Monday May 30, 2011

Ok so we woke up and found out that the train was running an hour or so late. A.k.a we missed our connecting train. We got out in Tortino Porta Susana and had to navigate that train wreck of a station. Mom sent me around to see if anyone spoke English. They did not. Stupid Italian. At least in Spain I could sort of get something.

So we had about two hours till we could get a train to Milan so we walked around a bit and it was actually nice there.

Where mom and I sat and ate our sandwiches, waiting for our train.

Barcelona= have to look for food

Italy=food food food food

Train to Milan, train to Florence. Got in finally at 3:30 pm. Left the night before at 8. Nbd.

Holy Jesus is Italy hot. We find our hotel, which is more like a little villa. 

more pics to come. but this is our lovely abode

The main office is down the road with a place for Internet, while our room is down the street. We feel like it is our apartment that we live in. so adorable. Florence is much more compact than Barcelona so getting around is not that big of a deal. Took a shower to refresh and went for  a lovely dinner at Za Za’s.

we tried pulling ourselves together

Me: salad with cheese, pears, cured ham

Nicoise salad yumm

Walked around a little and got some fruit and veggies for tomorrow. 

where we got veggies. who would have thunk it lol

I got choc crescent roll . Wasn’t very good though. 

Cooking class tomorrow.

I am going to go die now. 

Sunday May 29,2011

Wake, pack, breakfast, and check out. Hotel held our bags and we were off to the Palau de Musica Catalanya. 

I had taken pics on the outside during the photo tour but the inside was much better. 

Of corse no photos inside.

We had reserved the tour two days in advance. 50 mins inside a beautiful auditorium. It was designed as a garden. Stained glass and flowers everywhere. 

We then walked around trying to find food. Mom thought every place looked too touristy for her taste. 20 mins later and we were at the burger king of sandwich shops. Really mom? We got our sandwiches to go then grabbed a cab to Parce Guell, which was beautiful but soo crowded. It was like Disney world! We had gotten some veggies earlier and found a nice spot to eat them. 

I dont really include it in the journal, but we ate veggies all day every day.
Mom is a hamster.

We ate a sweet pepper, tomato, 2 carrots and some of the sandwiches. We then proceeded to walk around the street vendor infested parc. It was ridiculous. It stole away from the magic and fantasy that Gaudi had created. It was given somewhat back when we went under a huge terrace and there was a man playing the cello and violinist playing classical music for the park-goers. 

There is also this really famous mosaic lizard that is like the symbol of the park that was harder to get to than mickey mouse. For real.

Famous lizard lol

20 min walk to the metro station, then Rambles for food.

( Oh I forgot to say how the other day we got soooo lost. For like an hour! It was terrible!)

We got food for now and then some for dinner on the train. We would not be eating again for a while.

Mom and I decided that Barca is like a mix between New York and beautiful scenery. The sites are touristy but not in the cheap way.

Got to train station, got on the train after checking with a million people that we were indeed on the correct train. Rooming with two older Spanish women who were just adorable!

             So a first class sleeper cabin means 4 beds that take the place of your seats and a mirror. Boom, that’s it!

The women don’t speak English but offered us coolies and then asked where we were going in Spanish. I answered and they were shocked and immediately started asking all these questions about our trip and where we were from. I was quite impressed with my Spanish skills as was my mom. They were the sweetest ladies every except one of them snored all night! Sleep was not great. I turned the noise machine on for a little but was scared my phone was going to die.

Going to sleep now!

Saturday 20, 2011

Mom’s snoring is bordering on infuriating but I feel so bad kicking her awake when it happens, as she has insisted. She feels bad and tells me that we’ll come back early today for a nap. I do not argue with her.

We go to find where the train station is for our trip tomorrow out of Barcelona and into Florence. It takes a bit but we are both glad we know exactly what to do tomorrow when we all our luggage with us and are stressed about time.

literally everywhere
We then head back to Las Ramblas for a little bit of shopping. Throughout our trip we have been bombarded with people of all ages toting around Zara shopping bags. We have a Zara at home but it is no big deal and no one really shops there. Zara is their Forever 21 on acid. We decided to see what all the hype is about.

It was beautiful; I could have brought the whole store home with me. It was a thing of beauty. Mix F21 and Anne Taylor. Very well constructed garments in bright youthful colors. I tried on about 20 items and ended up getting a pair of hot pink/salmon chino pants. I felt very European. Mom bought an adorable white top with cutouts around the neck.

We go back for a nap before our 4:30 bike tour.

Cat nap then out to Uraguay. We meet the instructor/guide in a square and walk over to the shop to retrieve our bikes. 

We are joined by a British couple visiting for a long weekend and two cute Australian boys. Good thing I look like a homeless person. Whatever, I am comfy. The tour was lovely. The weather was perfect. Biking with a local through the city was a mix of tiding to major landmarks and riding through back streets with a history lesson and a little pit stop at a bar. (a glass of sangria was included in the trip yum)

Square that was used for firing squads. The holes in the walls are bullet holes!

The tour was three hours but I enjoyed every second of it. There were hardly any rough hills. But dodging people was quite the adventure. 

Men playing volleyball on the beach in basically thongs!

Its hard to get pictures of yourself on a bike tour lol

so happy

Our guide was fearless. Luckily she had on a neon vest or we would have lost her for sure. She was quickly maneuvering through tough crowds with the help of her meek bike bell.

After the bike tour I was famished! We walked to a place our guide suggested. Mom didn’t like the look of it so we went to Jaume ( our spot) and ended up back at the tapas place from the night before. We got significantly more this time and got two beers to celebrate the day.

We went back to Las Ramblas for some ice cream for me. Coconut obviously.

We had to find a new atm to use because the one we found was boarded up. What?!

Back at our hotel for shower. Felt amazing. Barcelona was playing in the soccer finals tonight. The town was a sea of Unicef jerseys and flags. 

While in our hotel we could hear the riot happening out on the street below. Oh man did I say riot? I meant the tiny bar below our hotel. It was craziness. Fireworks were being shot off at every goal.

We could have done something but we were so tired. We were skyp-ing dad and my brother and sister who were watching the game in Colorado in the middle of the day. Kind of weird!

Friday May 27,2011

Waking up at 7:30 was a real treat. We ate. Got ready. Met our photo guide Diana at la Sagrada Familia, at the Domino’s restaurant that did not actually exist.

Diana, photo guide

Apparently manuual focus is all that should ever be used. Ever. She was a swift walker in athletic pants, top and sneakers. My sandals were no mathc or the next four hours of insane cardio and info pumped into my brain. To be honest I am still a little overwhelmed by the whole thing. The photos I took were not super amazing but it helped me understand a few more things that will help my pictures throughout the trip.

We went to a random tapas place for lunch after the lesson. Which actually wasn’t very good but it was food and I was dying. I got chicken kabobs with salad. She got very salty chicken with rice. She complains that most things are very salty so in her defense, it actually was. 

After the insane morning we had, a nap was in order. I really don’t think I am conveying effectively just how much we walked. Everywhere that we have been metro-ing around the past few days, we walked. Many times over. I thought I was going to die.

Rested from 3:30-5 then left the hotel at 6 and headed back to Jaume ( the really cool spot we found the night before)

Had quite the miniscule meal. Seriously, we thought it was a joke. We ordered a salad with fish and a shrimp thing in a clay pot. The waitress dripped the salad at the table and we just stared at it. Mom was convinced it was like a free salad that came with the meal. 

entree salad. seriously?

Then my shrimp came in a dish that most people would put bracelets in or something.

 Then we knew it was our $10 and $12 shrimp. In their defense, it was actually good.

So far we have been smart about using the bathroom. Any restaurant we go to, the bathroom will be used. Bathrooms are not abundant here like candy thrown out at a parade like they are in the US. Here they are hidden and for the Spanish speaking elite, like a secret club we weren’t invited into.

We walked around and got some chocolate. Dark choc with macadamian nuts and dark choc over almonds. 

on the quest for chocolate

Then we got some choc chip bread and some sort of gluten free bread thing on accident which mom actually liked ( go figure). 

we thought it was choc. Jokes on us

Found an amazing little gypsy shop with amazing colorful jewelry, but sort of expensive. Mom got two earing and I got one. They are beautiful!

gypsy shop. In love

Then mom was surprised when I said I was still hungry after gourging myself on the baby food at the restaurant.

We went to a lively funky tapas bar that we had seen earlier. Tapas go like this. You basically get a plate then just walk around eating little bite sized breads with things on top. 

the staff liked us lol

Then you just hand them your plate when you are done with all the tooth picks on them, and they charge you for it. Shit like this would never fly in the US. Not honest enough.

The staff was young and very friendly so It was nice to let loose a little.

Headed back in the metro, which I have now mademy bitch. Seriously, I know it like the back of my hand.

We have made up little nicknames to help us remember which line to take when:

Fondo= Frodo= what we need to take when we need to head out. Frodo leads us on an adventure with the lord of the rings.

Urquan…=Uruguay= one stop on the way to Jaime ( see below) we have to switch routes at urugay.

La Pau= La Pa

Jaume- Jaime- our fun destination with shopping and tapas

Hospital- On way home. We say we need to go to the hospital after Frodo took us on our journey.

Hey..anything to remember where the hell you are going.

Oh and apparently we weren't done eating cause I needed pizza

Brie pizza. OMG amazing

we made a makeshift table out of our nightstand drawer