Pictures are here!
6:00pm: Back at the hotel for a bit of a rest after a long morning. Set out a little before 9am after finally getting a solid 8 hours of sleep (despite the cathedral bells going off all night, particularly when I heard then at 4am), had breakfast at Artusia, one of the only places open in Girona before 9 (and as a result, a very busy place!), then walked over to the train/bus station and got our bus tickets for Besalu, a nearby medieval town. As anyone who has read this blog in the past may know, most of my travel mishaps have happened on day bus trips so I am extra cautious with them. Got an extra cup of coffee at the station and caught the 10:10 bus to Besalu, which got us there about 11. To say I made special note about where to get the return bus is an understatement.
We wandered around the little old town for a while, which was nice as it was about 100 times quieter than Girona. There is a famous bridge and even some old jewish stuff. Had lunch at a traditional place on one of the squares - I finally had my tapas of garlic mushrooms and inadvertently found some chicken wings too! We caught the 2pm bus back to Girona and got off at a closer stop. We stopped and got a package of jamon for a final taste and quickly came back for a breather before wandering the high part of town and the old city walls for about an hour. When we came back we had a lovely snack of cava, the jamon, cherries, and some cookies I bought in Barcelona!
10:00pm: Back from a stroll around town and an interesting dinner at Le Bistrot. When I first looked at the menu, I wondered why all they had was a French menu. It looked a little different from most of the other places we had eaten at previously or looked at fro tonight so we decided to give it a try and it turns out I had even flagged it on my map. I ultimately determined that, duh, the menu was in Catalan and not French. Impressively, considering it is in the middle of a little touristy town, they had no menus in any other languages. I had a “pizza,” which was more like a toast, of a slice of bread toasted and covered with ham, cheese, and mushrooms. I cannot even describe Matt’s dish that was similar but also had weird meat and pasta sheets on it? As in, lasagna on toast?
Before dinner, we encountered some kind of Catalan independence protest, or something related to the political prisoners that we have seen all over the region. So that was an interesting way to finish our time in Spain. After dinner, I really wanted some kind of dessert or pastry but all of those places seem to close early. Oh well, I’m sure I will have my fill of patisserie in France!
Speaking of which, tomorrow it’s adios Espana and bonjour la France! I wonder how much of my high school and college French I will be able to remember?!
Today’s totals for what may be our final really heavy walking day: 20,001 steps and 7.96 miles!
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Catalonia & Provence Day 6 - Girona 5/15/18
Lots and lots of pictures (mostly of interesting floral installations so if that is not your thing maybe don’t click?) are HERE!
6:00pm: back to the hotel for a quick break before an 8:00pm reservation in Girona. Got out of the airbnb early in Barcelona and took the green metro line to the station. There is security and ticket-checkin in Spain’s train stations so it was good we left plenty of time.
We arrived in Girona on the fast train in just over a half hour and took a aquick taxi up into the old town to the hotel. The room wasn’t ready yet but we left our bags and set around town. The flower festival is going on and there are crazy floral installations all around the city, on the streets, in churches and museums, etc. All the museums have free entry so we wandered around in and out of things, including the Jewish history museum, which was pretty interesting. The city is crazy insanely busy - presumably because of this festival. I am hoping it empties out a bit in the evening and that most of the people are here on tours/day trips. We were getting a little hangry since we had breakfast so early and most of the better places do not seem to serve lunch until at least 1:00pm so we found Tony’s, a bit more touristy but more than adequate. We had a meat and cheese plate, olives, tomato bread, cheese croquettes, and patatas bravas. We then trekked, and I mean trekked, uphill to the hotel and checked in. The room is sparse and definitely in need of refurbishment, but its location right by the cathedral is great, it has a fridge, and it is big.
After a quick rest, we made it to the Arab Baths, which are one of the most important sights in the city, and were also totally decorated in flowers with free entrance. There was still a line but it moved quickly. We then wandered around a bit, hit the ATM, made a dinner reservation tonight at a typical local restaurant, and sat down for a glass of cava. I wanted to get an ice cream at the same place in Barcelona we went a couple times, but the line was Salt & Straw long and who needs that. And now it’s time for a pre-dinner rest!
10:30pm: Back from a simple, traditional Catalan dinner at Casa Marieta. They actually had salad on the menu and I took that opportunity to consume some raw vegetables! I also had roast chicken and we split a 12 euro bottle of the house cava with their own label on it. We then got ice cream one more time at Rocambloesc, which is based here and had no line at 9:30pm. The town was generally very quiet tonight and that was a relief. We took some nighttime pictures of the lit flowers at the cathedral and then came back for an early-ish night after a long day!
Today’s totals: 22,375 steps and 8.9 miles, and a lot of “active minutes!”
6:00pm: back to the hotel for a quick break before an 8:00pm reservation in Girona. Got out of the airbnb early in Barcelona and took the green metro line to the station. There is security and ticket-checkin in Spain’s train stations so it was good we left plenty of time.
We arrived in Girona on the fast train in just over a half hour and took a aquick taxi up into the old town to the hotel. The room wasn’t ready yet but we left our bags and set around town. The flower festival is going on and there are crazy floral installations all around the city, on the streets, in churches and museums, etc. All the museums have free entry so we wandered around in and out of things, including the Jewish history museum, which was pretty interesting. The city is crazy insanely busy - presumably because of this festival. I am hoping it empties out a bit in the evening and that most of the people are here on tours/day trips. We were getting a little hangry since we had breakfast so early and most of the better places do not seem to serve lunch until at least 1:00pm so we found Tony’s, a bit more touristy but more than adequate. We had a meat and cheese plate, olives, tomato bread, cheese croquettes, and patatas bravas. We then trekked, and I mean trekked, uphill to the hotel and checked in. The room is sparse and definitely in need of refurbishment, but its location right by the cathedral is great, it has a fridge, and it is big.
After a quick rest, we made it to the Arab Baths, which are one of the most important sights in the city, and were also totally decorated in flowers with free entrance. There was still a line but it moved quickly. We then wandered around a bit, hit the ATM, made a dinner reservation tonight at a typical local restaurant, and sat down for a glass of cava. I wanted to get an ice cream at the same place in Barcelona we went a couple times, but the line was Salt & Straw long and who needs that. And now it’s time for a pre-dinner rest!
10:30pm: Back from a simple, traditional Catalan dinner at Casa Marieta. They actually had salad on the menu and I took that opportunity to consume some raw vegetables! I also had roast chicken and we split a 12 euro bottle of the house cava with their own label on it. We then got ice cream one more time at Rocambloesc, which is based here and had no line at 9:30pm. The town was generally very quiet tonight and that was a relief. We took some nighttime pictures of the lit flowers at the cathedral and then came back for an early-ish night after a long day!
Today’s totals: 22,375 steps and 8.9 miles, and a lot of “active minutes!”
Monday, May 14, 2018
Catalonia & Provence - Day 5 - Barcelona 5/14/18
All of today’s pictures are here!
6:00pm: Back at the airbnb for a rest and to do laundry and some packing before an early dinner reservation at Canete, which I have read much about, and more packing since we move on to Girona early tomorrow morning.
Started the morning at good old Satan’s Coffee for a delious flat white, then we went to Dulcinea, one more chocolate and churro spot. I think their hot chocolate was the best of the ones we had but since they make their hot chocolate with water rather than milk, I have to be honest that it all tastes, well, watery to me.
After breakfast we wandered into the Cathedral and then made it over to the Born district and the Santa Caterina market, which pales in comparison to the Boqueria. I did manage to spend all of 90 cents on some of my favorite arbequina olives. We then went to the chocolate museum, where your ticket is a chocolate bar with a QR code on it, naturally. The museum goes through the history of chocolate making and is full of chocolate sculptures. The whole place smells amazing.
After the chocolate museum, we wandered around the Born district, which has a lot of cute shops and cafes and the Santa Maria del Mar church. We had an amazing mascarpone croissant at Hoffmann pastry shop, supposedly one of the best in the city. At some point, I slipped on some grease and fell on my behind (and left knee) in the middle of a street, so that was fun. We had a delicious lunch of jamon, fried asparagus, croquettes, olives, and potatoes. I bought some clothes and came back to the airbnb to change and we put on a laundry.
We then took the metro to the beach and wandered a bit and then back through the pretty City Park before taking the metro back to Place Catalunya, where we walke down and got some fruit at the Boqueria before returning to the airbnb.
9:15pm: back at the airbnb after an incredible dinner at Bar Canete. I had read amazing things about it in numerous places and was able to get a 6:45 reservation, which was early, but it was all they had and it worked out well since there is much packing to do tonight. We had a veritable feast of a bottle of cava, tomato bread, burrata, suckling pig, steak, and desserts of molten chocolate cake and crema catalana (basically creme brulee). It was not a cheap meal but at a little over 100 euros for all of that plus a great experience of sitting at the bar while they make all the food seems rather reasonable!
Luckily we had a washer and dryer here and did two loads of laundry, and tomorrow will set off early for a quick train ride to Girona!
Today’s totals: 24,566 steps, 9.77 miles, and one badly bruised knee :(
6:00pm: Back at the airbnb for a rest and to do laundry and some packing before an early dinner reservation at Canete, which I have read much about, and more packing since we move on to Girona early tomorrow morning.
Started the morning at good old Satan’s Coffee for a delious flat white, then we went to Dulcinea, one more chocolate and churro spot. I think their hot chocolate was the best of the ones we had but since they make their hot chocolate with water rather than milk, I have to be honest that it all tastes, well, watery to me.
After breakfast we wandered into the Cathedral and then made it over to the Born district and the Santa Caterina market, which pales in comparison to the Boqueria. I did manage to spend all of 90 cents on some of my favorite arbequina olives. We then went to the chocolate museum, where your ticket is a chocolate bar with a QR code on it, naturally. The museum goes through the history of chocolate making and is full of chocolate sculptures. The whole place smells amazing.
After the chocolate museum, we wandered around the Born district, which has a lot of cute shops and cafes and the Santa Maria del Mar church. We had an amazing mascarpone croissant at Hoffmann pastry shop, supposedly one of the best in the city. At some point, I slipped on some grease and fell on my behind (and left knee) in the middle of a street, so that was fun. We had a delicious lunch of jamon, fried asparagus, croquettes, olives, and potatoes. I bought some clothes and came back to the airbnb to change and we put on a laundry.
We then took the metro to the beach and wandered a bit and then back through the pretty City Park before taking the metro back to Place Catalunya, where we walke down and got some fruit at the Boqueria before returning to the airbnb.
9:15pm: back at the airbnb after an incredible dinner at Bar Canete. I had read amazing things about it in numerous places and was able to get a 6:45 reservation, which was early, but it was all they had and it worked out well since there is much packing to do tonight. We had a veritable feast of a bottle of cava, tomato bread, burrata, suckling pig, steak, and desserts of molten chocolate cake and crema catalana (basically creme brulee). It was not a cheap meal but at a little over 100 euros for all of that plus a great experience of sitting at the bar while they make all the food seems rather reasonable!
Luckily we had a washer and dryer here and did two loads of laundry, and tomorrow will set off early for a quick train ride to Girona!
Today’s totals: 24,566 steps, 9.77 miles, and one badly bruised knee :(
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Catalonia & Provence Day 4 - Barcelona & Tarragona 5/13/18
Pictures here!
5:00pm - back at the airbnb for a rest after a fun day trip to nearby Tarragona. We set off around 8 and got churros and chocolate from Xurreria San Roman and they were better than the ones from the other day - fresher. Caught the metro at Jaume I and went to Passeig de Gracia where I realized a stop on a line closer to us would have been more convenient - whoops!
Caught the 9:26 regional train to Tarragona that got us there just after 10:30. We found the ancient Roman amphitheatre built almost right on the water but it appeared to be closed for some special event. Instead, we went to the historical museum, which was less museum and more empty ancient ruins. After that, we started wandering around the cute little old town and into the cathedral, which hilariously had wifi. We were having trouble finding an open interesting-looking restaurant and on the church wifi I yelped called Espaivi. It was a couple minutes away and we had an awesone lunch on a cute little square of steak, incredible burrata, and the traditional bread with tomatoes, except they provided all the ingredients (bread, whole tomatoes, a clove of garlic, salt, and olive oil), and you make it yourself.
Meandered back down through the old town where I bought a little handmade mug and saucer set and made it back to the train station where we caught a 2:55pm train back to Barcelona, then the more convenient subway line back to the airbnb (which is good because it was drizzling) but not before a stop at Rocambolsec, a gelato shop owned by a famous pastry chef in Catalonia!
10:45pm: back at the airbnb after a multi-stop evening adventure. Before we went out for dinner there was some kind of police raid either in this building or in a nearby building. Wandered the ramblas and into the Raval neighborhood a bit.- that is apparently the “rough” and “colorful” part of town and we maybe were not at the right part, but it was not exciting. Made it to the bottom of the Ramblas and found Tasca Corral, a northern spanish tapas bar, where we had flaming chorizo and manchego cheese. We then wandered around looking for a little more food. A couple places were busy and we stumbled upon Rasoterra and thought, hey this looks different! We go in to find out it is a slow-food, all local, vegetarian restaurant. We had olives and homemade pasta with saffron and tomatoes, and artichokes stuffed with nuts, and they gave us little glasses of almond gazpacho as a little starter. Finally went to a craft beer place and I had a lambic sangria, which was also delicious, before making it back to the airbnb.
Tomorrow is the last day in Barcelona and lots of wandering, eating, and shopping is planned!
Today’s walking totals: 20,071 steps and 7.98 miles
5:00pm - back at the airbnb for a rest after a fun day trip to nearby Tarragona. We set off around 8 and got churros and chocolate from Xurreria San Roman and they were better than the ones from the other day - fresher. Caught the metro at Jaume I and went to Passeig de Gracia where I realized a stop on a line closer to us would have been more convenient - whoops!
Caught the 9:26 regional train to Tarragona that got us there just after 10:30. We found the ancient Roman amphitheatre built almost right on the water but it appeared to be closed for some special event. Instead, we went to the historical museum, which was less museum and more empty ancient ruins. After that, we started wandering around the cute little old town and into the cathedral, which hilariously had wifi. We were having trouble finding an open interesting-looking restaurant and on the church wifi I yelped called Espaivi. It was a couple minutes away and we had an awesone lunch on a cute little square of steak, incredible burrata, and the traditional bread with tomatoes, except they provided all the ingredients (bread, whole tomatoes, a clove of garlic, salt, and olive oil), and you make it yourself.
Meandered back down through the old town where I bought a little handmade mug and saucer set and made it back to the train station where we caught a 2:55pm train back to Barcelona, then the more convenient subway line back to the airbnb (which is good because it was drizzling) but not before a stop at Rocambolsec, a gelato shop owned by a famous pastry chef in Catalonia!
10:45pm: back at the airbnb after a multi-stop evening adventure. Before we went out for dinner there was some kind of police raid either in this building or in a nearby building. Wandered the ramblas and into the Raval neighborhood a bit.- that is apparently the “rough” and “colorful” part of town and we maybe were not at the right part, but it was not exciting. Made it to the bottom of the Ramblas and found Tasca Corral, a northern spanish tapas bar, where we had flaming chorizo and manchego cheese. We then wandered around looking for a little more food. A couple places were busy and we stumbled upon Rasoterra and thought, hey this looks different! We go in to find out it is a slow-food, all local, vegetarian restaurant. We had olives and homemade pasta with saffron and tomatoes, and artichokes stuffed with nuts, and they gave us little glasses of almond gazpacho as a little starter. Finally went to a craft beer place and I had a lambic sangria, which was also delicious, before making it back to the airbnb.
Tomorrow is the last day in Barcelona and lots of wandering, eating, and shopping is planned!
Today’s walking totals: 20,071 steps and 7.98 miles
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Catalonia & Provence - Day 3 - Barcelona 5/12/18
For some reason my post from yesterday didn't feed to my social media. The link is here and the many pictures as videos are here. All of today’s many pictures are here (but if you are not interested in Gaudi architecture, these pictures are not for you).
3:30pm: sitting in the cafe at La Pedrera, the third and final Gaudi stop today to rest before going into the house. Got a terrible night sleep because some jerk in the building had a party all night long. Set off for the Sagrada Familia around 8. Had to take two subway lines to get there and then found a bakery that took forever but we were able to get a quick breakfast before visiting the church, which I'd inexplicably skipped last time I was here. It's truly incredible, despite the million (or two hundred, whatever) circular stairs down from the towers. After visiting the church, and its shop of course, we wandered through the Eixample district to one of the main streets. We found tapas 24, a place I'd read much about, and got a coffee before their tapas service started at 12:30. For lunch we got some kind of ham, cheese, truffle sandwich, olives, traditional local bread with tomato, and fideos, which is like paella but with local noodles and sausage. For everything it was about 40 euros, which seems quite reasonable considering the quality.
Then I found cacao sampaka, a fancy chocolate store, and spent all my money. Bought a little more chocolate in yet another store and then we went to the first Gaudi house, casa battlo, which is as wild as one would expect from Gaudi. Bought some earrings in the gift shop and here we are with some down time before the second house.
6:45pm - back at the airbnb for a break before what I think will be an early dinner. We went into Casa Mila early because we are tired and it was starting to rain - they let us in early and it is a good thing because the rooftop terrace is the best thing about this house and they close it in the rain. And that is probably a good thing because it was a little treacherous already. Took the metro back to the airbnb and i wandered around a little bit and bought a handmade necklace (the guy in the shop had to call and ask his mom how much it was), and some more chocolate. I have a problem, ok?
10:15: back at the airbnb after dinner at Bar Brutal in the Born district, which was basically ham on top of pork on top of more pork product, but it was delicious. We ended up there after trying a few places I had written down and by 8pm they were already packed, maybe because it’s Saturday? After dinner just wandered around some and made it back for the earely night.
Today’s walking totals: 19,607 steps, “only” 7.8 miles.
3:30pm: sitting in the cafe at La Pedrera, the third and final Gaudi stop today to rest before going into the house. Got a terrible night sleep because some jerk in the building had a party all night long. Set off for the Sagrada Familia around 8. Had to take two subway lines to get there and then found a bakery that took forever but we were able to get a quick breakfast before visiting the church, which I'd inexplicably skipped last time I was here. It's truly incredible, despite the million (or two hundred, whatever) circular stairs down from the towers. After visiting the church, and its shop of course, we wandered through the Eixample district to one of the main streets. We found tapas 24, a place I'd read much about, and got a coffee before their tapas service started at 12:30. For lunch we got some kind of ham, cheese, truffle sandwich, olives, traditional local bread with tomato, and fideos, which is like paella but with local noodles and sausage. For everything it was about 40 euros, which seems quite reasonable considering the quality.
Then I found cacao sampaka, a fancy chocolate store, and spent all my money. Bought a little more chocolate in yet another store and then we went to the first Gaudi house, casa battlo, which is as wild as one would expect from Gaudi. Bought some earrings in the gift shop and here we are with some down time before the second house.
6:45pm - back at the airbnb for a break before what I think will be an early dinner. We went into Casa Mila early because we are tired and it was starting to rain - they let us in early and it is a good thing because the rooftop terrace is the best thing about this house and they close it in the rain. And that is probably a good thing because it was a little treacherous already. Took the metro back to the airbnb and i wandered around a little bit and bought a handmade necklace (the guy in the shop had to call and ask his mom how much it was), and some more chocolate. I have a problem, ok?
10:15: back at the airbnb after dinner at Bar Brutal in the Born district, which was basically ham on top of pork on top of more pork product, but it was delicious. We ended up there after trying a few places I had written down and by 8pm they were already packed, maybe because it’s Saturday? After dinner just wandered around some and made it back for the earely night.
Today’s walking totals: 19,607 steps, “only” 7.8 miles.
Friday, May 11, 2018
Catalonia & Provence - Day 2 - Barcelona 5/11/18
4:45pm - Back at the aiarbnb after a busy day with absolutely beautiful weather. Started the day by stopping at Satan’s Coffee Corner for some awewsome hipstesr coffee and then went to the incredible Boqueria market to look around and get some fruit. Then we went to La Pallaresa for equally aweseome churros and hot chocolate. Apparently that is chocolate street and there are more places to try.
Realized I forgot tickets for something we would need later and we went back to the airbnb but not after Matt was gouged for 28 euros on sunscreen! Then we wandered a bit more and found our free walking tour, which went all around the Gothic Quarter and provided history and context. The guide Fran had more energy than possibly anyone I have ever seen. After the tour, which ended arouond 1:30, we found a tapas place for lunch and set off to the Catalan music palace, which is a modernist masterpiece built in the early 1900s. Did their guided tour and checked out a little artesans’ market, though there was nothing really to buy.
Midnight - back at the airbnb after a great evening of awesome ice cream at rocamblosec, fun at the Magic fountains full of people watching and break dancers, and an awesome lit fountain show set to mucic. After the fountains, we walked to the Poble Sec area to Blai street, which is full of tapas bars. I had noted a few good places, which we either could not find or were too busy to bother with, but still had some drinks and cheap little tapas, before taking the metro back here. It is late, so pictures tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, let’s call it Gaudi Day, so get readaay for lots of modernist stuff! Sorry today’s entry was so short!
Oh and today's totals: 25973 steps and 10.33 miles!
Realized I forgot tickets for something we would need later and we went back to the airbnb but not after Matt was gouged for 28 euros on sunscreen! Then we wandered a bit more and found our free walking tour, which went all around the Gothic Quarter and provided history and context. The guide Fran had more energy than possibly anyone I have ever seen. After the tour, which ended arouond 1:30, we found a tapas place for lunch and set off to the Catalan music palace, which is a modernist masterpiece built in the early 1900s. Did their guided tour and checked out a little artesans’ market, though there was nothing really to buy.
Midnight - back at the airbnb after a great evening of awesome ice cream at rocamblosec, fun at the Magic fountains full of people watching and break dancers, and an awesome lit fountain show set to mucic. After the fountains, we walked to the Poble Sec area to Blai street, which is full of tapas bars. I had noted a few good places, which we either could not find or were too busy to bother with, but still had some drinks and cheap little tapas, before taking the metro back here. It is late, so pictures tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, let’s call it Gaudi Day, so get readaay for lots of modernist stuff! Sorry today’s entry was so short!
Oh and today's totals: 25973 steps and 10.33 miles!
Monday, May 13, 2013
Day 15 - Segovia and Madrid & pictures
Pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157633470881859/
3:50pm - at the bus station more than a half hour early to avoid any problems like last time :) had no problems getting to the bus station this morning for the bus to Segovia, which took just over an hour. It stopped once before the bus station and a few people got off, but i did not make the same mistake twice!! Easy walk to the unmissable and truly remarkable roman aqueduct that cuts through the center of this city. It's massive and in incredibly good condition.
3:50pm - at the bus station more than a half hour early to avoid any problems like last time :) had no problems getting to the bus station this morning for the bus to Segovia, which took just over an hour. It stopped once before the bus station and a few people got off, but i did not make the same mistake twice!! Easy walk to the unmissable and truly remarkable roman aqueduct that cuts through the center of this city. It's massive and in incredibly good condition.
Wandered around into a couple of churches including the huge cathedral and got a snack of the local cake called ponche. I'm still not exactly sure what it is but it was a little two layer cake with something in the middle, lots of cinnamon, and wrapped completely in a thin layer of marzipan. Delicious!!
Wandered some more and had lunch at meson duque. Many places in town are famous for roast suckling pig and this is one. A splurge, but when in Segovia...
Wandered up and found the alcazar, which is apparently fairly recently rebuilt and intentionally as a museum, so it's more Disney than historic, but it was still interesting with great views.
10:50pm - back for the night. Arrived back in Madrid shortly before 6pm. Took metro ti main square Sol and did some wandering/shopping. Bought a gram of saffron because why not! Came back to the b&b for a much needed short break and set out for dinner. Was going to try one place that was closed today so I went to El Lacon, recommended by the b&b. they gave away a tapas with each drink (house wines just 2€ a glass mind you) and i had steak with fried padron peppers and fries. Delicious and fun place!
10:50pm - back for the night. Arrived back in Madrid shortly before 6pm. Took metro ti main square Sol and did some wandering/shopping. Bought a gram of saffron because why not! Came back to the b&b for a much needed short break and set out for dinner. Was going to try one place that was closed today so I went to El Lacon, recommended by the b&b. they gave away a tapas with each drink (house wines just 2€ a glass mind you) and i had steak with fried padron peppers and fries. Delicious and fun place!
Tomorrow i will spend my last day (wahhhhh!) wandering a few neighborhoods around town and not having too much planned.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Day 14 - Madrid & pictures
Anyway, started the morning slightly lazily with a lovely breakfast at the b&b. one of the owners makes his own bread and he just kept bringing out food. And everyone sits around a table chatting and laughing. All of a sudden an hour had passed. Great way to start the day!
Walked the lovely stroll through madrid's main squares to the cathedral and royal palace. No pictures allowed in the palace but its as amazing as one might expect in a country with an old and active monarchy. Stunning rooms highlighted by a room housing a collection of five or so Stradivari instruments. Also it has a strange old royal pharmacy collection. Interesting.
Walked back towards the main square, and witnessed an incredibly massive line at what appeared to be the opera house, can't imagine what it was bit it was mostly older people literally snaking around the huge square that house the opera house. On my way back to the main area, I had a late morning (really it was almost noon, but whatever) snack of chocolate con churros at the highly recommended chocolateria San gines. It was crazy busy then, and apparently it's even worse at about midnight. Yikes! Then, since its Sunday, i detoured to quickly check out the rastro flea market, which was packed with people and a lot of junk.
On my way back to town center, I found a recommended leather factory/shop and bought a gorgeous dark purple wallet. The guy used Nivea cream to polish it before packaging. Well ok then, guess he'd know better than I would!
Made my way back to mercado san Miguel, which I had quickly checked out just as it was opening around ten. It could be my new favorite place on earth. It's a small but amazing upscale indoor food market. I could live my life there, not kidding; actually let's not kid I could live my life at the olive stand alone. Through the masses of people, I pieced together a delicious lunch of a mini Jamon de bellota (aka the top quality) sandwich, a plate of mixed olives, and a couple croquettes. I also bought a quarter kilo of my beloved teeny tiny delicious arbequina olives to take home. Even in this upscale/fancy market in the middle of a major world city, they only cost me 1.60€.
Got a yummy fresh mixed berry juice to take to my 2pm free Madrid walking tour, which lasted surprisingly almost 3 hours and was pretty good. That ended in the city's main square, puerta del sol, where I hopped on the metro to walk down gran via, the big grand boulevard in the more modern part of town from the 1900s with great architecture and the "big box" stores. The street was closed to traffic and I understood when I got to a square at the other end - protest!!
Got on the metro at that square and went one stop to where the bus station is to get my day trip tickets for tomorrow as well as do a test run so I don't have the same problem as last time. Bought my tickets and made it back to the b&b thankfully uneventfully via metro! Took a short late siesta after a 10 hour day in which I barely sat down and set out for a delicious traditional tapas dinner at these highly recommended spots!!
Yay I'm all caught up on pictures! Tomorrow a day trip to Segovia.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Day 13 - Madrid
2:30pm - waiting for my "late lunch" (I use quotes because it is late for me but not spain) at a cuuuute little place recommended by my b&b, which is also cuuuute. Anyway caught the 9:10am train from Granada to Madrid. Sadly no fast train makes that journey so it took over four hours but was uneventful.
11:30pm - exhausted after a long afternoon! After a yummy lunch, I set out for the gigantic Retiro park, full with crystal glass buildings, palaces, ponds, you name it. Wandered for a couple hours and on the main drag there are street performers, vendors, etc. there were fireworks there at 10:30 for a festival running all week but I was just too tired to trek back there.
Around 6pm I made it to the nearby prado museum to do my art museum duty. Luckily it is free from 6-8pm! Spent most of that time there looking at masters from the likes of Raphael, titian, Velazquez, and Goya. I managed to last about an hour and a half, which for me is quite long for an art museum :)
Then set back to my b&b's area to find dinner. Decided I needed a quiet sit down place where I could relax so picked a place recommended by the b&b down the street.
Trying very hard to get the pics up-to-date!
Friday, May 10, 2013
Day 12 - Granada
1:15pm - waiting for salad in my meal of the day in the albaicin quarter at aurora de la rincon. It was recommended several places and apparently Mario batali filmed here for the Spain PBS show. 10€ menu of the day and a lovely peaceful square setting is good enough for me!
Woke up early thus morning to try to get to the Alhambra as early as possible. Went to the recommended-by-everyone Alhambra Cafeteria for churros and chocolate, luckily they were open, kinda. But they were hot, fresh, delicious, and cheap.
Made it to the cathedral where a minibus was waiting to go to Alhambra. Perfect. Unfortunately I missed the lower entrance and ended up at the main entrance. Walked down to the main sights and saw the Charles V palace and ruined fort, before my 10:00 entry ticket to the main palaces. Wow, what a sight. Can't help but wonder what it looked like 600-700 years ago even more ornate and full of 2000 people. Wandered through to see the palace and then went back out and bought a wood inlaid plate to hang up from a workshop where they're making it all on the grounds of the Alhambra. Went back and finished the tour in the generalife gardens, which are lovely.
Caught the 30 bus back down and immediately hopped on a 31 up to albaicin. The Alhambra looks different midday than at sunset. Wandered down a few minutes to this square for lunch. Btw discovered my new fave drink, tinto de verano, which is half red wine half carbonated lemonade. Lunch was pretty good but not mind-blowing.
11pm - in for the night getting ready to move to my last (:() destination Madrid. After lunch I wandered down through the albaicin which reminded me of the alfama district in Lisbon but less pretty. Everyone says the albaicin is the most important and interesting part of Granada and maybe I was there at the wrong time of day (2:30pm or so) but I just found it boring. Anyway, made it back to town and bought my obligatory magnet and a little bowl in the traditional blue/white style with a pomegranate, the symbol of Granada (the word for pomegranate in Spanish).
Took a short siesta and wandered around for a couple hours. Around 7 I went to bodegas Castaneda, a tapas bar recommended by basically everyone, which had been too busy last night. Had a couple drinks (which come with free tapas in Granada, one of which was in recognizable so I did not eat it) and a couple tapas. Stood at the bar for over an hour as it was fun to watch the scene get busier and busier. Got a gelato at the best place in town right down the street and took bus 31 back up to the San Nicolas viewpoint to see the Alhambra all lit up. Gorgeous.
Tomorrow a long train to Madrid for my last few days :( will try to catch up on pictures tomorrow!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Day 11 - Granada
3:00pm - in my hotel for a little siesta. Arrived by train from ronda around 11. Train ride was lined with about 10 million olive trees. Room wasn't ready so left my bag and set out to find the covered food market, where I bought some olives. Did Rick Steves's old town walking tour and went in the royal chapel where Ferdinand and Isabella are buried. Lots of gypsy beggar-types all over the place, especially these ladies who think they can give you a branch of rosemary and you'll give them money? Oh, ok.
Waking tour ends at the bottom of the hilly albaicin quarter, which I'll visit tomorrow but had lunch of chicken couscous at Azafran. Wandered back and printed my Alhambra ticket for tomorrow at the bookstore in town and got a gelato before checking in to the hotel.
11pm- phew, long afternoon and evening! Just before 4 I went out and first saw the massive cathedral that has walls so thick it was freezing inside despite being over 80 out. Then walked up to the monastery of the jeronimos, which was so peaceful.
Walked back to the center of town and found the couple streets that have Moroccan stuff and tea houses. It's like being in another world. Had a juice and baklava before heading to plaza nueva and grabbing a mini bus up to the famous viewpoint to wait a few hours for sunset. Had a drink up there to kill time and did a lot of people watching while watching the Alhambra change as the sun went down. Gorgeous.
Caught the minibus back down and got a light dinner of a stuffed baked potato, which seems to be popular and on a lot of menus here.
Not sure when I'll get today's pictures up since I have an early start tomorrow at the Alhambra but I'll get them up soon!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Day 10 - Ronda
Pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157633451035026/with/8721722482/
10:20pm - I started this entry earlier today and the draft disappeared :/ anyway, in the b&b for the night as I have an early train to Granada tomorrow.
10:20pm - I started this entry earlier today and the draft disappeared :/ anyway, in the b&b for the night as I have an early train to Granada tomorrow.
Had a lazy morning, sleeping until after 8 then moseying on to a churro shop I had walked by yesterday. It was just off the main drag, which means there wasn't a tourist in sight. Two fresh churros and coffee = 2€.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Day 9 - white villages and Ronda
7:15pm - sitting on a lovely square in Ronda for a pre-dinner sangria after a lovely day seeing a few of the white villages and ending in Ronda, where I'll spend two nights.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Day 8 - Sevilla pictures
Whoops forgot to post link this morning
Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157633435809468/
Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157633435809468/
Day 8 - Sevilla
3:00pm - back at the pension for a little siesta. Set out around 9, got breakfast and crossed the river into the Triana neighborhood. What is it about the other side of the river always being where the interesting artisans are? Rome and Florence are the same. Anyway, wandered along the river to the market and picked up a late morning strawberry snack. Went to find a recommended ceramics shop and instead found men demolishing the inside :/ found another shop and bought a nice tile to hang up.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Day 7 - Cadiz and Sevilla
3:15pm - sitting on the bus back to Sevilla after a few hours in the historic beach town cadiz. And theres wifi on the bus.
Got the 9am bus down from Sevilla. Took bus rather than train for 2 reasons: cheaper and bus station walkable from my pension. And they take the same time. Got to Cadiz around 10:30 and got off where everyone else was getting off. But that was not the right place. It was a nice 30 min stroll along the water but I wouldn't know where to get the bus back.
Unfortunately since its Sunday, the big central market was closed but today was really the only day I could come to cadiz that made good sense.
Found the Cadiz cathedral, which rules the skyline, and it's lovely. The whole ceiling was covered in netting, I wonder if its because stuff is falling off :/
Anyway. Kept walking along water and really had to use bathroom. Came upon castle and found one. Fine til I picked up my camera and i guess somehow tapped it on the ground just in the right place to ruin 2/3 of the screen. Its not like i even dropped it! Everything else works fine but fucking fuck! Luckily I can still see the menu side but not the shutter speed so indoor pictures will be a nightmare. Just great. May be taking a lot of iPad pics I guess :( the screen itself isn't even broken, it's something underneath it that makes it work. Sigh.
Wandered a bit more, found a lovely little park, wandered some more, and had lunch on plaza San Francisco. A few more tapas down.
Set off to find "Comes" bus station as I bought Comes bus tickets. Couldn't find it so started asking people, including a cop, cabbie, and tour bus driver, aka three people who should know. They kept directing me to the same place, which was opposite from where it was on my map. So I end up at the train station and so convinced I'm in the wrong place that I almost bought a train ticket. Went out to the bus area behind the train station just in case and people said the 3pm to Sevilla did leave from there. So hooray! But I almost missed the fucking bus because it was an ALSA bus, not Comes, and the sign on the front didn't say sevilla. So at 3pm I ask the ticket guy and he's all HURRY HURRY. Luckily the line to check tickets was long and the bus left 5 min late or I would literally have been standing there watching my bus go. I swear, more than half the time I take day trips, something frustrating happens. But at least I made the bus. Camera screen, not so lucky.
Lots of people say cadiz is the most beautiful city in Spain. It's nice and all with the beaches and amazing cathedral right on the water and all, but I found the streets uninspiring and poor, with lots of Africans selling fake shit on the streets. I was underwhelmed. Maybe I wasn't there long enough maybe because it was Sunday and things were closed, or maybe it was just the comedy of errors starting with getting off at the wrong place, I'll never know.
11:15pm - back at the pension later than anticipated because as i was finishing another tapas meal, at cerveceria giralda, a lovely British couple from Yorkshire who'd ridden their motorcycles from England for an event in Jerez wanted my table then invited me to sit with them while they ate. Michelle and Steve, wherever you are, thanks for the lovely conversation!
Anyway, got back to Sevilla from Cadiz around 5, a little late from traffic at a toll booth due to the bike thing in Jerez. Walked straight to Casa Pilatos, an old palace that's still privately owned and partially lived in. The entire thing is tiled and gorgeous. They also give you a private tour of upstairs, where there's art and furniture. Really cool.
Came back to the pension for a much-needed break and did a bit of laundry. Changed and set out for dinner. Honestly most of the menus look the same so i picked the one I did because a few people wrote about it and it sounded good and I like that they had tapas sized portions of everything, some places only have larger sizes of some things. Then chatted with Michelle and Steve for quite a while before skipping gelato (already 11pm!) and coming back here.
Pics tomorrow morning hopefully. Will be taking it easy as I'm just wandering more of Seville all day.
Got the 9am bus down from Sevilla. Took bus rather than train for 2 reasons: cheaper and bus station walkable from my pension. And they take the same time. Got to Cadiz around 10:30 and got off where everyone else was getting off. But that was not the right place. It was a nice 30 min stroll along the water but I wouldn't know where to get the bus back.
Unfortunately since its Sunday, the big central market was closed but today was really the only day I could come to cadiz that made good sense.
Found the Cadiz cathedral, which rules the skyline, and it's lovely. The whole ceiling was covered in netting, I wonder if its because stuff is falling off :/
Anyway. Kept walking along water and really had to use bathroom. Came upon castle and found one. Fine til I picked up my camera and i guess somehow tapped it on the ground just in the right place to ruin 2/3 of the screen. Its not like i even dropped it! Everything else works fine but fucking fuck! Luckily I can still see the menu side but not the shutter speed so indoor pictures will be a nightmare. Just great. May be taking a lot of iPad pics I guess :( the screen itself isn't even broken, it's something underneath it that makes it work. Sigh.
Wandered a bit more, found a lovely little park, wandered some more, and had lunch on plaza San Francisco. A few more tapas down.
Set off to find "Comes" bus station as I bought Comes bus tickets. Couldn't find it so started asking people, including a cop, cabbie, and tour bus driver, aka three people who should know. They kept directing me to the same place, which was opposite from where it was on my map. So I end up at the train station and so convinced I'm in the wrong place that I almost bought a train ticket. Went out to the bus area behind the train station just in case and people said the 3pm to Sevilla did leave from there. So hooray! But I almost missed the fucking bus because it was an ALSA bus, not Comes, and the sign on the front didn't say sevilla. So at 3pm I ask the ticket guy and he's all HURRY HURRY. Luckily the line to check tickets was long and the bus left 5 min late or I would literally have been standing there watching my bus go. I swear, more than half the time I take day trips, something frustrating happens. But at least I made the bus. Camera screen, not so lucky.
Lots of people say cadiz is the most beautiful city in Spain. It's nice and all with the beaches and amazing cathedral right on the water and all, but I found the streets uninspiring and poor, with lots of Africans selling fake shit on the streets. I was underwhelmed. Maybe I wasn't there long enough maybe because it was Sunday and things were closed, or maybe it was just the comedy of errors starting with getting off at the wrong place, I'll never know.
11:15pm - back at the pension later than anticipated because as i was finishing another tapas meal, at cerveceria giralda, a lovely British couple from Yorkshire who'd ridden their motorcycles from England for an event in Jerez wanted my table then invited me to sit with them while they ate. Michelle and Steve, wherever you are, thanks for the lovely conversation!
Anyway, got back to Sevilla from Cadiz around 5, a little late from traffic at a toll booth due to the bike thing in Jerez. Walked straight to Casa Pilatos, an old palace that's still privately owned and partially lived in. The entire thing is tiled and gorgeous. They also give you a private tour of upstairs, where there's art and furniture. Really cool.
Came back to the pension for a much-needed break and did a bit of laundry. Changed and set out for dinner. Honestly most of the menus look the same so i picked the one I did because a few people wrote about it and it sounded good and I like that they had tapas sized portions of everything, some places only have larger sizes of some things. Then chatted with Michelle and Steve for quite a while before skipping gelato (already 11pm!) and coming back here.
Pics tomorrow morning hopefully. Will be taking it easy as I'm just wandering more of Seville all day.
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