A calm and lovely blue collar Riviera

I have been in Badalona, just north of Barcelona, for two days now. Late this morning I moved out of a Booking.com apartment several blocks away from the main beach, to the Hotel Miramar, smack dab on the beach.

I’m very happy to be at my new lodging, especially with the cost, which isn’t much more than a Motel 6. But with a far better view.

One of the goals of this trip has been to see what’s good and what’s not so good on the ground here in Spain and Portugal.

Barcelona and Badalona, are good. Some of it very good.

Not feeling particularly expressive tonight (it’s past 10 p.m.) so I’ll just post a couple photos and a video from my wanderings about town today.

I really wish and hope you all can see this someday. More proof that the world is a beautiful place, and America doesn’t hold a monopoly on greatness.

Tomorrow I take the Renfe train that passes between my hotel and the ocean, up north to several old and beautiful seaside towns that people in Barcelona know about, but are largely unrenowned outside of Spain. They include, but are not limited to, Caldes d’Estrac, Arenys de Mar, and Sant Pol de Mar.

They are quick and easy and incredibly cheap – as in two to five euros- to get to. And the train runs right along the coast, just two or three hundred feet from the ocean.

Life has its challenges, but there’s also a lot of peace in this world if you’re open to. Like below.