By Mona Lunot-Kuker
New York – Traveling became my self-edifying way to enjoy, relax and explore interesting places. Recently, my husband Steve and I set foot in Barcelona to escape winter for awhile.
With Steve at the La Sagrada Familia.
The Philippines, my country of birth, was a Spanish colony for four centuries. This was the reason why I was curious to visit Spain.
In 1876, the Philippines acquired freedom from Spain’s colonial power and oppression. Because of the long years of colonial rule, we Filipinos were heavily influenced by Spanish customs, especially our languages, which contain about 40 percent of Spanish language.
At the Plaza de Ramon el Berenguer Gran.
I remember my father, who was fluent in Chabacano, tried to teach me the dialect which I never learned. Chavacano or Chabacano is a Spanish-based creole language spoken in some parts of the Philippines mainly in Zamboanga, Cavite and some parts in Luzon.
Steve at the Barcelona Cathedral.
Atop Casa Batillo
Inside La Boquiera de Mercat. The fruits and spices remind me of the Philippines.
The entrance of Hotel Colon. The Barcelona Cathedral lends a great view.
After a long research on how to travel there, and learning some important Spanish phrases, Steve and I finally flew to Barcelona. There I just realized that people speak Catalan, and not Spanish. That is funny right?
We stayed at the Colon Hotel Barcelona. It is a clean and beautiful hotel right in front of the plaza and Barcelona Cathedral in the Gothic Quarter. I will remember the beauty of Barcelona forever. Enjoy our photos of the grandiose old city of the once imperial Spain.
