Barcelona Barcelona where have you been all my life! Days 1 and 2
Jul 8th, 2015, 12:27 AM
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OK so here is the rest of Barcelona coming up. I'm now on the train to San Sebastián so will fill you in on the journey so far, and add web links at the end.
Monday night's dinner took us to Pla, recommended by travel and food guides. Located in the Gothic Quarter, it is divinely fitted out, ambient lighting mixing with its brick, multi level but small and enclosed interior to provide an intimate setting. But tables were well spaced so it didn't feel too small at all. We ordered four entrees and one main between us - perhaps unusual but Pla encourages different options to suit. The food was sensational. For €40 each we tasted well-designed, beautifully presented, unique dishes, and our bill included a glass each of cava and a bottle of wine.
I wasn't feeling very well however, so opted to take a cab home after dinner while the other girls stayed on and went out after. I felt quite lightheaded and was definitely dehydrated and needed sleep. The girls wanted to explore some nightlife and found their way to the marina courtesy a meet up group they had found online. So off for some bad karaoke they went! They eventually stumbled in at 4.30am so presumably enjoyed their night!
The next morning, yesterday, was our last in this beautifully eclectic city and I wanted to get up and out before it got too hot or busy. I went for a quick run up the Avinguda Diagonal - a wide boulevard in Les Cortd, that
had plenty of space for running, and there were a few of us out among the early work crowd. It's obviously a business area and the r were already getting semi busy by just after 7am. Again, just 1km from our spot in
, the city changed rapidly from older buildings along older roads that are not the laneway width of the Gothic Quarter another km away in the other direction, but are not quite the CBD feel of the experience up in Les Corts.
I then decided to wander around Catalunya Placa and Passeig de Gracia for an hour or two as I decided what to do with my last day. We had planned a bike tour but I wasn't sure that was still on given the late night of my companions. I was thinking of maybe heading to a museum to avoid the heat, but then my friend called and was up and about ready for the bike ride, so I headed up to the Placa Catalunya to meet them. And I'm so glad we went on it. By the end I was tired, hot and hungry but it was worth it. I'd already seen most of the sites we covered, and others may prefer to start in a city with something like this, but it did also help consolidate the trip to the city. It gave me some background and context I hadn't had when I went to places on my own. We went to many sites, including the Parc Ciutadella, beach, Placa Reial (really cool Gaudi lights in here), Las Ramblas, Passeig de Gracia to see the Gaudi buildings and Sagrada Familia. Our guide was lovely and took her job seriously - as do most in Barcelona, I found.
By then I was done for the day! Hot and bothered we headed home to partake in the Spanish siesta for a few hours before dinner. For our last night we opted for a recommendation the girls had been given on their previous night out. Lolita is a tapas bar near the likes of the popular Tickets and Begoda, around Poble Sec. While Tickets books out well in advance, or so I hear, we walked into the quiet Lolita. The crowd did pick up however and the staff, the food, the atmosphere and the unpretentious decor were all terrific ingredients for another great dinner. Sitting up at the bar, we enjoyed salmon, squid, some vegetarian delights and not bad wine and beer all for €20 euro each. Off to a gin bar across the road we each sampled a different cocktail. It was still hot and the night showed no sign of cooling down. We decided to try one last place for one last cocktail on our last night. Again, a recommendation. The bar, Ocan, is in Placa Reial, which appears completely different at night to day. The Gaudi lights lit up the the Placa beautifully and I highly recommend others spend an evening in one of the bars or restaurant around the perimeter. Our waiter was gorgeous and certainly knew how to charm, playing it up for our delighted smiles.
At midnight we headed home, ready for some sleep before the alarm would go off just after 6am. We had a 7.30am train ticket to San Sebastián and a 6.45am cab booked to the Sants station. A hurried exit, the inevitable 'oh no I left such and such in the apartment', a dropped coffee on the floor of a station cafe, and some bleary heads made for an interesting start to our morning (we eventually found in our bags the things we thought had been left behind). Here I have to mention my experience in booking a ticket on the Renfe site. I discussed this in a post when preparing for my trip, but - as fodorites well know - booking from Australia on this website is seemingly impossible at times. I eventually worked out that the website for some reason doesn't like our national ISP Telstra, so I tried my phone, which is with the Optus carrier. It worked, but despite a front page that allows you to select English, the rest of the site is in complete Spanish. So I had to manually type into Google translate on my computer every word from the site, lest I ended up booking us to the wrong place! I was quite dubious about the standard of ticket it promised, given the price. We paid AU$65, for apparently first class 2x2, facing each other. I can't recall the name of the type of ticket but everything I read told me it was offered at a discount rate, when purchased in advance, and that we had to buy all four seats to get the 2x2 configuration. It still worked out cheaper than any other ticket even with the extra seat purchase. I handed over my credit card details dubiously. My cynicism was right - when we found our way to the coach our tickets told us to go to, there was no such configuration. We had the correct seats but they weren't facing each other. Oh well. Not to worry. The extremely officious conductors were helpful in pointing out where to go but not in assisting with luggage, and when there was no room for ours he didn't seem to care, only telling us in Spanish that we had to move them from where we had try to put them out of the way. So we repacked everyone else's luggage as he watched!
So far we are almost half way to our 1pm scheduled arrival in San Sebastián. The train is comfortable and clean and it's so far a pleasant journey.
So that's it for Barcelona! Almost.
I will now just sum up my feelings about the city. This is my first European trip so Barcelona was my first European city. When I first arrived on hot and sweaty Saturday morning, I was immediately struck by a familiarity from my senses - all at once Cambodia returned to me! Now this may sound ridiculous but I was struck by the same smells and heat that Cambodia hit me with when I first went there seven years ago. Certainly to a lesser degree but Barcelona's heat and age combined to offer me some unpleasant whiffs from their drains. In some places the stench of urine adds to the assault on the senses. This is not a criticism of the city and not a judgement either - it's a major city, it's old and it's high summer. All of its foibles are part of its charm and part of what makes it the eclectic, vibrant, beautiful and fun city that it is. I'm told I won't get in cities such as Rome the laid-back chilled vibe I got in Barcelona, as busy traffic knits itself around the one way streets, happily letting cyclists, skaters and pedestrians play alongside and in between. City workers stroll, they don't rush, locals link between tourists, seemingly not bothered by the perpetual camera posing holiday makers taking over their footpaths, parks and landmarks. Barcelona workers in shops take their jobs seriously and are often officious if not overly chatty, but they are not unfriendly either. Waiters and waitresses however are definitely friendly and go out of their way to offer excellent service - at least in our experience. Barcelona is a city to fall in love with. It's a city that offers a multitude of experiences and will let you find whatever one it is you're looking for.
Some web links to places we loved:
Flauta (tapas bar in Eixample - no website but here's the TripAdvisor link)
http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restau...Catalonia.html
Pla:
http://www.restaurantpla.cat/barcelo...ant/index.html
Teresa Carles (vegetarian but the BEST!):
http://teresacarles.com
Lolita:
http://www.lolitaperia.com
Euskal Etxea (a divine little tapas in the beatiful El Born maze of laneways. It's right near the Picasso museum and we had an amazing lunch here and tried our first cava)
http://www.euskaletxeataberna.com
Cycling tour:
http://www.barcelonaciclotour.com/en/
If I remember any I may have forgotten I will add later.
I'd also recommend a trip to and around the Parc Ciutadella, Sagrada familia, Parc Guell and Montjuic. There's plenty to do up there and plenty more in Barcelona in general so this is merely a taste of what's possible and told through the eyes of merely one person.
Well this has taken me two hours on my iPhone so once again I apologise for any ramblings and typos!
RT
Monday night's dinner took us to Pla, recommended by travel and food guides. Located in the Gothic Quarter, it is divinely fitted out, ambient lighting mixing with its brick, multi level but small and enclosed interior to provide an intimate setting. But tables were well spaced so it didn't feel too small at all. We ordered four entrees and one main between us - perhaps unusual but Pla encourages different options to suit. The food was sensational. For €40 each we tasted well-designed, beautifully presented, unique dishes, and our bill included a glass each of cava and a bottle of wine.
I wasn't feeling very well however, so opted to take a cab home after dinner while the other girls stayed on and went out after. I felt quite lightheaded and was definitely dehydrated and needed sleep. The girls wanted to explore some nightlife and found their way to the marina courtesy a meet up group they had found online. So off for some bad karaoke they went! They eventually stumbled in at 4.30am so presumably enjoyed their night!
The next morning, yesterday, was our last in this beautifully eclectic city and I wanted to get up and out before it got too hot or busy. I went for a quick run up the Avinguda Diagonal - a wide boulevard in Les Cortd, that
had plenty of space for running, and there were a few of us out among the early work crowd. It's obviously a business area and the r were already getting semi busy by just after 7am. Again, just 1km from our spot in
, the city changed rapidly from older buildings along older roads that are not the laneway width of the Gothic Quarter another km away in the other direction, but are not quite the CBD feel of the experience up in Les Corts.
I then decided to wander around Catalunya Placa and Passeig de Gracia for an hour or two as I decided what to do with my last day. We had planned a bike tour but I wasn't sure that was still on given the late night of my companions. I was thinking of maybe heading to a museum to avoid the heat, but then my friend called and was up and about ready for the bike ride, so I headed up to the Placa Catalunya to meet them. And I'm so glad we went on it. By the end I was tired, hot and hungry but it was worth it. I'd already seen most of the sites we covered, and others may prefer to start in a city with something like this, but it did also help consolidate the trip to the city. It gave me some background and context I hadn't had when I went to places on my own. We went to many sites, including the Parc Ciutadella, beach, Placa Reial (really cool Gaudi lights in here), Las Ramblas, Passeig de Gracia to see the Gaudi buildings and Sagrada Familia. Our guide was lovely and took her job seriously - as do most in Barcelona, I found.
By then I was done for the day! Hot and bothered we headed home to partake in the Spanish siesta for a few hours before dinner. For our last night we opted for a recommendation the girls had been given on their previous night out. Lolita is a tapas bar near the likes of the popular Tickets and Begoda, around Poble Sec. While Tickets books out well in advance, or so I hear, we walked into the quiet Lolita. The crowd did pick up however and the staff, the food, the atmosphere and the unpretentious decor were all terrific ingredients for another great dinner. Sitting up at the bar, we enjoyed salmon, squid, some vegetarian delights and not bad wine and beer all for €20 euro each. Off to a gin bar across the road we each sampled a different cocktail. It was still hot and the night showed no sign of cooling down. We decided to try one last place for one last cocktail on our last night. Again, a recommendation. The bar, Ocan, is in Placa Reial, which appears completely different at night to day. The Gaudi lights lit up the the Placa beautifully and I highly recommend others spend an evening in one of the bars or restaurant around the perimeter. Our waiter was gorgeous and certainly knew how to charm, playing it up for our delighted smiles.
At midnight we headed home, ready for some sleep before the alarm would go off just after 6am. We had a 7.30am train ticket to San Sebastián and a 6.45am cab booked to the Sants station. A hurried exit, the inevitable 'oh no I left such and such in the apartment', a dropped coffee on the floor of a station cafe, and some bleary heads made for an interesting start to our morning (we eventually found in our bags the things we thought had been left behind). Here I have to mention my experience in booking a ticket on the Renfe site. I discussed this in a post when preparing for my trip, but - as fodorites well know - booking from Australia on this website is seemingly impossible at times. I eventually worked out that the website for some reason doesn't like our national ISP Telstra, so I tried my phone, which is with the Optus carrier. It worked, but despite a front page that allows you to select English, the rest of the site is in complete Spanish. So I had to manually type into Google translate on my computer every word from the site, lest I ended up booking us to the wrong place! I was quite dubious about the standard of ticket it promised, given the price. We paid AU$65, for apparently first class 2x2, facing each other. I can't recall the name of the type of ticket but everything I read told me it was offered at a discount rate, when purchased in advance, and that we had to buy all four seats to get the 2x2 configuration. It still worked out cheaper than any other ticket even with the extra seat purchase. I handed over my credit card details dubiously. My cynicism was right - when we found our way to the coach our tickets told us to go to, there was no such configuration. We had the correct seats but they weren't facing each other. Oh well. Not to worry. The extremely officious conductors were helpful in pointing out where to go but not in assisting with luggage, and when there was no room for ours he didn't seem to care, only telling us in Spanish that we had to move them from where we had try to put them out of the way. So we repacked everyone else's luggage as he watched!
So far we are almost half way to our 1pm scheduled arrival in San Sebastián. The train is comfortable and clean and it's so far a pleasant journey.
So that's it for Barcelona! Almost.
I will now just sum up my feelings about the city. This is my first European trip so Barcelona was my first European city. When I first arrived on hot and sweaty Saturday morning, I was immediately struck by a familiarity from my senses - all at once Cambodia returned to me! Now this may sound ridiculous but I was struck by the same smells and heat that Cambodia hit me with when I first went there seven years ago. Certainly to a lesser degree but Barcelona's heat and age combined to offer me some unpleasant whiffs from their drains. In some places the stench of urine adds to the assault on the senses. This is not a criticism of the city and not a judgement either - it's a major city, it's old and it's high summer. All of its foibles are part of its charm and part of what makes it the eclectic, vibrant, beautiful and fun city that it is. I'm told I won't get in cities such as Rome the laid-back chilled vibe I got in Barcelona, as busy traffic knits itself around the one way streets, happily letting cyclists, skaters and pedestrians play alongside and in between. City workers stroll, they don't rush, locals link between tourists, seemingly not bothered by the perpetual camera posing holiday makers taking over their footpaths, parks and landmarks. Barcelona workers in shops take their jobs seriously and are often officious if not overly chatty, but they are not unfriendly either. Waiters and waitresses however are definitely friendly and go out of their way to offer excellent service - at least in our experience. Barcelona is a city to fall in love with. It's a city that offers a multitude of experiences and will let you find whatever one it is you're looking for.
Some web links to places we loved:
Flauta (tapas bar in Eixample - no website but here's the TripAdvisor link)
http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restau...Catalonia.html
Pla:
http://www.restaurantpla.cat/barcelo...ant/index.html
Teresa Carles (vegetarian but the BEST!):
http://teresacarles.com
Lolita:
http://www.lolitaperia.com
Euskal Etxea (a divine little tapas in the beatiful El Born maze of laneways. It's right near the Picasso museum and we had an amazing lunch here and tried our first cava)
http://www.euskaletxeataberna.com
Cycling tour:
http://www.barcelonaciclotour.com/en/
If I remember any I may have forgotten I will add later.
I'd also recommend a trip to and around the Parc Ciutadella, Sagrada familia, Parc Guell and Montjuic. There's plenty to do up there and plenty more in Barcelona in general so this is merely a taste of what's possible and told through the eyes of merely one person.
Well this has taken me two hours on my iPhone so once again I apologise for any ramblings and typos!
RT
Jul 8th, 2015, 01:53 AM
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If you liked Euskal Etxea in the Basque Cultural Center in Barcelona, you will love San Sebastian. Decent pintxos in Euskal Etxea, but nothing compared to what you will find in almost any pintxos bar in San Sebastian. All about going for the famuos pintxos: http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=en
Here are some of my favourite pintxos bars in San Sebastian Old town/Parte vieja (but it's not easy to do much wrong here in the culinary capital of Spain, if not all of Europe. Places that serve less than fabulous food would normally be out of business in weeks in food crazy San Sebastian). This route is some 200 meters and will kill you ;-):
Urola: http://allaboutfoodmag.com/de_pintxos-en-casa-urola/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/casa-urola-san-sebasti%C3%A1n
Goiz-Argi: http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bar...7&do=vista_bar
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/...e-8303538.html
Txepetxa, anchovies heaven and an institution in town: http://www.bartxepetxa.com/
Cutting edge Zeruko: http://www.barzeruko.com/
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...as-pintxo-bars
Emblematic La Cepa, here you can have the best cured ham in the world, Jamon de Jabugo: http://www.barlacepa.com/en/
La Cuchara de San Telmo: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ue_Country.htm
And an alternative list of nine pintxos bars in the Parte vieja: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/phoebe...b_3843675.html
And many of the best and most local atmsophere pintxos bars are in the Gros district, just across the bridge over the city river Urumea (your train arrives on the Gros side of the Urumea).
I always have my first night dinner in Casa Urola. A place that locals take new visitors to show what the food culture here is all about. Same waitress last fall as when I first visited in 1987, and can't wait to go back in a couple of months. Chef Pablo Loureiro is considered one of the best grill chefs in all of the Basque Country, and Urola is now also well known for their grilled vegetables. One "Sol" in the Guia Repsol, the Spanish equivalent to the Michelin guide: http://www.casaurolajatetxea.es/es/portada/
http://tourism.euskadi.eus/en/restau...aa30-12375/en/
http://www.andyhayler.com/restaurant/casa-urola
This very fun video says all about the food culture in Donostia-San Sebastian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwmBAvqa_0U
Have some fabulous days in my favourite city on the planet!
Here are some of my favourite pintxos bars in San Sebastian Old town/Parte vieja (but it's not easy to do much wrong here in the culinary capital of Spain, if not all of Europe. Places that serve less than fabulous food would normally be out of business in weeks in food crazy San Sebastian). This route is some 200 meters and will kill you ;-):
Urola: http://allaboutfoodmag.com/de_pintxos-en-casa-urola/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/casa-urola-san-sebasti%C3%A1n
Goiz-Argi: http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bar...7&do=vista_bar
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/...e-8303538.html
Txepetxa, anchovies heaven and an institution in town: http://www.bartxepetxa.com/
Cutting edge Zeruko: http://www.barzeruko.com/
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...as-pintxo-bars
Emblematic La Cepa, here you can have the best cured ham in the world, Jamon de Jabugo: http://www.barlacepa.com/en/
La Cuchara de San Telmo: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ue_Country.htm
And an alternative list of nine pintxos bars in the Parte vieja: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/phoebe...b_3843675.html
And many of the best and most local atmsophere pintxos bars are in the Gros district, just across the bridge over the city river Urumea (your train arrives on the Gros side of the Urumea).
I always have my first night dinner in Casa Urola. A place that locals take new visitors to show what the food culture here is all about. Same waitress last fall as when I first visited in 1987, and can't wait to go back in a couple of months. Chef Pablo Loureiro is considered one of the best grill chefs in all of the Basque Country, and Urola is now also well known for their grilled vegetables. One "Sol" in the Guia Repsol, the Spanish equivalent to the Michelin guide: http://www.casaurolajatetxea.es/es/portada/
http://tourism.euskadi.eus/en/restau...aa30-12375/en/
http://www.andyhayler.com/restaurant/casa-urola
This very fun video says all about the food culture in Donostia-San Sebastian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwmBAvqa_0U
Have some fabulous days in my favourite city on the planet!
Jul 8th, 2015, 02:01 AM
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Thanks so much kimhe!
I have lunch for my birthday on Saturday booked at Akelarre. I am hoping however not to burn a hole in my wallet between now and that major (for me!) indulgence.
I have lunch for my birthday on Saturday booked at Akelarre. I am hoping however not to burn a hole in my wallet between now and that major (for me!) indulgence.
Jul 8th, 2015, 02:29 AM
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No need to burn a hole in your wallet in San Sebastian, each pintxo is only some 2-3 euros and you could have fabulous tasting menus in some of the best restaurants for some 30-40€ with wine included: http://www.restaurantelamuralla.com/es/
or 60€: http://www.bodegonalejandro.com/en/home
And you could have a traditional three course lunch with the locals for some 10-12€ with wine included in places like La Zurri: http://www.restaurantelazurri.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...e_Country.html
and El Rincon: http://www.restaurantebarelrincon.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ue_Countr.html
And you can very much look forward to your birthday lunch in Akelarre. I posted this after a visit here in October 2013:
--
Had a memory for life lunch at three star Akelarre some weeks ago for about 100€ pp. We had the "Sea garden" appetizers, the traditional and local fish and shellfish soup "a la Donostiarra", Hake and its Kokotxa with Oyster and Oyster Leaf, Grilled Iberic “Secreto” with Pepper seeds and Garlic in three different versions (we had two half main dishes on their suggestion), chocolates and a couple of glasses of wine.
I will especially remember the Akelarre version of the fabulous San Sebastián fish and shellfish soup (which usually is excellent also in "normal" restaurants up here, highly recommended!), and the Hake and Kokotxa is perhaps the best thing I've ever eaten. This page gives you an idea: http://driftingepicure.com/2013/03/28/akelarre-review/
--
or 60€: http://www.bodegonalejandro.com/en/home
And you could have a traditional three course lunch with the locals for some 10-12€ with wine included in places like La Zurri: http://www.restaurantelazurri.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...e_Country.html
and El Rincon: http://www.restaurantebarelrincon.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ue_Countr.html
And you can very much look forward to your birthday lunch in Akelarre. I posted this after a visit here in October 2013:
--
Had a memory for life lunch at three star Akelarre some weeks ago for about 100€ pp. We had the "Sea garden" appetizers, the traditional and local fish and shellfish soup "a la Donostiarra", Hake and its Kokotxa with Oyster and Oyster Leaf, Grilled Iberic “Secreto” with Pepper seeds and Garlic in three different versions (we had two half main dishes on their suggestion), chocolates and a couple of glasses of wine.
I will especially remember the Akelarre version of the fabulous San Sebastián fish and shellfish soup (which usually is excellent also in "normal" restaurants up here, highly recommended!), and the Hake and Kokotxa is perhaps the best thing I've ever eaten. This page gives you an idea: http://driftingepicure.com/2013/03/28/akelarre-review/
--
Jul 8th, 2015, 11:42 PM
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looking forward to the trip report, but remember to take your time to enjoy the city/area ;-)
But can't help giving you a couple of more things to think about. Perhaps a lunch in close by and tiny Getaria? Plain fantastic fish and seafood in the restaurants down in the small harbour. The ritual goes something like this (and you don't have to go to Michelin star Elkano to get the Getaria experience): http://www.thepauperedchef.com/2007/...-in-getar.html
Also a few excellent seafront restaurants in even tinyer and picturesque Pasajes San Juan/Donibane, just a couple of miles east of San Sebastian in air. I've had lunch here many times. Bus from Plaza de Guipuzcoa or a relatively short taxi ride (you must go around the Pasajes bay, so it will be some ten minutes): http://www.euroresidentes.com/eurore...s/san-juan.htm
A couple of the seafront restaurants in Donibane:
Txulotxo: http://www.restaurantetxulotxo.com/
Casa Camara: http://www.casacamara.com/
http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Resta...a-222192-41102
Excellent 15 min video about seafood, the Basque coast, Pasajes and Getaria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqdjeGqnVKc
But can't help giving you a couple of more things to think about. Perhaps a lunch in close by and tiny Getaria? Plain fantastic fish and seafood in the restaurants down in the small harbour. The ritual goes something like this (and you don't have to go to Michelin star Elkano to get the Getaria experience): http://www.thepauperedchef.com/2007/...-in-getar.html
Also a few excellent seafront restaurants in even tinyer and picturesque Pasajes San Juan/Donibane, just a couple of miles east of San Sebastian in air. I've had lunch here many times. Bus from Plaza de Guipuzcoa or a relatively short taxi ride (you must go around the Pasajes bay, so it will be some ten minutes): http://www.euroresidentes.com/eurore...s/san-juan.htm
A couple of the seafront restaurants in Donibane:
Txulotxo: http://www.restaurantetxulotxo.com/
Casa Camara: http://www.casacamara.com/
http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Resta...a-222192-41102
Excellent 15 min video about seafood, the Basque coast, Pasajes and Getaria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqdjeGqnVKc
Jul 9th, 2015, 12:01 AM
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... and it's also a very nice walk to Pasejes San Juan/Donibane along the coast from San Sebastian over Monte Ulia. A small boat take you over the 50 meters of water from San Pedro to San Juan/Donibane, goes back and forth all the time. This is the way we use to do it: An hour or so walk with the best views followed by a great lunch, and then taxi or bus back to town.
This might make you decide to set aside a few hours for Restaurante Txulotxo and San Juan/Donibane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx9eQSe7wJ0
This might make you decide to set aside a few hours for Restaurante Txulotxo and San Juan/Donibane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx9eQSe7wJ0
Jul 9th, 2015, 04:13 AM
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Thanks kimhe! Not sure I'll get to all those places but I want to try to hike to Pasajes in the morning - early though before breakfast as it's going to be hot! I wanted to do a walking tour but today it's not until 5.30pm and I already booked a much-needed hair appointment for 4.30. I was going to call to change but they don't speak English.
Jul 9th, 2015, 06:54 AM
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TPAYT I guess it is true that there are so many places to go, it's impossible to see them all. I am so glad I got to experience Barcelona! I have more cities to come on this trip but I fear I have already developed an addiction to Europe. Spain is my first country here and it is beautiful. The people are beautiful also.
Sep 9th, 2015, 04:15 PM
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Thanks ahotpoet ... great name btw!
Yesterday I read another trip report, in which the OP didn't enjoy the city at all. I guess it reinforces that one person's gold is another person's junk. I did find it smelly and a bit dirty, but I decided to embrace that as part of being in an old city experiencing a really hot summer. I come from near Melbourne and there are pockets of Melbourne I wouldn't be proud to have tourists comment on, but that doesn't mean the city as a whole is not a great place. I embraced the culture and the attitudes of the locals - all wonderfully friendly and welcoming. I never once felt unsafe. It was my first European city and sure it's not Paris, its Arc de Triomf is not the same as going to the Champs Elysees, but nor should it be. It's its own city. Anyway, travel through Cambodia taught me a lot about embracing places and celebrating their uniqueness, good and bad - if dirty and smelly is considered bad that is, or just different to pristine places. FWIW I didn't enjoy the Champs Elysees as it felt too sanitised, so there you go! Each to their own though.
Yesterday I read another trip report, in which the OP didn't enjoy the city at all. I guess it reinforces that one person's gold is another person's junk. I did find it smelly and a bit dirty, but I decided to embrace that as part of being in an old city experiencing a really hot summer. I come from near Melbourne and there are pockets of Melbourne I wouldn't be proud to have tourists comment on, but that doesn't mean the city as a whole is not a great place. I embraced the culture and the attitudes of the locals - all wonderfully friendly and welcoming. I never once felt unsafe. It was my first European city and sure it's not Paris, its Arc de Triomf is not the same as going to the Champs Elysees, but nor should it be. It's its own city. Anyway, travel through Cambodia taught me a lot about embracing places and celebrating their uniqueness, good and bad - if dirty and smelly is considered bad that is, or just different to pristine places. FWIW I didn't enjoy the Champs Elysees as it felt too sanitised, so there you go! Each to their own though.
