2015 first long-haul trip: SPAIN
Sunday, 12 April 2015 01:56![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elusivekLike I mentioned, I just came back from my trip to Spain. This time I went with my usual Europe-traveling pals Ms.P and C. Basically Spain was Ms.P's "want-to-go" destination for a good few years already. Finally, this year we decided to go there.
However, it seems our plannings were a little off. The trip was still fun, but... some small things could have been planned better.
Our basic itinerary: Hong Kong --> Madrid, Toledo --> Sevilla --> Granada --> Barcelona. It was good fun, and I would like to bring the key highlights here. (I do intend to write it down in a newly-bought leatherbound notebook... but then I think of my Austria trip where I had that Innsbruck-esque booklet but haven't written in it yet... Austria was 2 years ago!)
Anyway! Photos are being uploaded as we speak, so I'll add the photos when they're up. I want to write down what I remember at this stage first, lest I forget! edit all uploaded! This is the full album, but I'll have sporadic images in this post too :-)
Day 0 Travel Day!
Pretty much anti-climatic. Preparations-wise, my mom said not to worry about Euros, that as the Euro was depreciating, she'd get me more Euros the day before I left. Well, guess what, because of the depreciating, there were no Euros in Macau. No banks had Euros in stock.
I pretty much had to rely on my own stash of Euros, leftover from my Austria trip 2 years ago. I had exactly 534euros on hand. My Dad pitied me and pretty much gave me his leftover 550euros from his Austria trip this earlier this January. Mom in the end, had graciously agreed to "loan" me 2000euros, and required that I pay her back in Euros if I used any of her money. Like... how am I to return any Euros to her if I can't get them here in Macau?
Anyway, armed with some cash, we went to pick up a friend, and off we went to the ferry terminal. The ride to the Hong Kong airport was uneventful, and the flight to Paris was fine, the transfer to the other plane to Madrid was normal too.
Day 1
We arrived on a Sunday, so once we left our luggage at the TOC Hostel Madrid, we rushed out to the El Rasto. A chilly wind was blowing and eventually it started raining, so it wasn't too rad for us. We found a place for a late lunch, then went to the Reina Sofia Museum... since it's free on Sundays XD
By night, we went to the Mercado San Miguel to hunt for dinner. Yummy yum yum indeed!
Day 2
Overcast day, but it was still okay-ish good. We wanted to get to the Palacio Real, and took the metro to Placa da Espana. Thanks to our own almost non-existent homework-research, we sort of walk around something else entirely, and then it started raining, then we righted our map-reading skills, and walked back to our destination.
After getting some lunch post Palace visit, we meandered our way back to Puerta del Sol, on the way, we stopped by this cute little shop Hoja Plata that sold "nature" jewelry. They use real leaves and after some processing (I've forgotten about it already), spray/encase the leaf in either gold, silver, or copper. I got this really cute pair of copper aspen earrings :D
Day 3
Toledo day! I didn't expect to like Toledo this much. The Toledo Cathedral was totally OMG jaw-dropping beautiful! We walked around town for a bit, I don't remember if we visited anything else specifically. I saw a sign about a nunnery place making home-made sweets, and selling them, and I wanted to to buy some, but, door closed. I wonder if they have a knock-to-buy-something policy... but awe...
We did some shopping around. Apparently, the damask thing I did in Kyoto is actually a Toledo thing. I think the lady in Kyoto did mention Toledo back then, but, I don't remember anymore...
Day 4
For some reason, this day was freezing cold, despite being sunny. I had to put on all the winter clothes I brought (only 2 pieces). Off we took the train to Seville!
Of course, it was so hot we melted in Seville.
Again, our lack of home-work doing led us to be momentarily lost at the train station. After consulting the map, we braved a bus ride (without really knowing where we went) and went to the approximate location near our supposed apartment-hotel, the Tempa Museo Apartments. We found the street that would lead to it, walked along it, and found it without much issue.
Seville was in a way, bad (you'll see it's not really bad, just inconvenient), in that... they really take their siesta seriously. Nothing served food at the 4pm time we arrived... without lunch... we were starving...
We found an Amorino Gelato store and we went berserk. Prettyboy there seemed amused at our enthusiasm, and despite we asked for a small cone each, we suspect he gave us each one extra petal of ice cream (they scrape their ice cream into the shape of a rose). I was bad too, I taunted my friend, who was still deathly sick with a cough, with, "Hey, it's the Amorino! You are temporarily well with no cough, you've gotta eat this!" Well. She did. And of course her cough got worse after... oops.
There was also a custom sewing store and this lady sewed us our names :D
Day 5
We headed to the Catedral, but once again, without doing our homework, so we were met with a huge queue. We promptly meandered over to the Alcazar instead. You know, for 9.5euros, we had a grand time there.
We spent most of the day in there, as it was very nice for photos... so much so I think we left way after lunch hour... luckily, we found a place for lunch. By this time, I noticed, you don't go to spiffy looking restaurants, with nice decors. Those usually suck. We got waived into a restaurant by the waitress/bouncer whatever and while it was a very canteen-esque (chop chop choose your food go go go) restaurant, the food was way better than a few of the restaurants we went to the previous days.
We then went to the Plaza da Espana. The Sun was brutal that day. By night we walked back to downtown, saw that wooden structure thingamajoo, and dinner was at a very interesting restaurant...
Day 6
This time, we headed off to the Catedral earlier, we got in, and again it was a beautiful place. We snapped a good lot of photos!
After some misunderstanding at a lunch place (the guy offered dessert and we ordered a piece of cake each. Caveat: apparently the cakes they served were like, as big as a book. So we, already full from lunch, still had to down all that cake...), we meandered back to the apartment-hotel to get our luggage. We passed by the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, which was basically just opposite the apartment hotel. Apparently, EU passport holders would get a free entry. Two of us had free entries, then my friend whose Portuguese passport was still being processed (so she used her Macau SAR passport), was supposed to pay, when I thought up of a plan. I used my Austrian passport to get my free entry, then I rummaged for my Portuguese passport and wanted to give it to the guy. He sort of smirked and just waved my friend in together with me. So yeah. We got to visit the museum for free again!
After that, we went and lugged our luggage over to the Autobuses Plaza de Armas (Armas bus station) to catch our bus to Granada. It was a 3-hour bus ride. Again, we didn't do our homework, but somehow, we managed to get on a bus and then change to another bus. We hunted for some dinner, and called it a day.
Day 7
This not-doing-our-homework thing is a recurring theme. We trekked up to the Alhambra, which was a stupid thing to do. So we got shoo-ed off to the main entrance (another long walk), to be told morning tickets were all sold out. We bought the afternoon tickets, and took a bus back into town. We really are an efficient bunch. We got to visit the Cathedral and the Royal Chapel within that hour and a half, and took the bus again back to the Alhambra. This is where I feel sorry for myself. So we passed by the Laguna Taracea Workshop... where the Master (I guess) gave us a very friendly and interesting introduction of his Taracea products. I saw a very nice chess box set... but it was 108euros and I didn't really want to splurge (remember I only had 500 or so euros of my own money) so I didn't buy it... I would regret it later...
So we visited the Alhambra, and the castle walls (I guess) at the side, and after much thinking, I decided, I would splurge on the chess box set! We returned... and it was SIESTA TIME or he closed already Orz... No extravagant shopping for me.
We walked back down into town, looked for food, and wanted to search for the Arab area... when we came across a procession. Wow. After watching it proceed, we continued our walk and reached the Arab area place. Friends did a lot of shopping, I was sort of still looking for the same chess set, but no, it was one of a kind at Laguna... All the other chess sets were like, one side is chess, the other side is backgammon, and the chesspieces are all in a small plastic ziplock bag. At Laguna's, the chess set is a decorative box, open it, and the chess board is inside (so, no backgammon, because one side is decorative image and inside is the chess board). On the two rows of either side of the board you can slide it open and the chess pieces are inside this "drawer" thingie. Awe... I still regret now!
Day 8
We were told the city would be blocked in the afternoon for the procession, so we took the 12noon bus to the airport for our 2pm flight to Barcelona. The hotel receptionist didn't really want us to go so early, but we had to, due to the procession. So we arrived the (sorry excuse for an) airport, and waited. We were taking a Vueling flight. Of course, because just the day before was the Germanwings incident, I was getting an inundation of messages from Mom.
We sit until 3pm and then are told that, flight is cancelled due to technical problems. Duh. We got a free meal (okay it wasn't that bad), but the next flight was at 7pm... My friends kept goading me that we could have gone back up to Laguna for the chessbox, but I was like, nah. If the workshop took their siesta so seriously... with procession day I doubt they were open at all.
Flight was uneventful, except that I kind of got the feeling that our flight got cancelled because of a lack of passengers only...
We arrived Barcelona with no issue, and well, once again, with our lack of research, we simply took the train to Passeig de Gracia... thinking that our hostel, Casa Gracia, was there (street name was Passeig de Gracia too). The thing about living in Macau all my life is... Macau streets are generally short and walkable. So the train station stops just at Casa Batllo, which is house number 60 or so. The hostel is at house number 116. So yeah. It was quite a bit of walking with the luggage, of course...
Checked in, loved the place, and went out for a bite to eat. Called it a day. Nothing much happened indeed.
Day 9
First thing, La Sagrada Familia. Nice. Pretty. Didn't feel too right. I'm not used to a church being so spiffy and new... but seeing those techniques and stuff from Gaudi was interesting too. We then went to the Catedral area and found a place for lunch. The almost-grandpa looking waiter seemed mighty interested in our combination and asked us where we are from. Upon hearing Macau, he got more friendly and seemed more chatty (he was already rather chatty at first, despite his limited English and our limited Spanish and Catalan). So to amuse him, I took out my Portuguese passport and he got impressed that after the colonial period we still hold portuguese passports. *shrug* dunno.
After seeing the Cathedral, we meandered down to the Picasso Museum. I had my doubts about that, since, what's the most dangerous days to visit museums? That's Mondays and Tuesdays. Museums are usually closed either Mondays or Tuesdays. Sundays sometimes, but mostly Sundays are free-days or discount-days. It was a Monday. The Picasso Museum is closed Mondays. So we continued to walk around, sat down for some tea, and had a lot of fun looking at products at the OMG BCN shop. The hostel also hosted a Paella Night that night, so we went back for Paella. It was actually quite good! (9euros dinner!)
Day 10
Park Guell Day. Again, no research, so when we reached up there, we had to buy afternoon tickets and go back down to downtown. With nothing much to do, we meandered to the Hospital de Sant Pau for some photos... we walked along the diagonal street down to La Sagrada Familia again... and after getting some lunch, we walked back to nearby the hospital to catch the bus back to Park Guell.
We got there, thought of going into the Gaudi home, but decided against it, and got into the actual park. I didn't find it any extraordinary or what. Went into the Guard's House, hunted for the lizard, and that's about that. I also wasn't feeling up to par on that day, as my monthly friend came to visit me. I decided to return to the hostel to rest, so my friends made their ways to Loewe and whatever else along Passeig de Gracia for their brand shopping. They came back later, and since I was feeling okayish by then, we headed off to La Boqueria for some dinner. We also got to buy some stuff (stalls were still open). A man approached me and said he was hungry, and asked if I would buy him food. I was ok about it.
We actually saw a lot of beggars, but we never gave them anything. My friends asked me why I bought the guy food. Well, if he just asked me for money, I wouldn't have given him not even a dime. But to buy him dinner? Sure, why not, at least I know you actually get to eat. He went to a cake shop and asked for a piece of cake or tart. I was prepared to offer him a savory sandwich as well, but he just thanked me and ran off. Weird guy.
Day 11
Again no research and some blunder... We went down to near the seaside thing, and walked up to the Palau Guell. Another fun place to be at! We walked and we walked... we tried to look for different things... We wanted to visit the Palau de Musica Catalana, but entry was like 18euros... so we decided to buy tickets for the Mozart Requiem for the following day!
We went back to La Boqueria for lunch... because I really wanted to go to the Pinotxo Bar... I was not let down!
After that we went to the vintage shop street. I scored a couple items, very nice too! We had dinner, and back to the hotel.
Day 12
This probably was our worst planned day. We went to the Font Magica Montjuic, then walked up the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, but seeing its entry fee being like 12 euros, and if that it's free after 3pm... we decided not to go there. Instead, we took the metro to the Arc of Triumph, walked down to the Zoo, had some lunch, visited the Basilica Santa Maria del Mar, somehow walked our way to La Rambla for an Amorino gelato, hunted for a toilet, looked for dinner, and in the end, went to our concert.... Where a middle aged man striked a somewhat conversation with me and said we really had to see Casa Batllo.
Day 13
Good Friday. So. Casa Batllo it is. But THIS time, we bought the tickets the night before. Good choice. Good Friday. Public Holiday. Everything was closed. Everyone visited... Museums... We spent a lot of time there. The video guide was fun to muck around with too.
We then had some lunch, then hunted for an open supermarket to get some package soup. We found an indian family supermarket place and got our stuff... back to the hotel, lug our luggage down to Placa Catalunya to get on the airport bus... oh, and apparantly the plastic layer of one of the wheels of my luggage broke off, so I had one hell of a time lugging that bag.
Bags not overweight, all checked in, and we headed back home. Where I couldn't sleep much. For some reason, this trip, my friends kept kicking, punching, poking, and whatever else, keeping me awake....
If I absolutely had to choose, I think I liked Madrid best. Granada's people spoke the best English, but I felt Madrid was like the "real" Spain... as Seville, Granada and Barcelona all felt pretty... commercial to me... hm....
However, it seems our plannings were a little off. The trip was still fun, but... some small things could have been planned better.
Our basic itinerary: Hong Kong --> Madrid, Toledo --> Sevilla --> Granada --> Barcelona. It was good fun, and I would like to bring the key highlights here. (I do intend to write it down in a newly-bought leatherbound notebook... but then I think of my Austria trip where I had that Innsbruck-esque booklet but haven't written in it yet... Austria was 2 years ago!)
Anyway! Photos are being uploaded as we speak, so I'll add the photos when they're up. I want to write down what I remember at this stage first, lest I forget! edit all uploaded! This is the full album, but I'll have sporadic images in this post too :-)
Day 0 Travel Day!
Pretty much anti-climatic. Preparations-wise, my mom said not to worry about Euros, that as the Euro was depreciating, she'd get me more Euros the day before I left. Well, guess what, because of the depreciating, there were no Euros in Macau. No banks had Euros in stock.
I pretty much had to rely on my own stash of Euros, leftover from my Austria trip 2 years ago. I had exactly 534euros on hand. My Dad pitied me and pretty much gave me his leftover 550euros from his Austria trip this earlier this January. Mom in the end, had graciously agreed to "loan" me 2000euros, and required that I pay her back in Euros if I used any of her money. Like... how am I to return any Euros to her if I can't get them here in Macau?
Anyway, armed with some cash, we went to pick up a friend, and off we went to the ferry terminal. The ride to the Hong Kong airport was uneventful, and the flight to Paris was fine, the transfer to the other plane to Madrid was normal too.
Day 1
We arrived on a Sunday, so once we left our luggage at the TOC Hostel Madrid, we rushed out to the El Rasto. A chilly wind was blowing and eventually it started raining, so it wasn't too rad for us. We found a place for a late lunch, then went to the Reina Sofia Museum... since it's free on Sundays XD
By night, we went to the Mercado San Miguel to hunt for dinner. Yummy yum yum indeed!
Day 2
Overcast day, but it was still okay-ish good. We wanted to get to the Palacio Real, and took the metro to Placa da Espana. Thanks to our own almost non-existent homework-research, we sort of walk around something else entirely, and then it started raining, then we righted our map-reading skills, and walked back to our destination.
After getting some lunch post Palace visit, we meandered our way back to Puerta del Sol, on the way, we stopped by this cute little shop Hoja Plata that sold "nature" jewelry. They use real leaves and after some processing (I've forgotten about it already), spray/encase the leaf in either gold, silver, or copper. I got this really cute pair of copper aspen earrings :D
Day 3
Toledo day! I didn't expect to like Toledo this much. The Toledo Cathedral was totally OMG jaw-dropping beautiful! We walked around town for a bit, I don't remember if we visited anything else specifically. I saw a sign about a nunnery place making home-made sweets, and selling them, and I wanted to to buy some, but, door closed. I wonder if they have a knock-to-buy-something policy... but awe...We did some shopping around. Apparently, the damask thing I did in Kyoto is actually a Toledo thing. I think the lady in Kyoto did mention Toledo back then, but, I don't remember anymore...
Day 4
For some reason, this day was freezing cold, despite being sunny. I had to put on all the winter clothes I brought (only 2 pieces). Off we took the train to Seville!
Of course, it was so hot we melted in Seville.
Again, our lack of home-work doing led us to be momentarily lost at the train station. After consulting the map, we braved a bus ride (without really knowing where we went) and went to the approximate location near our supposed apartment-hotel, the Tempa Museo Apartments. We found the street that would lead to it, walked along it, and found it without much issue.
Seville was in a way, bad (you'll see it's not really bad, just inconvenient), in that... they really take their siesta seriously. Nothing served food at the 4pm time we arrived... without lunch... we were starving...
We found an Amorino Gelato store and we went berserk. Prettyboy there seemed amused at our enthusiasm, and despite we asked for a small cone each, we suspect he gave us each one extra petal of ice cream (they scrape their ice cream into the shape of a rose). I was bad too, I taunted my friend, who was still deathly sick with a cough, with, "Hey, it's the Amorino! You are temporarily well with no cough, you've gotta eat this!" Well. She did. And of course her cough got worse after... oops.
There was also a custom sewing store and this lady sewed us our names :D
Day 5
We headed to the Catedral, but once again, without doing our homework, so we were met with a huge queue. We promptly meandered over to the Alcazar instead. You know, for 9.5euros, we had a grand time there.
We spent most of the day in there, as it was very nice for photos... so much so I think we left way after lunch hour... luckily, we found a place for lunch. By this time, I noticed, you don't go to spiffy looking restaurants, with nice decors. Those usually suck. We got waived into a restaurant by the waitress/bouncer whatever and while it was a very canteen-esque (chop chop choose your food go go go) restaurant, the food was way better than a few of the restaurants we went to the previous days.
We then went to the Plaza da Espana. The Sun was brutal that day. By night we walked back to downtown, saw that wooden structure thingamajoo, and dinner was at a very interesting restaurant...
Day 6
This time, we headed off to the Catedral earlier, we got in, and again it was a beautiful place. We snapped a good lot of photos!
After some misunderstanding at a lunch place (the guy offered dessert and we ordered a piece of cake each. Caveat: apparently the cakes they served were like, as big as a book. So we, already full from lunch, still had to down all that cake...), we meandered back to the apartment-hotel to get our luggage. We passed by the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, which was basically just opposite the apartment hotel. Apparently, EU passport holders would get a free entry. Two of us had free entries, then my friend whose Portuguese passport was still being processed (so she used her Macau SAR passport), was supposed to pay, when I thought up of a plan. I used my Austrian passport to get my free entry, then I rummaged for my Portuguese passport and wanted to give it to the guy. He sort of smirked and just waved my friend in together with me. So yeah. We got to visit the museum for free again!
After that, we went and lugged our luggage over to the Autobuses Plaza de Armas (Armas bus station) to catch our bus to Granada. It was a 3-hour bus ride. Again, we didn't do our homework, but somehow, we managed to get on a bus and then change to another bus. We hunted for some dinner, and called it a day.
Day 7
This not-doing-our-homework thing is a recurring theme. We trekked up to the Alhambra, which was a stupid thing to do. So we got shoo-ed off to the main entrance (another long walk), to be told morning tickets were all sold out. We bought the afternoon tickets, and took a bus back into town. We really are an efficient bunch. We got to visit the Cathedral and the Royal Chapel within that hour and a half, and took the bus again back to the Alhambra. This is where I feel sorry for myself. So we passed by the Laguna Taracea Workshop... where the Master (I guess) gave us a very friendly and interesting introduction of his Taracea products. I saw a very nice chess box set... but it was 108euros and I didn't really want to splurge (remember I only had 500 or so euros of my own money) so I didn't buy it... I would regret it later...
So we visited the Alhambra, and the castle walls (I guess) at the side, and after much thinking, I decided, I would splurge on the chess box set! We returned... and it was SIESTA TIME or he closed already Orz... No extravagant shopping for me.
We walked back down into town, looked for food, and wanted to search for the Arab area... when we came across a procession. Wow. After watching it proceed, we continued our walk and reached the Arab area place. Friends did a lot of shopping, I was sort of still looking for the same chess set, but no, it was one of a kind at Laguna... All the other chess sets were like, one side is chess, the other side is backgammon, and the chesspieces are all in a small plastic ziplock bag. At Laguna's, the chess set is a decorative box, open it, and the chess board is inside (so, no backgammon, because one side is decorative image and inside is the chess board). On the two rows of either side of the board you can slide it open and the chess pieces are inside this "drawer" thingie. Awe... I still regret now!
Day 8
We were told the city would be blocked in the afternoon for the procession, so we took the 12noon bus to the airport for our 2pm flight to Barcelona. The hotel receptionist didn't really want us to go so early, but we had to, due to the procession. So we arrived the (sorry excuse for an) airport, and waited. We were taking a Vueling flight. Of course, because just the day before was the Germanwings incident, I was getting an inundation of messages from Mom.
We sit until 3pm and then are told that, flight is cancelled due to technical problems. Duh. We got a free meal (okay it wasn't that bad), but the next flight was at 7pm... My friends kept goading me that we could have gone back up to Laguna for the chessbox, but I was like, nah. If the workshop took their siesta so seriously... with procession day I doubt they were open at all.
Flight was uneventful, except that I kind of got the feeling that our flight got cancelled because of a lack of passengers only...
We arrived Barcelona with no issue, and well, once again, with our lack of research, we simply took the train to Passeig de Gracia... thinking that our hostel, Casa Gracia, was there (street name was Passeig de Gracia too). The thing about living in Macau all my life is... Macau streets are generally short and walkable. So the train station stops just at Casa Batllo, which is house number 60 or so. The hostel is at house number 116. So yeah. It was quite a bit of walking with the luggage, of course...
Checked in, loved the place, and went out for a bite to eat. Called it a day. Nothing much happened indeed.
Day 9
First thing, La Sagrada Familia. Nice. Pretty. Didn't feel too right. I'm not used to a church being so spiffy and new... but seeing those techniques and stuff from Gaudi was interesting too. We then went to the Catedral area and found a place for lunch. The almost-grandpa looking waiter seemed mighty interested in our combination and asked us where we are from. Upon hearing Macau, he got more friendly and seemed more chatty (he was already rather chatty at first, despite his limited English and our limited Spanish and Catalan). So to amuse him, I took out my Portuguese passport and he got impressed that after the colonial period we still hold portuguese passports. *shrug* dunno.
After seeing the Cathedral, we meandered down to the Picasso Museum. I had my doubts about that, since, what's the most dangerous days to visit museums? That's Mondays and Tuesdays. Museums are usually closed either Mondays or Tuesdays. Sundays sometimes, but mostly Sundays are free-days or discount-days. It was a Monday. The Picasso Museum is closed Mondays. So we continued to walk around, sat down for some tea, and had a lot of fun looking at products at the OMG BCN shop. The hostel also hosted a Paella Night that night, so we went back for Paella. It was actually quite good! (9euros dinner!)
Day 10
Park Guell Day. Again, no research, so when we reached up there, we had to buy afternoon tickets and go back down to downtown. With nothing much to do, we meandered to the Hospital de Sant Pau for some photos... we walked along the diagonal street down to La Sagrada Familia again... and after getting some lunch, we walked back to nearby the hospital to catch the bus back to Park Guell.
We got there, thought of going into the Gaudi home, but decided against it, and got into the actual park. I didn't find it any extraordinary or what. Went into the Guard's House, hunted for the lizard, and that's about that. I also wasn't feeling up to par on that day, as my monthly friend came to visit me. I decided to return to the hostel to rest, so my friends made their ways to Loewe and whatever else along Passeig de Gracia for their brand shopping. They came back later, and since I was feeling okayish by then, we headed off to La Boqueria for some dinner. We also got to buy some stuff (stalls were still open). A man approached me and said he was hungry, and asked if I would buy him food. I was ok about it.
We actually saw a lot of beggars, but we never gave them anything. My friends asked me why I bought the guy food. Well, if he just asked me for money, I wouldn't have given him not even a dime. But to buy him dinner? Sure, why not, at least I know you actually get to eat. He went to a cake shop and asked for a piece of cake or tart. I was prepared to offer him a savory sandwich as well, but he just thanked me and ran off. Weird guy.
Day 11
Again no research and some blunder... We went down to near the seaside thing, and walked up to the Palau Guell. Another fun place to be at! We walked and we walked... we tried to look for different things... We wanted to visit the Palau de Musica Catalana, but entry was like 18euros... so we decided to buy tickets for the Mozart Requiem for the following day!
We went back to La Boqueria for lunch... because I really wanted to go to the Pinotxo Bar... I was not let down!
After that we went to the vintage shop street. I scored a couple items, very nice too! We had dinner, and back to the hotel.
Day 12
This probably was our worst planned day. We went to the Font Magica Montjuic, then walked up the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, but seeing its entry fee being like 12 euros, and if that it's free after 3pm... we decided not to go there. Instead, we took the metro to the Arc of Triumph, walked down to the Zoo, had some lunch, visited the Basilica Santa Maria del Mar, somehow walked our way to La Rambla for an Amorino gelato, hunted for a toilet, looked for dinner, and in the end, went to our concert.... Where a middle aged man striked a somewhat conversation with me and said we really had to see Casa Batllo.
Day 13
Good Friday. So. Casa Batllo it is. But THIS time, we bought the tickets the night before. Good choice. Good Friday. Public Holiday. Everything was closed. Everyone visited... Museums... We spent a lot of time there. The video guide was fun to muck around with too.
We then had some lunch, then hunted for an open supermarket to get some package soup. We found an indian family supermarket place and got our stuff... back to the hotel, lug our luggage down to Placa Catalunya to get on the airport bus... oh, and apparantly the plastic layer of one of the wheels of my luggage broke off, so I had one hell of a time lugging that bag.
Bags not overweight, all checked in, and we headed back home. Where I couldn't sleep much. For some reason, this trip, my friends kept kicking, punching, poking, and whatever else, keeping me awake....
If I absolutely had to choose, I think I liked Madrid best. Granada's people spoke the best English, but I felt Madrid was like the "real" Spain... as Seville, Granada and Barcelona all felt pretty... commercial to me... hm....
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Date: 2015-04-12 10:07 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-12 17:05 (UTC)