, cabarets and the like, are about the same as in Madrid. But the Rose Market on Easter Monday in the court of the
Audiencia
is something different and well worth seeing.
    The Calle de las Cortes is the principal shopping centre in Barcelona, and also the place for the best hairdressers. For souvenir shopping, however, you have to go all over the town, the Plaza de la Catedral and Plaza Real being good for antiques; the Rambla de San José and Ronda San Pedro for shawls, mantillas, etc.; and the Rambla de la Cataluña for embroideries and laces.
    You will find a goodish number of Englishmen in Barcelona, quite a colony in fact.
    While in Barcelona you simply must make an excursion to Montserrat, of which you have no doubt heard. The best, most pleasant, and also the cheapest way to get there is by the new Funicular Aereo.
    The Monastery of Montserrat is the legendary home of the Holy Grail and is visited each year by nearly 100,000 pilgrims. The monastery itself is not particularly interesting, but the 4,000 feet high Montserrat is quite remarkable. You can hire mules and guides just outside the monastery for shorter or longer trips. There is also a funicular railway to the top of the mountain, and there are one or two hotels in case you wish to stay for a day or two.
    And by the way, at the end of this essay I will make an attempt to calculate your expenses and give you a few hints which I hope will be useful to you in cutting them down to a minimum without detracting from your enjoyment.

SOUTHERN SPAIN
    If you want to see Southern Spain it is best to start at Gibraltar. And if you are not afraid of the sea the most comfortable and enjoyable way to get there is to take a steamer at Tilbury. The voyage takes from four to five days, according to the line you travel by, and provided the Bay of Biscay behaves itself you will have a pleasant time on board. At all events you will save yourself one customs examination—on the French frontier—which you would have to suffer if you went by the overland route via Paris and Madrid.
The British Lion
    Gibraltar, as you know, is a British Crown Colony of which you must have heard and read a great deal, but which must remain a hazy, vague image in your mind until you have actually seen it. Among other things, you have no doubt heard of the Barbary apes that are native to Gilbraltar, but lest you should think that they are genuine British monkeys and be unduly proud of them, let me inform you that they are only naturalised foreigners, having, been imported to Gibraltar by the Romans and Moors.
    But the rock lion that rises sheer from the sea and appears to be barring the way from the Atlantic will impress and thrill you. Indeed, no