From Arc De Triomf To The Sea; And A Duckie Dinner

Barcelona has had a sizeable Chinese population for some years, and the Chinese restaurant scene is said to be very good. We hadn't had Peking duck since way back in Wellington, and when Vicki found an interesting restaurant on the marina near the Olympic village, we took the opportunity to walk there from our place, near the Arc de Triomf, down through the Ciutadella, the immense public park that was the site of the 1888 world fair, and which is now the site of many public buildings, gardens, and the Barcelona zoo. We had a fine, interesting dinner and then walked out into the marina before taking the bus back home.

Handy map of the area, en route

Dominech i Montener's Castle of the Three Dragons, said to be
the first of the Modernistas in Barcelona (I don't get it, either)

Lots of construction, renovation going on in the area

Aviary?

Casa de Bichos (bug house)

Not the Brandenburg Gate

Catalan Parliament building

Super gnarly

Among the many contemporary buildings of interest here;
the Gas Natural building

OK, so we arrive at the restaurant, Pato Pekin, in the Mapfre
building, to find that its big room has been rented for a wedding
reception, a big one...but we have reservations...

So we are seated in a nice smaller room...it's 7:30, probably 2-3
hours before dinnertime in Spain, but that would be past our bedtimes;
so anyway, here we are, ordering a four-course duck extravaganza;
and remembering the Chinese restaurant scene from Christmas Story...

We have devoured the fried wontons and other appetizer goodies,
and the serveuse is carving our Peking duck tableside

Later arrives the third course, sweet and sour duck and flied lice

And, finally, the flan dessert (total meal cost, with beverages,
$75)

Thus happily engorged, with doggie bag in hand, we decided
to walk into the marina and check out further sights; here,
Frank Gehry's Peix (Fish), another of Barcelona's landmarks

No lack of contemporary wonders

Another view of the telepherique to Mont Juic

Boat-shaped benches

And a look at the Olimpic marina