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Published: January 2nd 2008
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Christmas Lights
One of the many banks in the Zocodover wishing us all a merry Christmas First of all. Feliz navidades a todos! The christmas spirit is setting in here in Spain. The Christmas lights are up around the town, galaxies of stars cascade from all the shop windows and Santa's sleigh rides across ever street. All the government buildings have lost their austerity and are wishing us "feliz fiestas". Nativity scenes adorn ever church doorway, all the figurines face the empty manger, ready to gaze lovingly at the expected arrival.
The Christmas lights make up a little for the cold that is setting in strongly here. Everyone is nursing their health a little with colds, flu or sore throats. The centre of Spain may have an enviable summer, but a Manchego winter sure does chill your bones. The cold encroaches around your wrists, in between your gloves and your coat sleeves. It bites through the wool to your fingertips, and pierces through the scarf you have pulled around your face to force its way through your airways and chill your lungs. It leans on your chest as you walk and hugs your back when you pull your arms about you.
Perhaps a little illogically, with this cold, many houses in the old part of Toledo
Santa Maria del Mar
The Main nave behind the altar in Santa Maria del Mar do not have central heating. So, even here I find myself reaching my arm out of the bed to see how cold it is, and putting off that first visit to the bathroom in the morning.
So, with this Toledo cold, I was a little reluctant to go even further north for our December bank holiday. We had planned to go to Barcelona. A must see for anyone who has the opportunity to go and a popular destination for travellers from all over the world. Many stay, attracted by Barcelona's international spirit and effortless artistic flair. Howeer we found that the coastal weather was tempered considerably by a mediterranean breeze and warm sunshine and of course, heating in our hostel!
Situated on the north east coast of Spain, on the border with France and sharing that same Riviera spirit that caresses the many of the mediteranean ports, Barcelona was propelled into the spotlight when it was chosen to host the 1992 Olympics. As the capital of Catalunya it takes its Catalan identity very seriously. Incredibly, aswell as being feircely Catalan, Barcelona also manages to host and embrace an international community unlike any other in Spain. In Barcelona the
Lady Tropicana
The girls pose with one of the statues whole world comes together and adds to the artistic spirit of the city. Everywhere, the natural artistic flair of the city spreads through the architecture, art, restaurants, and overall culture of the city. Many bars have themes here, many streets seem prepared for a fiesta that happens everyday.
So in that spirit, Stephanie, Katie and I, fiest-ed everyday that we were there. Of course in between we did the mandatory 'tourist-sites-for-photos-to-show-family' but the real fun was at night.
We travelled overnight by bus from Madrid, arriving in the early hours of Thursday morning. Thankfully, Catalunyans are far friendlier than Manchego's, and a string of very friendly night owls helped us to our hostel. To begin with, a very kind lady walked us nearly all the way to our hostel. We, of course had not thought of buying a map beforehand. (As is always the case when you travel in packs, you always assume the other person has thought of the obvious. )
As she left us, with precise and firm further directions... as well as a list of other things to do in Barcelona, two other guys kindly provided us three lost little lambs with a further
escort. Im sure we were just an entertaining diversion but still. it was kind. Then at the end of the street and drunken guy and his friend approached us. Apparently he couldnt find his house and wanted directions. With our backpacks weighing us down we explained the obvious...that we werent from Barcelona and were looking for a street ourselves. When we said the name of the street...his eyes lit up. "thats my street" he said. "come with me i'll take you there"...Cheeky bugger..I thought he couldnt find his house??? Nevermind, he got us to our front door and for that, he got the mobile number he was after.
Inside the hostel we were directed to dump our bags in the disabled toilets and crashed out in the 'cill out' room upstairs. At about lunchtime, we emerged from our slumbers and headed out into the street and the buzz of the Christmas markets and the beautiful church of Santa Maria del Mar. Much like Notre Dame it is very dark with coloured light filtering in through the stained glass behind the altar, and a statue of a saint in each of the many recesses.
Walking around a little more
Cat in a telephone box
This guy actually sounded like a cat from down the street we headed for La Rambla. aka. One of the longest and coolest streets in Europe. It really does live up to the hype. Flourescent statues pose for cameras while pavement clowns mimick the passers by. Further on canaries tweet in their cages as someone else entertains the crowds with ball tricks. At the end of La Rambla is placa Catalunya and the begining of Passeig de Gracia, on which we found Gaudi's two houses. Unfortuneately Budjet Barca didnt include €9 entry fees for these houses.
Instead, our €9 went on Four Roses Whiskey, coke, and Beer for the game of Beer Pong which Steph and I were going to learn that evening. It was a trouble getting Ryan and Katie...world champion Beer Pongers...away from the table, but Steph and I were keen to represent our country's capability for drinking games...and drinking in general.
For those who dont know what Beer Pong is. Set up cups of beer at both ends of a table...like ten pin bowling. Each team has to throw the ping pong ball into an opposition cup. If it goes in...the opposition has to drink...and the rest is history...
So on Friday we got our
shit together with Kelsey Ryan and TOM and headed to Parc Guell. Oh my goodness. I still cant believe that it was someone's back garden...Its like wonderland. Felt like a complete child again walking through tunnels of ivy, under palm trees and surfing rock walls.
It only seemed fit to finish the day with Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. Started in 1882 (?) it is stll under construction. It probably doesnt help that it is in SPain...the land of delay...but as Steph pointed out... "if its always open to tourists...when do they work on it?
Friday night I was taking no prisoners, and decided to get on the internet for our drinking session that night. First we hit the Dow JOnes bar. All night the drinks prices go up and down according to how much people buy. Then, every so often...the market 'crashes' and all drinks are really cheap...Unfortuneately I think we had already had too many canas to take full advantage of the system!
Then it was of to La Fira, a disco I had found on a backstreet iternet guide. DEcorated kind of like avictorian carnival circus, it has a heaving atmosphere with plenty of tunes and
casa battló
Gaudi's work. A house based on the story of George and the Dragon. The facade is the bones of the dragon, the roof is like the scaley back and tail. some prety funky dancers...including our fine selves! The alley of wonky mirrors on your way out is kinds cruel though...drunk and wonky...what a buzz kill.
Then on the Saturday we headed to see the Sagrada properly, do a bit of Chrsitmas shopping and meet up with a friend. Tried to see the fountain display at MOunt Juic but it didnt happen. Boooo!!! Then it was a last night out at the local Irish Bar and a very scary moment seeing three women tag team pick pocket some random guy on the street. Yes Diego...'the bow' rules...but Scrumpy rules more!
Sunday I dragged myself out of my pit and to breakfast, ready to check out and head for the bus. To our horror, our bus was an hour earlier than we thought. So we bunged our stuff in our bags, bundled through the lobby (so sorry to the half asleep stranger i nearly knocked out with my bag) and into the cab. Once sat down on our eight hour bus ride...I finally realised something....Barcelona is knackering...
but god it was worth it...God bless Barcelona!
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