Around the world in forty-one days: BARCELONA--Disney's Dream European City

OF COURSE EVERYONE LOVES BARCELONA.

    It was a mystery to me why everyone said they loved Barcelona. I mean EVERYONE! What could it be that made this place so magically delicious? So, after a full day of touring, I am ready to make that peanut gallery, off-the-cuff, purely American, judging a book by its cover, likely to be second-guessed conclusion. Here it is: It's all about Disney.
    I know, you're thinking, if you've been here, that such a claim is sacrilegious. A great capitol of Catalonian Spain compared to Disney? The New York Times travel editor is prepared to send a hit squad to my hotel room for such a claim.  The University of Wisconsin professors guild is preparing to throw a  cappuccino in my face in disgust. I'll be drummed out of the "We should be more like Europe society."
   But the proof is right here. Pictures don't lie. I mean if Walt Disney were reborn and decided to create the perfect European city--that is, 'perfect' in the wonderfully American-centric, mouse with big ears way--he would simply take us all to Barcelona.
    To begin with, there must be cleaning people on the streets. Always aware of that discarded tissue and sweeping even when it's already clean.

And those simple sweeper-uppers would be so nice they would even help the wayward stranger with a question.

Because this is an American park, it would, of course be essential to pay tribute to the founder of the continent, Christopher Columbus, with a statue in a public square.

Then, of course, it would be important to remind people of what it was like before this marvelous city came to life by building a village just like it was hundreds of years of ago. A Spanish town of yesteryear.

This is a Spanish city that Disney has founded so there must be bullfighting. BUT, the children ought not see those horrific games played out (PETA has objected), so the bullfighting ring can be seen now converted into a shopping mall.

Fountains, fountains, everywhere to add that important 'water' effect and show-off the marvelous sculptors of the Disney studios.

Ah, the whimsy of it....a giant fish sculpture is not enough.

There needs to be a falling ball and a pyramid to make the whimsy complete.

Ah, a spaceship building to remind us of the NASA launch-pad so close to the other Disneyworld.

And everywhere you look, the architect Gaudi (or is it just 'gaudy') makes this fairy-tale city come to life. Sometimes a smile, sometimes a bit scary.