I love Barcelona, except for the fact that I can't speak Spanish (and not a lot of people can really speak English over there, or any other language that I am capable of conversing in). But not being able to speak Spanish is still OK since the people at the airport and information counters can speak English. Plus, I have a map with me, so it's not that difficult to get around, but maybe a few detours here and there. (Usual lar...Barcelona is not like London where English signs are all around and the buses and Tube take you straight to the spot.) But it's not that bad cos we got to see stuff that we didn't plan to: great way to explore and discover another side of Barcelona.
The whole trip was typically full of drama. How dramatic was it? Let's see...
Day 1:
It all started in Newcastle, where the flight was delayed for about half an hour. By the time the plane landed in Barcelona it was already 9pm local time (8pm Newcastle). That was just the beginning. Then we called the apartment's landlord, and somehow we wasted another hour due to miscommunication. (He said, "Wait there, at the main door", but didn't say where. We assumed it was the airport cos that's what was written in the information leaflet but apparently he meant the apartment's entrance.) By then (10.30pm) it was too late (and maybe even dangerous) to take the Metro so we took a taxi instead. But the first taxi driver tried to charge us 50 Euros for the whole taxi (when it's not supposed to fit all of us in). What the heck, I'm not going to settle for that straightaway without asking for alternatives. A few taxis later told us it's about 25 Euros for a taxi to get to the apartment, which means that we can actually sit comfortably (not like a can of sardines, which was exactly what the first driver attempted to do I think...) all the way to the apartment. Which makes me wonder, how far are we from the apartment. Most of the drivers said it takes about 45 minutes, and we're told that the apartment is in the city itself. So just how BIG is Barcelona?!?!!
*chills down spine*
Night mode view from the taxi.
So we took 2 different taxis (since there're so many of us) with very nice and friendly drivers, and got to our apartment in roughly 20 minutes. Not that bad what...not even half an hour (maybe it was late so there's no jam or anything). But it still costs about 22 Euros per taxi though. Then only we found out, the Metro's just a few steps away from the apartment. -_-''' Damn!
The landlord came and gave us the wrong apartment and we had to switch from a much bigger to a smaller apartment. It's enough for all of us lar, but you know, the comparison, when you see a better one but then you have to stay in one which is less than that.
BUT BUT BUT...the apartment is
SOOOOOoOOoOOOooOOOO great! It's like a high class condominium in KL! It's very very new, and it's a serviced apartment where you have everything from towels to cooking utensils and cutleries to TV and a hi-fi set, not forgetting the air-cond too! Though I heard that people in Barcelona is poorer than Madrid's but I didn't expect to get this deal out of my money. Definitely not in Europe lor...and it was the cheapest apartment the landlord had to offer, and it was like 5 star already (my views personally), what more the better and more expensive ones in the city centre.
Conclusion? Comfortable place to sleep and rest for the next week!
The living room...plus all the mess we made...
The fully equipped kitchen...
The very clean bathroom...
And my bedroom!!!
Day 2:
Woke up quite late and since there was only one bathroom/toilet, so it took some time to get ready. Went out and started walking around in Las Ramblas and noticed something very quickly. A lot of shops were closed. Especially when we needed to get some foodstuff to eat in the apartment (a very cheap attempt to save some money, useless though...). Later we learnt from the locals that that weekend was a public holiday followed by a Bank Holiday on the Monday. So all in all, it's a LONG WEEKEND. Even Carrefour was closed! Aishey, so we had to walk around in search for one of life's essentials: H2O.
WHY? We discovered something that morning.
Yes, the white granular stuff is none other than salt. From the tap water. And the kettle.
The water is salty.Other than that, this day was one of the most peaceful days of our trip. Except for the common "Ni Hao" (Chinese), "Konichiwa" (Japanese) and "Anyohaseyo" (Korean) from the people around us. (Common meaning that all throughout the trip and it happens to almost all the Asian girls that I know that happen to experience this when they go travelling or even in UK itself.) Never did they expect that I come from Malaysia...or that Malaysia is multiracial...and we never had and never will have snow (under normal circumstances, not something like in "The Day After Tomorrow").
Stereotyped, huh? But I guess it's not that easy for us to tell whether which part of Europe they're from cos we're just not that familiar with their life, culture and language, unless it's damn obvious. :P
Day 3:
The first stop of the day was Parc Güell. But very soon I discovered that it's on top of a hill.
Meaning: There's a long climb up.
Luckily I was dressed for the occasion (HAH! Suitable shoes, whew~) and so the walk up was still ok. But as soon as we got up there it was all worth it! Though the sun's a bit scorching, but the view is SO GREAT! All the way from the hill, you can look down right through the city, all the way to the seaside!!! I LOVE THE SEA!!!
This day should be the most interesting day, because the following highlight was La Sagrada Familia!
But but but...had to pay 5 Euros to go in, and some more can't get to see the interior of the original architecture, only the new wings, some more under construction leh! Then have to pay to go up the towers some more. About 6 Euros I think (if I didn't remember wrongly), either way, I remember that it's definitely more expensive to go up the tower than to get into Sagrada. When you have to get into Sagrada before going UP the tower.
READ: In a lift.-_-'''
Next destination: Casa Mila (La Pedrera) and Illa de la Discordia.
Casa Mila.
Illa de la Discordia. From right to left, Casa Batlló, Casa Amatller and Casa Lleó Morera.
Only then we noticed, along that road (Passeig de Gracia), it's where the high end shopping area is. (A stretch of 5km shopping line...and I walked THAT distance!?!??!) All the way from LV and Burberry, down to Zara and MNG. But I'm broke. *sigh* Anyone wanna buy anything for me? I will gladly accept it, HAHA!
Oh ya, there was this group of (sampat/weird) girls thought that I tried to take their photo when I was taking the picture of the fountain. They so happened to be in the way, plucking the flowers like crazy and taking their own sweet time to take pictures. Well then, so was I. Until one of them started motioning at me to go away when I said I'm trying to take a picture. Only then could I take my picture in peace.
Spoil my picture.
*sigh*
Day 4:
This should be the best day for my brother...if he was here. But too bad, he's at home! HAHA! First visit of the day is FC Barcelona!!!
But so difficult to get there. OK, maybe not so difficult, but since I couldn't understand Spanish and the local map and roadsigns were totally useless, walked down the wrong way for 5 minutes before recognising a roadsign that told us that where we were. OK lor, so walked back the other way, thanks to the help of a local kid, and walked for another 20 minutes to get to the stadium. We were at access 20. Nobody was there. Walked down further, a guard told us that we could only get in at access 9. It was right at the other side of where we were...*faints*
Then again, we got lost while trying to take a new way to the "supposedly" nearer Metro station (which really is nearer, but we got lost that's all...) and tried to wait for a bus that never came. After asking around for a while we finally got our bearings right and THEN, only we got to the station and went back into the city.
Coming right up, St. Joseph Market!
FINALLY, I've found my long-needed fresh fruits and vegetables, plus lots of local food and sweets. :) This is why I love the local markets everywhere because that's where you get to see and feel the local life and food! Just take a look.
Guess what are those?
Yeap, worms and insects. Dried or canned. And also in lollipops. *shudders* Never knew Spanish ate those as well.
Montjuic was my nightmare. We went up and got lost trying to look for the fountain shown in a postcard that we saw. Mana tau, it was at the other side of the hill where we were. Meaning that we took a tram up all the way to the hill, and walked all the way down to the other side in search of the fountain. But we didn't know that yet. Not then...
Stumbled upon the 1992 Summer Olympic Stadium and went in to see how it is. So happens that there was a concert there the other day (but dunno whose) and it was so packed. The roadside was lined full of motorbikes and you can practically hear people screaming inside the venue.
The concert's in this stadium...
The night view of Barcelona from Montjuic.
I mentioned it was my nightmare. Because...it was SOOOOOOOO far and our legs were aching by the time we got there. Only to realise that there was no fountain at all. The fountain is only open at weekends. (
WHAT?!??!?!?!) That wasn't mentioned in any of the information kiosk that I went to, and not even on the maps and information that I had and looked for.
Expected to see something like this at first...
Instead, this was the only decent picture I could get on my camera.
OK lor,
siao siao lah! Walked back to where we came from lor (due to the ordeal we had earlier in the day after FC Barcelona), took approximately 20 minutes. NO more trams OR buses down the hill by then! Someone from a nearby restaurant told us to walk back to where we came from and take a Metro home from there. At this point, I'm about to faint. Totally wasted my time and energy loh! Took 3 times the amount of time needed to get home, and 3 times less the energy but 3 times more the fatigue and swelling in our feet.
Day 5:Got up nice and early and went to the local market again, to see what's there early in the morning (rather than in the evening).
Then it was the beach!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE the sea!!! This is one of my favorite parts of the trip. The sun, the wind, the taste of the sea breeze, and the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore!
Ooh la la!
Plus plus plus...all the eye candy there...
...and many many more (just that I didn't really take pictures...I don't have enough memory space lah!)
I think the eye candy alone in Barcelona is totally worth this trip edi lah! :P
But then, this group of drunkards...
Came over and followed Muse and I around. Some more ask us to give them a kiss and hinted ONS some more. KNS, SIAO! We got away from them as far as we can and as fast as we could. Well, I think that if they acted and looked slightly more decent then it would not have worked for them no matter who they asked, but then again...they're not exactly that...
Day 6:Day to go home. Nothing much except that the weather back in Newcastle was 12 degrees, almost half of that in Barcelona. And I was in summer wear, which left me shivering all the way home. Hehe!
In the airport metro shuttle...
Departure...
From my window...a very dusty window at that...HAHA!
Conclusion: I still love Barcelona despite all these drama. Besides, it's this kinda stuff that keeps life interesting, isn't it?
