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Kerry and I
Checking the map, just after we checked into the hotel I normally enjoy starting trips to see visiting family members by getting hammered the night before and of course forgetting to go the sleep. This is a highly suggested strategy and I will recommend it to everyone.
My sisters Danielle and Kerry came to visit me in Spain on June 20th, being a very responsible brother I was meeting them in Madrid, but Los Hogares were going on in Alicante. By the time Wednesday came around I had already partied all week and I had to catch a train at 8am. I return to my flat around 5am, pack, blinked for two hours, and went to the train station where I slept the entire way to Madrid. I find the hotel and about two minutes later they enlighten me it’s the wrong hotel, they inform me there is another one down the street, so I go to the other one (same exact name) not to find them either, but luckily they returned to the hotel within five minutes of being there, and I am greeted with open arms (this was the longest I have ever been separated from my older sister in 22 years) and big smiles. Don’t worry I
did still smell like tequila, but nothing a sandwich, shower, and beer won’t fix.
Since I have been to Madrid many times I was a great tour guide and zipped them through the city in about a day, leaving the park retiro and other places I have not seen for the next day. That next day we did enjoy a crazy man yelling “desayuno chocolate” (chocolate breakfast), but he was also swimming and washing his clothes in the nasty water in front of the Monumento al rey Alfonso XII de España. We decided to walk around him and get a regular lunch instead of asking him about breakfast.
Returning to Alicante for Los Hogurous was the highlight of the time with my sisters for me. Since I know the city we were able to enjoy the Las Fallas “imitation” (I didn’t say that). Since I have been to Las Fallas as well I can say go to Los Hogurous in Alicante and skip Valencia. Los Hogurous is a more compact party; you can easily skip from street party to street party without having to walk 30 minutes. Obviously we did this and had an excellent time with the
locals and visitors alike. We played “flookieball” in the streets Bader’s versus Germans (losing heavily), drank sangria and cheap liquor on the beach under hot air balloons that nearly came to the ground on numerous occasions, ate tapas under giant tents in the streets, and watched giant paper statues burn to the ground with fireworks. Alicante or bust!!! I love this city!!
Next stop Valencia… Why? I don’t know I don’t like Valencia, but the sisters wanted to go so we went. An early train to Valencia on a 42 degree day without wind or shade was the best Valencia experience I have had yet. So, I’m not going to say anything more about that city… what city? The one that is north of Alicante and much worse, ALICANTE 4 LIFE !!
That same day we took a train to Barcelona. This was my first time in Barcelona, so I struggled to find a hostel that was placed slightly further away then the directions described. I was in a different hostel then my sisters and I was welcomed by five sixteen year old English kids from Bristol. Even though I was tired and didn’t have much conversation with
them that evening I enjoyed there conversations they had.
“It was a craze like yoyo’s”
“Go on the internet and type in white stuff” “It will probably say milkshake”
“Pile of wank shooting blanks”
Obviously there were many more, but I couldn’t understand nor remember all of there commentary.
The next day was filled with Guadi. We went to the Sagrada Familia first and to Parc Guéll after. After being in Europe for months and seeing the repetitious of architecture it is nice to see something that is completely different. We also went to the Olympic Stadium, art museum, and the castle area. In front of the Art museum is a grand fountain, with other fountains around it, and others leading down to towers. None of these fountains were on when were first in the area and this is understandable with it being hot, and many parts of Spain get no rain. After a quick glance at the schedule of the fountain, we decided to return after dinner, since the fountain was only open three days a week for three hours a day. I have a nasty habit of not completely reading or looking over things, so I obviously
misread the sign and the fountains were not on when we returned.
The final day with my sisters was a light day. We slept in a bit and did a little shopping (Ryan was struggling), had some tortillas, watched some guys on La Rambla gather crowds, and went to the Harley Davidson store. The guys on La Rambla were great, Michael Jackson dancers, fútbol jugglers, and some guy being blown away by wind were the interesting ones… The Harley Davidson store is a different story. The metro near the store does not exist yet, but it is still on the map (completely unacceptable). We had to walk and walk, but eventually got to the HD store and go my pony tailed, bearded, Harley owning father a HD Barcelona shirt. That night in the hostel, we were watching TV and the desk guy decides to leave and just leave us in charge? Um… ok?
“My number is on the counter if you need it”
“Vale”
Goodnight Barcelona, adios sisters, hello Prague!!!
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mandy
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help!
Hi, I am in Barcelona and my parents really like harleys, but i cannot find shirts for them from a harley store here... do you remember where you got yours? thank you... Mandy