Blogs from Spain, Europe - page 1389

Hello all, I´ve just realized that in the time since I wrote my last entry, I´ve been in 4 citiestownstiny tiny villages. Some only for a day trip, course. Let´s see.....since I left Lagos, I went to Faro and stayed there for 2 nights until I caught the bus to Sevilla on Monday. I also did a day trip to Tavira while in Faro. Right now, I´ve just made it to Barcelona and am waiting to see if a bed becomes available at the nearby hostel. Faro was pretty quiet, it seems to be mostly a transport hub for the rest of the Algarve region. Met yet another American guy named Jamie, from Seattle. We´ve ended up taking the bus and also the train together lately. Sevilla was really really nice. It rained the first afternoon ... read more

At 8am on Saturday morning, Laura and I took a bus ride to the 19th century. Well, not quite, but pretty close. We headed for Sevilla to see their festival that occurs every spring. The women dress in Flamenco dresses and the men in three piece suits or riding outfits. Horses and carriages line the streets, filling quicker with each hour, and the sidewalks are transformed into city-like blocks with ¨casetas¨lined from one street to the next, back to back with others, for five blocks one way and five blocks the other. In these casetas, there is dancing, the traditional flamenco, eating, drinking and fellowship with friends. However, for people who aren´t from Sevilla, it´s not as fun as it sounds. These are casetas privadas, or private areas, where you must be invited in or have ... read more

Hello all, it´s 4 days into my trip and I´m now in Madrid after catching a sleeper train last night. Diana and I zoomed around Paris before this. A reminder for those of you who are planning on traveling with others. If you take the window seat so you can sleep during the flight to wherever you are going, then don´t complain if your buddy in the aisle seat is tired the next day! The first day in Paris was definitely exhausting, what with the lugging the back pack around, finding a place to stay (or not finding it, which happened several times), and then running off to see Notre Dame, the Pantheon, Pont Neuf, some archeological crypt, and getting food. All of this on foot, of course. Considering my fair travel buddy was still alive ... read more

Buenos dias! 'Tis Liz again, recouperated from my various physical/mental ailments of last week. I've been celebrating by poisoning my still-fragile body with cheap, cheap Spanish wine. Seriously, it's about $1 Canadian a bottle. Yes, we're that classy. We've arrived and settled in our last stop in the tour of Spain, Bar-thay-lona. You must say it with an exaggerated, flamboyant lisp, or a host of untold misfortunes will befall you... or something. Anyway, the city is beautiful, physically and otherwise. Despite the fact that neither Pia or I have a clue about the Catalan language (we're so ignorant... we thought they all just spoke Spanish until we stepped off the metro and couldn't read the street signs) almost everyone we've talked to has been incredibly accomodating and friendly. They all pretty much seem to speak Spanish ... read more

One bedroom apartment in the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona One bedroom apartment in the Gothic Quarter that was redecorated in February of 2004. It´s a first floor, 50m2 apartment with high ceilings (3.6m) which give it a very spacious feel, one bedroom, kitchen, living room, bathroom, air conditioning and heating. In the bedroom there are two single beds with a wardrobe, desk and a balcon looking onto the street. The balconies have double doors to avoid any noise comming in from the street. In the living room there is a sofa (190 x 135), which can be converted into a double bed, t.v and table and chairs. The kitchen is equipped with an oven, washing machine, hobs for cooking, dishes, cutlery etc. There is a nice size bathroom with a shower unit. The landlord also provides ... read more