So this is my blog about bees and beekeeping. The question I’ve been asking myself, the past three days, is how to work into my post a splendid three day short break in Barcelona, Spain, with my good lady wife Anne, the lady “who is not amused* ” by bees or other creepy crawlies. I decided the way to do it was see how many bees or bee-related themes I could spot during our travels.

Arriving in Barcelona was a shock to the system. We’d prepared for 10-12 oC. We got 15-20 oC. Blooming warm for February. Thinks, if this was Buntingford the bees would be flying and foraging! No sign of bees flying in Barcelona, but then, there seems little forage around and no trees with pollen-bearing catkins that we can spot [you can tell when you’re a bee-geek (beek) as you look for apiary sites or potential forage sites wherever you go].

Thursday we walked to the magnificent La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s masterpiece cathedral, still being built and due for completion in 2026, 100 years after his death. It’s here I spot my first bee in the most unlikely place, inlaid into one of the doors, underneath the Passion facade.

Having played the tourist for several hours we decided a drink was in order. Rather partial to a dark draught bitter, we usually struggle when in Central Europe. Not in Barcelona as we found the local craft beer brewery, itself rather dark, but very enjoyable none the less. After a small 35cl of the local “dark funeral“, (the beer’s name) coming in at 8% vol, I was ready to see bees anywhere. Sure enough I found them, in the flooring, but thankfully from an upright position.

On the way back to our hotel we walk down Las Ramblas, a bustling street in the heart of the city. I particularly wanted to revisit the market, full of fish, meat, fruit and eateries. Were there any bees though? We found several stalls selling a range of honey, but with no indication of the origins, we declined to buy. EU honey labelling regulations clearly don’t apply here. Comb honey was €8. Looked good.

So here we are Friday, sitting in the airport, waiting for our flight home. Lots of things flying, but no bees to be seen. Roll on April when the weather’s the same in the UK as it has been this past week in Barcelona. A beautiful city but few bees to be seen.

* In her defence she was brilliant last year helping me when I broke my elbow, putting upright a hive that had fallen over, but that’s a different story.