Missypie's Trip to Barcelona with Kids
Mar 20th, 2007, 06:49 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Missypie's Trip to Barcelona with Kids
We're back safe and sound from Barcelona. We loved the city and had a terrific time. On the trip: DH, DS16, DD14, DD11 and me. Before I begin my day by day report, I'll make a few comments about what I did right, what I did wrong, and a couple other issues.
What I did right:
1. As some of you may recall, last summer we were surprised that we had a hard time finding good restaurants in Italy. I had noted many restaurant recommendations, but when the time came to eat, we either couldn't find them, or they were closed. For this trip, I assembled some 67 restaurant recommendations, mostly from this board and a few from other trusted sources; I made sure I had an actual street adress for each (not just "a block off of Las Rambles" for example). Then I photocopied a map of Barcelona, located each restaurant, highlighted the street and wrote the name of the restaurant on the map. (I discovered that some of the recommended restaurants were in neighborhoods that we didn't plan to visit, so they were deleted from my list.) This worked very well for us. When mealtime came, I'd look at my annotated map and see what restaurants were located in the general vicinity.
2. My Spanish is not good, but I did know how to say my kids' ages in Spanish. In Italy, we didn't get many reduced admissions for the kids because we were not EU residents. I noticed when researching the museums in Barcelona that many gave discounts that didn't appear to be restricted to EU residents. At each museum, I'd say in Spanish (sorry, not Catalan)"5 persons; 2 adults; children ages 16, 14 and 11." Sometimes all the kids were half price, most of the time the two younger kids were; at one museum all three kids were free and another we qualified for the "large family discount." I'd advise anyone traveling with kids to either learn to say their ages in the language spoken in that country, or to write down the ages of the kids on a card that you keep handy.
3. Before I left home, I bought a couple of boxes of power bars in brands that the kids like. It is inevitable that SOMEONE will announce that they are starving midway through a hiking trail on Montserrat, etc.
What I did wrong:
It seems like on every trip I make a stupid, transportation-related mistake. Here's the one for Barcelona: We knew in advance that the T-10 pass was the "best deal" for metro tickets. We bought one, but then noticed that the machine also described one that gives 50 rides for 30 euro. It was described in identical terms as the T-10. When we couldn't get it to work after DD11 used it, I consulted the poster on the wall and discovered that that pass is limited to a single rider. The machine selling the tickets didn't make such a distinction. As it turns out, we used the metro enough that we only lost about 7 euro on the deal. I left the pass in our rental flat with a note that it should be passed on to someone else.
Comments on security:
Security was interesting. During the course of the trip, we passed though security at DFW, Gatwick, Barcelona, Heathrow and O'Hare. All seemed to be concerned about different things. At Heathrow, they were telling people NOT to take off their shoes. No one gave a second glance at our little bags of liquids.
When we unpacked, we noticed that most of our bags contained notices that they had been opened and inspected by TSA agents. I always pack liquids in zip lock bags. I KNOW that I totally closed the bottle of Febreeze and totally zipped closed the zip lock bag in which I put it, but upon unpacking, Febreeze was all over the place. (If a liquid has to get all over everything, I guess Febreeze is the best thing.) Also, I had my costume jewelry in a couple of zip lock bags. Again, upon unpacking, both were unzipped, my earrings were all over the place and one earring is missing. Obviously, the TSA agents are in a hurry and don't re-pack as carefully as I packed. I'm just mentioning this so that others will think about this as they pack; maybe you can think of better solutions than zipper bags.
I'll start my day by day report a bit later.
What I did right:
1. As some of you may recall, last summer we were surprised that we had a hard time finding good restaurants in Italy. I had noted many restaurant recommendations, but when the time came to eat, we either couldn't find them, or they were closed. For this trip, I assembled some 67 restaurant recommendations, mostly from this board and a few from other trusted sources; I made sure I had an actual street adress for each (not just "a block off of Las Rambles" for example). Then I photocopied a map of Barcelona, located each restaurant, highlighted the street and wrote the name of the restaurant on the map. (I discovered that some of the recommended restaurants were in neighborhoods that we didn't plan to visit, so they were deleted from my list.) This worked very well for us. When mealtime came, I'd look at my annotated map and see what restaurants were located in the general vicinity.
2. My Spanish is not good, but I did know how to say my kids' ages in Spanish. In Italy, we didn't get many reduced admissions for the kids because we were not EU residents. I noticed when researching the museums in Barcelona that many gave discounts that didn't appear to be restricted to EU residents. At each museum, I'd say in Spanish (sorry, not Catalan)"5 persons; 2 adults; children ages 16, 14 and 11." Sometimes all the kids were half price, most of the time the two younger kids were; at one museum all three kids were free and another we qualified for the "large family discount." I'd advise anyone traveling with kids to either learn to say their ages in the language spoken in that country, or to write down the ages of the kids on a card that you keep handy.
3. Before I left home, I bought a couple of boxes of power bars in brands that the kids like. It is inevitable that SOMEONE will announce that they are starving midway through a hiking trail on Montserrat, etc.
What I did wrong:
It seems like on every trip I make a stupid, transportation-related mistake. Here's the one for Barcelona: We knew in advance that the T-10 pass was the "best deal" for metro tickets. We bought one, but then noticed that the machine also described one that gives 50 rides for 30 euro. It was described in identical terms as the T-10. When we couldn't get it to work after DD11 used it, I consulted the poster on the wall and discovered that that pass is limited to a single rider. The machine selling the tickets didn't make such a distinction. As it turns out, we used the metro enough that we only lost about 7 euro on the deal. I left the pass in our rental flat with a note that it should be passed on to someone else.
Comments on security:
Security was interesting. During the course of the trip, we passed though security at DFW, Gatwick, Barcelona, Heathrow and O'Hare. All seemed to be concerned about different things. At Heathrow, they were telling people NOT to take off their shoes. No one gave a second glance at our little bags of liquids.
When we unpacked, we noticed that most of our bags contained notices that they had been opened and inspected by TSA agents. I always pack liquids in zip lock bags. I KNOW that I totally closed the bottle of Febreeze and totally zipped closed the zip lock bag in which I put it, but upon unpacking, Febreeze was all over the place. (If a liquid has to get all over everything, I guess Febreeze is the best thing.) Also, I had my costume jewelry in a couple of zip lock bags. Again, upon unpacking, both were unzipped, my earrings were all over the place and one earring is missing. Obviously, the TSA agents are in a hurry and don't re-pack as carefully as I packed. I'm just mentioning this so that others will think about this as they pack; maybe you can think of better solutions than zipper bags.
I'll start my day by day report a bit later.
Mar 20th, 2007, 07:33 AM
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Day 1 (Friday/Saturday, March 9-10). The kids went to a full day of school, then we left right away. The airport parking lots were full, but the international terminal did not seem busy; I guess folks were staying closer to home for Spring Break. We were able to check in electronically at DFW...pretty cool; a machine scans your passports. At security, they noticed that DD11 had two Xs printed at the bottom of her boarding pass. That singled her out for special scrutiny. The lady kept asking her age and asking the other agents if they really had to do it. They wanded her, then put her in a machine that puffed air on her (to detect explosive powder). By that time, they had looked it up and realized that they don't have to do extra procedures on kids under 14.
The flight to London was uneventful. We became VERY thirsty. I had not had a long flight since the "no liquids" rule and assumed that they would give us bottles of water on the plane; wrong-just tiny cups of water. I vowed that next time, I'd spring for the expensive bottled water at the airport. Most of us didn't eat the yogurt they gave us for breakfast, so DH (who CANNOT STAND to throw away food) told DS16 to put them in his back pack. DS16 said they were 4 oz. each and would violate the 3 oz. rule. Sure enough, when DS16's backpack went through the machine at Gatwick, he was stopped and the yogurt was taken away. Many ribbings to DH: "Dad, they're confiscating your yogurt."
We had a 6 hour layover at Gatwick. We went downstairs and found a secluded place to doze and play cards. The self-serve restaurant called EAT had very good salads, sandwiches and soups.
LOTS of turbulence on the flight to Barcelona. We took the AeroBus to Placa de Catalunya, but I wished almost immediately that we'd taken a cab. It was hard to orient ourselves at the Placa de Catalunya and the "5 minute" walk to the flat was more like 15.
We stayed at the Tessa Apartment at Plaza Tetuan 25, managed by Habitat Apartments. Three bedrooms, two full baths, full kitchen with clothes washer; two of the bedrooms are upstairs and have skylights. Downstairs there is a terrace from which one can see the Sagrada Familia. The decor was very modern and nicely done; there was a lot of storage space, which can sometimes be a problem in vacation rentals. A metro stop was just across the street. I would highly recommend it, with one qualification; it is not near many restaurants or grocery stores of any size. There is a convenience store just down the street and loads of ATMs, however.
The flight to London was uneventful. We became VERY thirsty. I had not had a long flight since the "no liquids" rule and assumed that they would give us bottles of water on the plane; wrong-just tiny cups of water. I vowed that next time, I'd spring for the expensive bottled water at the airport. Most of us didn't eat the yogurt they gave us for breakfast, so DH (who CANNOT STAND to throw away food) told DS16 to put them in his back pack. DS16 said they were 4 oz. each and would violate the 3 oz. rule. Sure enough, when DS16's backpack went through the machine at Gatwick, he was stopped and the yogurt was taken away. Many ribbings to DH: "Dad, they're confiscating your yogurt."
We had a 6 hour layover at Gatwick. We went downstairs and found a secluded place to doze and play cards. The self-serve restaurant called EAT had very good salads, sandwiches and soups.
LOTS of turbulence on the flight to Barcelona. We took the AeroBus to Placa de Catalunya, but I wished almost immediately that we'd taken a cab. It was hard to orient ourselves at the Placa de Catalunya and the "5 minute" walk to the flat was more like 15.
We stayed at the Tessa Apartment at Plaza Tetuan 25, managed by Habitat Apartments. Three bedrooms, two full baths, full kitchen with clothes washer; two of the bedrooms are upstairs and have skylights. Downstairs there is a terrace from which one can see the Sagrada Familia. The decor was very modern and nicely done; there was a lot of storage space, which can sometimes be a problem in vacation rentals. A metro stop was just across the street. I would highly recommend it, with one qualification; it is not near many restaurants or grocery stores of any size. There is a convenience store just down the street and loads of ATMs, however.
Mar 20th, 2007, 07:43 AM
#3
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,549
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Great report so far; sorry about the missing earring and the subsequent suspicion anything missing from luggage inevitably produces.
Thirsty on the plane...understood completely.
I wonder if anyone brings EMPTY water bottles through security and then fills them up with tap water for flights.
Thirsty on the plane...understood completely.
I wonder if anyone brings EMPTY water bottles through security and then fills them up with tap water for flights.
Mar 20th, 2007, 07:48 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've heard that you can't bring empty bottles though security either, although it makes no sense. I think I'll try it next time - not much lost if they make you throw away an empty plastic bottle.
I wasn't really suspicious of theft from my luggage. It makes sense that TSA would examine "jewelry" (even my cheap stuff)and bottles of liquids. I'm just trying to think of how to pack in the future to prevents leaks and losses, once things have been opened and examined and not put back carefully.
I wasn't really suspicious of theft from my luggage. It makes sense that TSA would examine "jewelry" (even my cheap stuff)and bottles of liquids. I'm just trying to think of how to pack in the future to prevents leaks and losses, once things have been opened and examined and not put back carefully.
Mar 20th, 2007, 08:28 AM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Day 3 (Sunday, March 11). The day dawned bright and sunny. (It was great having the terrace so we could just step outside and guage whether we needed jackets, etc.) I pulled everyone out of bed early because I wanted to get to Sagrada Familia before the crowds. We grabbed some little sandwiches and pastries from a nearby shop and got cash from an ATM. The first ATM wouldn't give me money due to "technical difficulties" which is always a bit concerning, but the next one worked fine. (The numbers were in "reverse order", so I had to think about my password each time I used an ATM.) We were ready to face the metro. I found that I couldn't use a credit card in the ticket machine because it asked for a PIN (which I didn't have).
Visting Sagrada Familia was a great way to start the trip becuse you exit the metro and there it is-no need to look at the map. We were there at 8:55 for a 9 am opening. The ticket window finally opened at 9:10. We went straight to the elevator to the towers, but by then there was a large group in front of us; the group entrance must have opened on time.
Note that you can't climb either tower now. You must ride the elevator up, then walk down. If you go, take your time once you're in the tower. There are actually multiple towers and you can cross among them for different views. The whole family thought Sagrada Familia was way cool. DH took a bit too long at the museum downstairs (if there is a movie to watch, he has to watch it), but I used those moments to close my eyes a bit.
At the gift shop, we bought a book about the Sagrada Familia and went ahead and bought one on Parc Guell, too.
From there we walked along the Diagonal and saw Casa Terrades from the outside, then turned the corner and went inside La Pedrera. Again, we all thought the building was way cool.
DD14 is on the yearbook staff at school and since the yearbook has been finished and sent off for printing, they have to do something every day; one assignment is a themed photo project. DD14 brought her digital camera and figured she'd find something of interest in Barcelona. At La Pedrera she found her theme: photographing the various non-verbal signs that are all over the place. The one at the base of the staircase leading to the rooftop of La Pedrera was especially funny, showing a distressed person falling in a most unlikely maner.
After that it was time for lunch. I pulled out my annotated map and we found La Bodegueta, but it is only open for dinner on Sundays. Out came the map again. We found Ba-Ba-Reeba (Passeig de Gracia 28) and it was a fantastic first meal. We had asparagus and goat cheese pizza, goat cheese salad, and DD14 (the picky eater) had a cheese burger. The adults drank cava sangria, which was terrific. They also served the best olives I've ever eaten. I tried to find out if they had a name or how they were seasoned, but I couldn't communicate well enough with anyone to find out.
Next, we walked up the street and admired the houses in the Block of Discord from the outside. After that, it was time to get on the metro and find the Sea. After admiring the sea for a bit, DH wanted to ride the cable car and I told him that we'd end up on Montjuic near dark and that I wouldn't know how to get back down. We waited a long time for the cable car and sure enough, we ended up on Montjuic near dark and I coudln't find the funicular; we walked down and walked around for quite a while in a dicey neighborhood before we found the metro stop. That was one of the low points in the trip; I had been right, but didn't really want to be.
We took the metro back to the flat for a bit of rest, then ventured out for dinner when it was really too late for us. We ate at Txapela (Passeig de Gracia 8), but had to wait quite a while for a table. What I didn't realize until a day later is that we were eating "pinchos" (tiny bite sized portions) rather than full sized tapas (causing us to over-order at the next tapas meal). The service was pretty indifferent. The kids ordered Fanta Orange and the waiter even repeated it, but they got orange juice instead. I then wrote "Fanta" on the placemat, and then he got us some (but also charged us for the OJ.) Ordering Fanta became a running joke. I'd order it and the waiter wouldn't initally understand me, but eventually the waiter would pronounce "Fanta" exactly like I had (like on the "Noony" sketches if you watch Saturday Night Live).
We were out so late that the metro had closed and we walked back to our flat. Later, we confessed to each other that were were "trying too hard" to fit in by eating so late and we weren't out that late again.
Visting Sagrada Familia was a great way to start the trip becuse you exit the metro and there it is-no need to look at the map. We were there at 8:55 for a 9 am opening. The ticket window finally opened at 9:10. We went straight to the elevator to the towers, but by then there was a large group in front of us; the group entrance must have opened on time.
Note that you can't climb either tower now. You must ride the elevator up, then walk down. If you go, take your time once you're in the tower. There are actually multiple towers and you can cross among them for different views. The whole family thought Sagrada Familia was way cool. DH took a bit too long at the museum downstairs (if there is a movie to watch, he has to watch it), but I used those moments to close my eyes a bit.
At the gift shop, we bought a book about the Sagrada Familia and went ahead and bought one on Parc Guell, too.
From there we walked along the Diagonal and saw Casa Terrades from the outside, then turned the corner and went inside La Pedrera. Again, we all thought the building was way cool.
DD14 is on the yearbook staff at school and since the yearbook has been finished and sent off for printing, they have to do something every day; one assignment is a themed photo project. DD14 brought her digital camera and figured she'd find something of interest in Barcelona. At La Pedrera she found her theme: photographing the various non-verbal signs that are all over the place. The one at the base of the staircase leading to the rooftop of La Pedrera was especially funny, showing a distressed person falling in a most unlikely maner.
After that it was time for lunch. I pulled out my annotated map and we found La Bodegueta, but it is only open for dinner on Sundays. Out came the map again. We found Ba-Ba-Reeba (Passeig de Gracia 28) and it was a fantastic first meal. We had asparagus and goat cheese pizza, goat cheese salad, and DD14 (the picky eater) had a cheese burger. The adults drank cava sangria, which was terrific. They also served the best olives I've ever eaten. I tried to find out if they had a name or how they were seasoned, but I couldn't communicate well enough with anyone to find out.
Next, we walked up the street and admired the houses in the Block of Discord from the outside. After that, it was time to get on the metro and find the Sea. After admiring the sea for a bit, DH wanted to ride the cable car and I told him that we'd end up on Montjuic near dark and that I wouldn't know how to get back down. We waited a long time for the cable car and sure enough, we ended up on Montjuic near dark and I coudln't find the funicular; we walked down and walked around for quite a while in a dicey neighborhood before we found the metro stop. That was one of the low points in the trip; I had been right, but didn't really want to be.
We took the metro back to the flat for a bit of rest, then ventured out for dinner when it was really too late for us. We ate at Txapela (Passeig de Gracia 8), but had to wait quite a while for a table. What I didn't realize until a day later is that we were eating "pinchos" (tiny bite sized portions) rather than full sized tapas (causing us to over-order at the next tapas meal). The service was pretty indifferent. The kids ordered Fanta Orange and the waiter even repeated it, but they got orange juice instead. I then wrote "Fanta" on the placemat, and then he got us some (but also charged us for the OJ.) Ordering Fanta became a running joke. I'd order it and the waiter wouldn't initally understand me, but eventually the waiter would pronounce "Fanta" exactly like I had (like on the "Noony" sketches if you watch Saturday Night Live).
We were out so late that the metro had closed and we walked back to our flat. Later, we confessed to each other that were were "trying too hard" to fit in by eating so late and we weren't out that late again.
Mar 20th, 2007, 10:03 AM
#8
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello Missypie!
I've been anxiously awaiting your trip report as I remembered you were planning a spring break sojourn with the fam. My sister & I were in London & Paris while you were in Barcelona. I, too, found interesting the differences between security at DFW & LGW...you're ahead of me posting your trip report! I'm still muddling through the laundry....
I've been anxiously awaiting your trip report as I remembered you were planning a spring break sojourn with the fam. My sister & I were in London & Paris while you were in Barcelona. I, too, found interesting the differences between security at DFW & LGW...you're ahead of me posting your trip report! I'm still muddling through the laundry....
And I'm glad you all had a good time in Barcelona and that even your picky eater found some things to eat
Mar 20th, 2007, 11:17 AM
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Day 4 (Monday, March 12). I let the rest of the family sleep until 9 am, while I figured out how to use the clothes washer. I felt pretty accomplished by the second load (those universal symbols aren't so universal in my opinion.) Wanting a more restful day than the day before, we took the Rick Steves walking tour of the Barri Gotic. We went inside the Bishop's Palace and the Cathedral and its lovely cloisters. (I just love cloisters; that's probably from being a busy mom and attorney-I always imagine how nice it would be to have a secluded spot for contemplation.) We took the elevator to the top of the Cathedral and admired the view. We pretty much had it to ourselves.
After finishing the walking tour, we ate lunch at Pollo Rico (C. Sant Pau 31). (Note that there is an upstairs dining room, so if it looks too packed when you walk in, there's a ton of room upstairs.) We all had the 8 euro menu (except DD14 who just had chicken). If you are into healthy eating, skip this place; however, if you can endure a bit of fat, the chicken skin is one of the best things you'll ever put into your mouth! The menu came with water or wine, and they gave DH and I an entire bottle of wine. We couldn't finish it, but the kids were rather concerned about all the alcohol we were drinking at lunch.
After lunch, we did a bit of shopping and discovered that the shops really do close from 2:30-4:30 or so. We went to C. Petrixol and all the stores were shut tight. We moved on to El Corte Ingles. We bought a blow dryer and flat iron; with all of our travels, I don't know why we hadn't done that already. We then bought groceries and went back to the flat. I cooked pasta at home that night and everyone was glad for the rest. I was proud of figuring out the stove top and microwave. We also figured out the satellite TV in the flat. There were only financial-type shows in English, but it was fascinating to flip the channels and hear not only Spanish, Catalan, French and German, but also Arabic, Portugese and a few other languages that one rarely hears in Texas.
Day 5 (Tuesday, March 13). Today began with Parc Guell. We are all really enjoying Gaudi. The kids commented that the houses at the front look like Queen Frostine's house from Candyland. We walked up to the washerwoman's pavilion (I think that's the name) and us girls immediately recognized it as the site of the "Scary Bride" fashion show from America's Top Model. We took pictures of the girls being supermodels. And of course, we recognized lots of places from the Cheetah Girls movie. We pretty much walked the whole park. What a shame that the development didn't get completed...but then, of course, we wouldn't have been able to walk around it if it was all in private hands.)
From there, we went to lunch at 7 Portes (Passeig Isabel II 14). The kids said they felt underdressed, but we were treated fine. It seemed like it was full of business people having lunch. We enjoyed our paella and desserts. The kids had their first tomato bread there and really liked it.
By then it was mid-afternoon, and I thought that the line at the Picasso Museum wouldn't be long. Wrong. So we went across the street to the Barbier-Mueller Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. I had already told the family that we had to go there, because it features the collection of the family of one of my clients. It was actually quite interesting, although most Americans probably wouldn't think of going to see objects from Mexico and Costa Rica in Barcelona. After that, we looked at the line at the Picasso Museum-still long-so we visited Santa Maria del Mar. I was glad that we went when it was still light, as the stained glass windows are quite nice. We stopped in a few ceramics stores on the way back to the Picasso museum and by that time (just about dusk) we walked in without a line. The museum was nice, but I think we all enjoyed the one in Paris more. After that we bought a picture made of ceramic tiles and a few more pieces of ceramics, then ate dinner at Taller de Tapas (Argenteria 51). Because the portions had been so small at the first tapas place we tried, we ordered way too much food. Each plate was enough for at least two people to sample. But it was very good. Why can't I get shaved, fried artichokes around here?! Of course, after bemoaning how stuffed we were, we did stop at Farggi for gelato before going home.
After finishing the walking tour, we ate lunch at Pollo Rico (C. Sant Pau 31). (Note that there is an upstairs dining room, so if it looks too packed when you walk in, there's a ton of room upstairs.) We all had the 8 euro menu (except DD14 who just had chicken). If you are into healthy eating, skip this place; however, if you can endure a bit of fat, the chicken skin is one of the best things you'll ever put into your mouth! The menu came with water or wine, and they gave DH and I an entire bottle of wine. We couldn't finish it, but the kids were rather concerned about all the alcohol we were drinking at lunch.
After lunch, we did a bit of shopping and discovered that the shops really do close from 2:30-4:30 or so. We went to C. Petrixol and all the stores were shut tight. We moved on to El Corte Ingles. We bought a blow dryer and flat iron; with all of our travels, I don't know why we hadn't done that already. We then bought groceries and went back to the flat. I cooked pasta at home that night and everyone was glad for the rest. I was proud of figuring out the stove top and microwave. We also figured out the satellite TV in the flat. There were only financial-type shows in English, but it was fascinating to flip the channels and hear not only Spanish, Catalan, French and German, but also Arabic, Portugese and a few other languages that one rarely hears in Texas.
Day 5 (Tuesday, March 13). Today began with Parc Guell. We are all really enjoying Gaudi. The kids commented that the houses at the front look like Queen Frostine's house from Candyland. We walked up to the washerwoman's pavilion (I think that's the name) and us girls immediately recognized it as the site of the "Scary Bride" fashion show from America's Top Model. We took pictures of the girls being supermodels. And of course, we recognized lots of places from the Cheetah Girls movie. We pretty much walked the whole park. What a shame that the development didn't get completed...but then, of course, we wouldn't have been able to walk around it if it was all in private hands.)
From there, we went to lunch at 7 Portes (Passeig Isabel II 14). The kids said they felt underdressed, but we were treated fine. It seemed like it was full of business people having lunch. We enjoyed our paella and desserts. The kids had their first tomato bread there and really liked it.
By then it was mid-afternoon, and I thought that the line at the Picasso Museum wouldn't be long. Wrong. So we went across the street to the Barbier-Mueller Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. I had already told the family that we had to go there, because it features the collection of the family of one of my clients. It was actually quite interesting, although most Americans probably wouldn't think of going to see objects from Mexico and Costa Rica in Barcelona. After that, we looked at the line at the Picasso Museum-still long-so we visited Santa Maria del Mar. I was glad that we went when it was still light, as the stained glass windows are quite nice. We stopped in a few ceramics stores on the way back to the Picasso museum and by that time (just about dusk) we walked in without a line. The museum was nice, but I think we all enjoyed the one in Paris more. After that we bought a picture made of ceramic tiles and a few more pieces of ceramics, then ate dinner at Taller de Tapas (Argenteria 51). Because the portions had been so small at the first tapas place we tried, we ordered way too much food. Each plate was enough for at least two people to sample. But it was very good. Why can't I get shaved, fried artichokes around here?! Of course, after bemoaning how stuffed we were, we did stop at Farggi for gelato before going home.
Mar 20th, 2007, 11:56 AM
#13
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 3,227
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Why can't I get shaved, fried artichokes around here?! "
Because this is not Italy, missypie
We ate a lot artichokes here a bit south of barcelona..but we don't shave them and cook them in the oven with some salt and olive oil. Then you shave them yourself ... (many people like to suck the leaves, at home of course , not at a restaurant, hehehe)
Because this is not Italy, missypie
We ate a lot artichokes here a bit south of barcelona..but we don't shave them and cook them in the oven with some salt and olive oil. Then you shave them yourself ... (many people like to suck the leaves, at home of course , not at a restaurant, hehehe)
Mar 20th, 2007, 01:26 PM
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Day 6 (Wednesday, March 14). Yet another sunny day. Every day has been sunny, with highs in the low to mid 60s. God is obviously trying to make up for all of our summer vacations where it poured rain most of the time.
We went directly to the Palau de la Musica Catalana to buy tickets for a tour. The first available tour in English was a 1 pm. (I think that at least during the school year, most of the early slots are taken up by groups on field trips.) After buying the tickets, we walked to the Chocolate Museum. It was interesting, but we were a bit disappointed that there were no tastings, samples, etc. To remedy that, we went to a shop on Carrer Petrixol 11 and had Spanish chocolate and churros. The waiter asked if the girls wanted large cups or small. We all ordered large cups, but in reality, small would have been enough for all of us. The churros were freshly made and we were in chocolate heaven. While taking our order, our waiter softly fingered DD11's red hair. Later on in our trip, someone else touched DD14's blonde hair. When the girls mentioned this, I had to point out that they weren't seeing any natural blondes or redheads on the streets of Barcelona.
After our snack, we spent a bit of time shopping at H&M. We were cutting it close on time as it was, but after the sales girl charged me twice for the same top and had to void the sale and start again, we pretty much had to run to get back to the Palau de la Musica.
We made it just in time and we all LOVED the building. Some ladies next to us were talking about how tacky the decor was, so I guess to each her own. In our opinion, the stained glass on the ceiling was fabulous (although the Muses on stage were a bit creepy). We didn't want to leave.
Next was lunch and I had promised DD11 that we would go to Foodball. Alas, unless they've moved somewhere else, no more Foodball. We found the exact address and the doors were closed up tight, all grafitted, with no sign. Plan B - Elisabets, on the same street. We opened the door and the cigarette smoke poured out and the kids said they just couldn't eat somewhere that smoky, so it was on to Plan C-La Poma, right on La Rambla at the corner with C. Elisabets. The place was pretty empty, but we enjoyed our food. Sangria, pizza, great salads.
After lunch, we shopped our way to the Museum at the Placa del Rei. I'll note here that Barcelona has geat clothing stores. Even DS16 got into it a bit. The two girls, of course, made out like bandits; there are lots of stores selling "juniors" type of clothing at inexpensive prices. Wild "70s" prints are very in. Anyway, we were pretty late in arriving at the museum. We were a bit rushed, but had time to see everything.
We raced home on the metro, changed clothes and freshened up and headed back to Santa Maria del Mar, for a concert of the Vivaldi Gloria and the Mozart Requiem. DD11 and DD14 would have much preferred to have kept shopping, but the guys were in Mozart geek heaven. I will say that a gothic cathedral is not a good setting for Vivaldi-there is not time for the notes to clear, so it always sounds "off." But again, the guys, who both know the Requiem by memory, loved it. It was late after that, so we went home and ate leftover pasta, cheese and crackers, etc.
We went directly to the Palau de la Musica Catalana to buy tickets for a tour. The first available tour in English was a 1 pm. (I think that at least during the school year, most of the early slots are taken up by groups on field trips.) After buying the tickets, we walked to the Chocolate Museum. It was interesting, but we were a bit disappointed that there were no tastings, samples, etc. To remedy that, we went to a shop on Carrer Petrixol 11 and had Spanish chocolate and churros. The waiter asked if the girls wanted large cups or small. We all ordered large cups, but in reality, small would have been enough for all of us. The churros were freshly made and we were in chocolate heaven. While taking our order, our waiter softly fingered DD11's red hair. Later on in our trip, someone else touched DD14's blonde hair. When the girls mentioned this, I had to point out that they weren't seeing any natural blondes or redheads on the streets of Barcelona.
After our snack, we spent a bit of time shopping at H&M. We were cutting it close on time as it was, but after the sales girl charged me twice for the same top and had to void the sale and start again, we pretty much had to run to get back to the Palau de la Musica.
We made it just in time and we all LOVED the building. Some ladies next to us were talking about how tacky the decor was, so I guess to each her own. In our opinion, the stained glass on the ceiling was fabulous (although the Muses on stage were a bit creepy). We didn't want to leave.
Next was lunch and I had promised DD11 that we would go to Foodball. Alas, unless they've moved somewhere else, no more Foodball. We found the exact address and the doors were closed up tight, all grafitted, with no sign. Plan B - Elisabets, on the same street. We opened the door and the cigarette smoke poured out and the kids said they just couldn't eat somewhere that smoky, so it was on to Plan C-La Poma, right on La Rambla at the corner with C. Elisabets. The place was pretty empty, but we enjoyed our food. Sangria, pizza, great salads.
After lunch, we shopped our way to the Museum at the Placa del Rei. I'll note here that Barcelona has geat clothing stores. Even DS16 got into it a bit. The two girls, of course, made out like bandits; there are lots of stores selling "juniors" type of clothing at inexpensive prices. Wild "70s" prints are very in. Anyway, we were pretty late in arriving at the museum. We were a bit rushed, but had time to see everything.
We raced home on the metro, changed clothes and freshened up and headed back to Santa Maria del Mar, for a concert of the Vivaldi Gloria and the Mozart Requiem. DD11 and DD14 would have much preferred to have kept shopping, but the guys were in Mozart geek heaven. I will say that a gothic cathedral is not a good setting for Vivaldi-there is not time for the notes to clear, so it always sounds "off." But again, the guys, who both know the Requiem by memory, loved it. It was late after that, so we went home and ate leftover pasta, cheese and crackers, etc.
Mar 21st, 2007, 06:04 AM
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Day 7 (Thursday, March 15). I could tell by the way we were enjoying Barcelona itself that we weren't going to be able to fit in two day trips out of twon, but we did want to get to Montserrat, so today was the day. I had pages and pages of information about how to get to Montserrat, but it's interesting that when you actually need to use the information, something always seems to be missing.
We took the metro to Placa Espanya and looked for the Tourist Information booth, where I was told we would buy tickets. We went above ground, but the TI booth was closed tight. We went back underground to the train station, and there was a manned TI. We told the guy we wanted the Trans Montserrat tickets (which we had decided upon after studying all the options carefully.) He wrote out a slip and directed us to a guy who would buy them from the machine for us. Duh...none of the books mentioned that one can just go to the darned ticket machine and buy your own tickets. Anyway, we gave the guy our money and he bought them for us and we headed off in the direction of the platform. The trains come every hour on the :36. I don't know if that is always the case, but that is when they came that day. (I never could find the schedule on line.)
As we sat on the platform, I noticed that nothing in our materials or on our tickets mentioned the cable car-only the rack train. But, we had three sources of information that said that the Trans Montserrat tickets included both options. When we got off at the cable car stop, about half of us who got off only had the tickets that included the rack train, so we had to buy one way tickets on the cable car. The guy at the cable car place said that they are two different companies. We then figured out that the guy working at the TI obviously works for the company that does the rack train packages. Also, we were none too pleased that he sold us mere train tickets for the girls, which did not include all the things that the package tickets did. I think we did end up saving a total of 2 euro, but it was a pain to keep having to buy separate tickets for them. I really think that if we would have known to just buy from the ticket machines ourselves, we would have made better choices than being steered by the TI guy.
Anyway, we arrived and promptly went down the Santa Cova funicular. Note that, although the entry and basillica area of Montserrat are packed with people, very few people take the funiculars to do any actual hiking. The hike to the Sacred Cave had a few tough uphill points, but it is a short walk. We returned, keeping an eye on the clock so we could get back to hear the choir sing. (Note that the funicular operators also take Siesta, so if you don't time it right, you could have to wait 90 minutes or so for a funicular.)
We went inside the Basillica and sat for about 15 minutes waiting for the boys' choir to sing. We took turns walking around while waiting. We didn't stand in line to touch the Black Madonna, as we are Prsebyterian-type Christians and thought we'd leave that experience for those to whom it would mean more. (Note that by about 3:30 pm, the place was very quiet and I'm sure the line would be very short.) The boys' choir sounded great, but the incessant laughing and talking of the teens around us was quite distracting. I was glad that we weren't true religious pilgrims-I think that the lady sitting next to me was really counting on a prayerful religious experience and the boys next to her were very rude.
We had this great plan to have lunch at one of the Mirador restaurants the minute the choir was finished singing, so we headed out quickly and raced to the Mirador, only to find that the building was closed for renovation. One would think that a simple sign would be posted somewhere to prevent folks from walking all the way out there, but alas, it wasn't. By the time we got to the other cafeteria, it was packed. This was the only truly bad food we had on the trip and that is because ice cold calimari is nasty. The problem is that the beverages were amidst the coffee and beer line. One guy was getting 8 cups of beer and it took about 12 minutes for that to happen. Also, the person serving the coffee and beer would disappear for minutes at a time, making the line screech to a halt. I think that if we'd been in a place where we all spoke the same language, folks would have felt comfortable weaving in and out of line, but as it was, it took forever.
After lunch, we took the Sant Joan funicular and walked to the chapel. The view was terrific-a few wild flowers had already appeared-and almost no one was up there.
Upon our return, we looked in a few shops and got on the rack railroad for our trip back to Barcelona. Although most of the sources say that the cable car is more fun, I enjoyed the rack railroad more as it clung to the side of the mountain.
I have very mixed feelings about Montserrat. It is obvious that it was developed centuries ago as a place of seclusion and contemplation; it seems ridiculous to have it so packed with tourists. Also, it was rather stressful, having to remember when to catch the rack railroad or cable car to get to the train you want on time (because the trains only run once an hour); then you have to guage your hiking time so you don't get stuck during sieta, etc. Too many schedules and clocks to watch. If you want to do serious hiking, or if you are going for religious reasons, I would implore you to spend the night and enjoy your time in a less crowded, less time pressured manner.
We were back to the Passeig de Gracia area by about 7:45 and decided to go ahead and have dinner. We ate at Tenorio (Passeig de Gracia 37 [in the Block of Discord]). We were seated in the non-Spanish ghetto among all the other folks who were hungry for dinner at 7:45. The service was odd. After getting our menus, we were ignored for a very long time. After we finally ordered, our drinks and starters all arrived at once-except that DS16 also got his entree and DD11 got neither drink nor starter. It took quite a while before we all had somthing to eat. The food was quite good, however. We stopped for ice cream on the way home.
We took the metro to Placa Espanya and looked for the Tourist Information booth, where I was told we would buy tickets. We went above ground, but the TI booth was closed tight. We went back underground to the train station, and there was a manned TI. We told the guy we wanted the Trans Montserrat tickets (which we had decided upon after studying all the options carefully.) He wrote out a slip and directed us to a guy who would buy them from the machine for us. Duh...none of the books mentioned that one can just go to the darned ticket machine and buy your own tickets. Anyway, we gave the guy our money and he bought them for us and we headed off in the direction of the platform. The trains come every hour on the :36. I don't know if that is always the case, but that is when they came that day. (I never could find the schedule on line.)
As we sat on the platform, I noticed that nothing in our materials or on our tickets mentioned the cable car-only the rack train. But, we had three sources of information that said that the Trans Montserrat tickets included both options. When we got off at the cable car stop, about half of us who got off only had the tickets that included the rack train, so we had to buy one way tickets on the cable car. The guy at the cable car place said that they are two different companies. We then figured out that the guy working at the TI obviously works for the company that does the rack train packages. Also, we were none too pleased that he sold us mere train tickets for the girls, which did not include all the things that the package tickets did. I think we did end up saving a total of 2 euro, but it was a pain to keep having to buy separate tickets for them. I really think that if we would have known to just buy from the ticket machines ourselves, we would have made better choices than being steered by the TI guy.
Anyway, we arrived and promptly went down the Santa Cova funicular. Note that, although the entry and basillica area of Montserrat are packed with people, very few people take the funiculars to do any actual hiking. The hike to the Sacred Cave had a few tough uphill points, but it is a short walk. We returned, keeping an eye on the clock so we could get back to hear the choir sing. (Note that the funicular operators also take Siesta, so if you don't time it right, you could have to wait 90 minutes or so for a funicular.)
We went inside the Basillica and sat for about 15 minutes waiting for the boys' choir to sing. We took turns walking around while waiting. We didn't stand in line to touch the Black Madonna, as we are Prsebyterian-type Christians and thought we'd leave that experience for those to whom it would mean more. (Note that by about 3:30 pm, the place was very quiet and I'm sure the line would be very short.) The boys' choir sounded great, but the incessant laughing and talking of the teens around us was quite distracting. I was glad that we weren't true religious pilgrims-I think that the lady sitting next to me was really counting on a prayerful religious experience and the boys next to her were very rude.
We had this great plan to have lunch at one of the Mirador restaurants the minute the choir was finished singing, so we headed out quickly and raced to the Mirador, only to find that the building was closed for renovation. One would think that a simple sign would be posted somewhere to prevent folks from walking all the way out there, but alas, it wasn't. By the time we got to the other cafeteria, it was packed. This was the only truly bad food we had on the trip and that is because ice cold calimari is nasty. The problem is that the beverages were amidst the coffee and beer line. One guy was getting 8 cups of beer and it took about 12 minutes for that to happen. Also, the person serving the coffee and beer would disappear for minutes at a time, making the line screech to a halt. I think that if we'd been in a place where we all spoke the same language, folks would have felt comfortable weaving in and out of line, but as it was, it took forever.
After lunch, we took the Sant Joan funicular and walked to the chapel. The view was terrific-a few wild flowers had already appeared-and almost no one was up there.
Upon our return, we looked in a few shops and got on the rack railroad for our trip back to Barcelona. Although most of the sources say that the cable car is more fun, I enjoyed the rack railroad more as it clung to the side of the mountain.
I have very mixed feelings about Montserrat. It is obvious that it was developed centuries ago as a place of seclusion and contemplation; it seems ridiculous to have it so packed with tourists. Also, it was rather stressful, having to remember when to catch the rack railroad or cable car to get to the train you want on time (because the trains only run once an hour); then you have to guage your hiking time so you don't get stuck during sieta, etc. Too many schedules and clocks to watch. If you want to do serious hiking, or if you are going for religious reasons, I would implore you to spend the night and enjoy your time in a less crowded, less time pressured manner.
We were back to the Passeig de Gracia area by about 7:45 and decided to go ahead and have dinner. We ate at Tenorio (Passeig de Gracia 37 [in the Block of Discord]). We were seated in the non-Spanish ghetto among all the other folks who were hungry for dinner at 7:45. The service was odd. After getting our menus, we were ignored for a very long time. After we finally ordered, our drinks and starters all arrived at once-except that DS16 also got his entree and DD11 got neither drink nor starter. It took quite a while before we all had somthing to eat. The food was quite good, however. We stopped for ice cream on the way home.
Mar 21st, 2007, 08:15 AM
#18
Dear missypie:
I bet your picky eater liked La Poma. For us, after two weeks of Catalan tomato bread and serrano ham at almost every meal, the pizza and beer at La Poma was great. Too bad you got smoked out of Elisabet; it is supposed to be pretty good.
We also noticed the lack of customer service a number of times. Generally, places where the owners had a hands-on presence, the service was much better.
Loving your report and reliving our trip.
MY
I bet your picky eater liked La Poma. For us, after two weeks of Catalan tomato bread and serrano ham at almost every meal, the pizza and beer at La Poma was great. Too bad you got smoked out of Elisabet; it is supposed to be pretty good.
We also noticed the lack of customer service a number of times. Generally, places where the owners had a hands-on presence, the service was much better.
Loving your report and reliving our trip.
MY
Mar 21st, 2007, 08:15 AM
#19
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wow missypie, you & the fam covered a lot of ground. Honestly, I've never really had a desire to travel to Spain - and there's no real reason why except that I know so little about it...you've provided great descriptions thus far.
Mar 21st, 2007, 09:14 AM
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Day 8 (Friday, March 16). We can't believe our trip is almost over. This is the one day for which rain has been predicted (I bookmarked the weather channel on my Blackberry.) DH and DD11 wanted to walk all the way down Las Ramblas, so we did that first. DD11 loves street performers and living statues and DD14 hates them. We stopped for pastries at Escribe-good, but is the cool old building worth paying 4.5 euro a piece for pastries? At the bottom of Las Ramblas, we went up in the Columbus Monument...the space up there is TINY and if you're up there with anyone else, it's hard to get all the way around to see the view. While there, however, the family decided that it would be cool to visit the Martime Museum. I knew that there would thus not be enough time for one of the museums on Montjuic, but what the heck. The audio guide (free with admission) was very good, but I am going to be haunted by the plight of the galley slaves for some time. (Note that at this time, you can't go into the St. Eulalia ship...it is supposedly closed, but I didn't even see it in the water.)
After that, DD11 wanted to walk back up Las Ramblas to make sure she hadn't missed any street performers. By this time it ws uncomfortably crowded. DH had spied a gyro/chwarma place on Las Ramblas and wanted to eat there (called either Pita Hut or Pita Inn.) The food wasn't bad and it was inexpensive, but the place was pretty dirty.
After stolling the rest of the way up Las Ramblas, we went back to the flat to spend a few minutes enjoying our terrace and to check the weather forecast one more time. It was still sunny outside, but the forecast was still for rain by 5 pm, so we put some umbrellas and raincoats in our bags and headed to the funicular at Paral-lel.
I had no idea what Montjuic would be like. From the maps it seemed relatively undeveloped. I was surprised to see normal city streets, busses, etc. We voted to visit the Miro Museum in lieu of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. The Miro was pretty fun...DD11 especially enjoys that type of art. Of course, we had to laugh at the paintings that were truly a huge white canvas with a single squiggly line on it...DH said Miro must have been asking himself, "When are they going to find me out?"
From there we walked to the Olympic Stadium; it was after 6 pm so we couldn't get inside. It made me wonder about the Marathon...did the runners really have to run up Montjuic at the end of the race to enter the stadium?
We walked around the Museu Nacional and down the steps to find a spot to view the Magic Fountain (it runs only on Friday and Saturday evenings in the winter). I hate to admit it, but it was worth the trip. The classical music, lights on the fountain, etc. were enchanting and the kids loved it. We stayed through two sound shows...the kids could have probably stayed longer, but it was a little rainy and chilly.
We walked to the Espana metro stop and went to Barcelonetta for dinner. We had a specific destination, but there were rows and rows of totally empty restaurants along Passeig Joan de Borbo that each had a guy trying to get us to come into ("Your kids will eat for free."
We found Can Majo (C. Almirall Aixada 23); it was about 8:45 pm and we arrived to a totally empty restaurant. We almost laughed when they asked if we had a reservation; we said no and they acted concerned, but they "fit us in."
We got a very nice table in front of the case of chilling sea food. Note that this is a "nice" restaurant; certain seafood entres cost 30 euro each, although the paella and fideua are around 14 euro a serving. Our kids have rarely been to a retaurant with this type of service. DD14 ordered a Sprite to drink. The waiter was about to say they didn't have Sprite, but then a manager-type guy came up and said they could get one. Sure enough, they ran to a grocery store just down the block and came back with both a Sprite and a 7-Up from which she (aka, "The Princess" could choose. Our meal was good and the service quite attentive. By the time we left, the restaurant was full and they were turning people away (but the restaurants on Joan de Borbo were still empty).
After that, DD11 wanted to walk back up Las Ramblas to make sure she hadn't missed any street performers. By this time it ws uncomfortably crowded. DH had spied a gyro/chwarma place on Las Ramblas and wanted to eat there (called either Pita Hut or Pita Inn.) The food wasn't bad and it was inexpensive, but the place was pretty dirty.
After stolling the rest of the way up Las Ramblas, we went back to the flat to spend a few minutes enjoying our terrace and to check the weather forecast one more time. It was still sunny outside, but the forecast was still for rain by 5 pm, so we put some umbrellas and raincoats in our bags and headed to the funicular at Paral-lel.
I had no idea what Montjuic would be like. From the maps it seemed relatively undeveloped. I was surprised to see normal city streets, busses, etc. We voted to visit the Miro Museum in lieu of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. The Miro was pretty fun...DD11 especially enjoys that type of art. Of course, we had to laugh at the paintings that were truly a huge white canvas with a single squiggly line on it...DH said Miro must have been asking himself, "When are they going to find me out?"
From there we walked to the Olympic Stadium; it was after 6 pm so we couldn't get inside. It made me wonder about the Marathon...did the runners really have to run up Montjuic at the end of the race to enter the stadium?
We walked around the Museu Nacional and down the steps to find a spot to view the Magic Fountain (it runs only on Friday and Saturday evenings in the winter). I hate to admit it, but it was worth the trip. The classical music, lights on the fountain, etc. were enchanting and the kids loved it. We stayed through two sound shows...the kids could have probably stayed longer, but it was a little rainy and chilly.
We walked to the Espana metro stop and went to Barcelonetta for dinner. We had a specific destination, but there were rows and rows of totally empty restaurants along Passeig Joan de Borbo that each had a guy trying to get us to come into ("Your kids will eat for free."
We found Can Majo (C. Almirall Aixada 23); it was about 8:45 pm and we arrived to a totally empty restaurant. We almost laughed when they asked if we had a reservation; we said no and they acted concerned, but they "fit us in."We got a very nice table in front of the case of chilling sea food. Note that this is a "nice" restaurant; certain seafood entres cost 30 euro each, although the paella and fideua are around 14 euro a serving. Our kids have rarely been to a retaurant with this type of service. DD14 ordered a Sprite to drink. The waiter was about to say they didn't have Sprite, but then a manager-type guy came up and said they could get one. Sure enough, they ran to a grocery store just down the block and came back with both a Sprite and a 7-Up from which she (aka, "The Princess"
could choose. Our meal was good and the service quite attentive. By the time we left, the restaurant was full and they were turning people away (but the restaurants on Joan de Borbo were still empty).
