An extraordinary chain of events came together for a most amazing journey to Barcelona, Paris and London. The 60th Anniversary of an art organization that has been my sponsor for over 30 years determined that Barcelona would be the site for our celebration. We would mark the occasion by inviting our niece who had recently graduated from nursing school to join us in Spain and travel afterwards to Paris and London for her first time ever abroad.

The T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s latest poll is devoted to something that we all have experienced: Travel Nightmares. Our first entry by the most esteemed Richard Carroll puts the theme in the proper context. It’s really all about ourselves and should serve as travel lessons learned.

You may not be traveling to far-away places in the immediate future, but we can bring them to you. Here’s T-Boy’s second installment of virtual trips by our staff, and we hope you’ll be able to go there and to other distant destinations soon.

A pilgrimage is defined by Oxford Dictionary as (1) A journey to a holy place for religious reasons, or (2) Journey to a place that is connected with someone or something that you admire or respect.

Well, I’m still basking in the memories of my cruise experience aboard Holland America’s ms Veendam. At the end of each day’s illuminating tours of the ports of call – Lucca and Pisa, Malaga, Barcelona, Monaco and Gibraltar – I would excitedly rush back to the vessel to my favorite lounge, the Crow’s Nest, where I’d compile my notes over a crisp, full flavored Budweiser Budvar (circa 1245).

Ancient cobbled walkways wandering off from Placa Saint Jaume in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter just wide enough for horse and carriage and strangely mysterious and mystifying on this late May evening, pulled us in among the darkness of Barcelona’s medieval times past shards of Roman walls with tales to share.

The attractive Catalan language drifts through Barcelona, an ancient port city built atop Roman ruins with bits and pieces of 4th century architecture proudly standing tall amidst the mad crush of 21st century tourism. With its countless tree-lined streets and glorious architecture, Barcelona appears to have been blessed by a goddess from the World of Art who draped her large silk scarf over the city to ensure an artistic bent.