Christine and I headed back to La Rambla for breakfast. I had hoped that La Boqueria was open but being a public holiday it was closed. Instead we settled for morning coffee and pastry at Escribà.
The pastries and cakes are beautifully presented and the chef is quite a celebrity, making cakes in all kinds of artistic styles for personalities and special events.
After breakfast we headed off to see the Picasso Museum. On the way we walked through Plaça St Jaume in the Barri Gotic. This had been the location for the display of Castell building the previous aftenoon but were were lucky now to see another treat that is part of La Mercé, the parade of the giants!
The plaça was quite crowded, what with the giants and the spectators, but I managed to get a couple of photos.
The Picasso Museum was very interesting. There was a short queue to get in but then because of the holiday admission was free! It was particularly good to see so many of his early works all together. You can really get the feel for his development of technique and then the way in which his style was influenced over time by other artists and particular artistic movements. His later paintings and drawings somehow seem to show him "unlearning" all of that to arrive at the simplest expression of the artistic idea.
Then it was back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and head off to the airport. While we were waiting for the flight I bumped into Annette Edmondson and congratulated her on her olympic medal. She was a little amazed to be recognised but of course we had also seen her live in Melbourne at the world titles. Annette has also been up near Girona and was headed home.
Arriving in Dubai - to even longer queues at passport control... this is now surely one of the slowest airports in the world! Makes me think twice about stopping over there!
Along the way I had caught a cold and so Christine and I spent a very quiet day in Dubai, in fact I spent the entire day in bed, just venturing out for dinner at the Bayt Al Wakeel restaurant overlooking Dubai Creek. Fairly standard middle eastern food, but good quality and with a unique view, watching the abras and dhows plying the river. Spoilt somewhat by me being sick, but these things happen.
Then it was back to the hotel for an early night and an uneventful flight to Australia! Another great holiday comes to an end.
After the very late night - I took a little while to wind down ;-) I expected a late start from the others. SO when I woke up I caught the Metro down to the beach to see the Sunday morning sights. Joggers, cyclists, volleyball players... and lots of people just after a coffee and somewhere to sit.
As you can see it was a cloudy morning, although still quite warm. This area has lots of cafes and restaurants and I expect that at night time it is fairly busy.
I found quite a satisfactory pastry, fresh squeezed juice and coffee and watched the world go by. By the time I was finished the others were up so I headed back.
Julie and Keith were about to head off to Granada on the evening train and I felt like a quiet time so I sat down and watched the men's road race while Christine explored the Museum of Contemporary Art.
In the evening we headed down to find Imprevist - a restaurant down near Sant Antoni and the old market building.
Having found it and made a booking we killed some time - first a drink in a small plaza where a game of football raged (look out for your glass) and then down to show Christine the market building that is being renovated. This district is interesting with a large migrant population. In the street football game there were boys and girls of Spanish, Korean, Indian and other racial groups all from the neighbourhood.
Mercat de Sant Antoni
Dinner at Imprevist was lovely - a degustation menu of small courses, all of them lovely. I chose a Ribera del Duero which went down very well.
After dinner we walked down to near the Contemporary Art Museum where there were two stages running as part of La Merce. Only one was active at the time and it wasn't really our cup of tea so we headed home to bed.
As we had agreed the night before, the day started with a visit to the Boqueria Markets, a real treat of colours, tastes and smells. These markets are just off the Rambla so it was only a short walk from our hotel in Universitat however we decided to take the Metro as it was a good opportunity to explain the mechanics to those who had not used the Barca metro before... A single priced ticket for any journey, checked when you enter but not when you leave... making sure that you follow the signs to the right line and travelling in the right direction... all metros are somewhat confusing at first use and simple thereafter!
We emerged from the Liceu station right outside the markets and headed in.
We had a fresh juice from the bewildering variety available. They all looked pretty good. Two euros per large glass... suck that up Boost Juice!
It was crowded enough that we agreed not to try to stay together but rather to come back to the entrance after an hour.
Mixed mushrooms
Christine and I had breakfast of coffee and eggs. I had mixed mushrooms which looked and tasted fabulous. There were at least six different sorts of mushrooms in the mix, many of which you just don't see in Australia.
Not exactly short of oil in the cooking method though :-(
Lots of the usual variety of things to see, like most fresh food markets it is a great place to take a camera.
Baskets of snails - some trying to escape
Even eggs for sale can be presented attractively
We then made the short walk to see Barcelona Cathedral which has a really beautiful circular stained glass window.
The church was badly damaged by looting and a fire during the civil war, and at several earlier times in the tumultuous history of the city.
After that we did some souvenir shopping and people watching in the narrow streets of this area.
Based on what Keith, Christine and Julie had seen the previous day from the bus we headed up toCasa Batlló on Passeig de Gràcia ,a house designed by Gaudi. Like almost any Gaudi creation it has the ability to polarise opinion - I would find it quite liveable but other people were not so warmed :-)
Talk about warming, there is this lovely fireplace nook inside the entrance.
Chimneys
Central light well. The house is spread over five floors. There is a life and a lovely winding staircase.
I went back to the hotel to sort out some last minute dramas with tickets (it all turned out OK) and then watched the road world championships on the tele.
So - the big night - Barcelona vs Granada! We had an early tapas dinner close to the hotel and caught a taxi out to the stadium. The 9pm start isn't late by Barcelona standards, often their games start at 10pm. At night the Camp Nou is even more impressive than in the day time. We started off on exactly the wrong side so we had a walk around half the perimeter to get to our seats but we had plenty of time. You could feel the buzz of excitement in the crowd as it slowly built. Lots of people in Barca colours but a few wearing Granada strip. In Spain there is little or no risk of soccer violence and the fans of other teams are welcome - well perhaps not welcome but treated with respect.
Before the game
Photos with the children
The team is introduced
Xavi scores!
... and celebrates!
The final result was 2-0, I sang and clapped along with the crowd and had a fabulous night!
After the game we met up again with Keith and Julie, had a drink at a bar as we waited for the crowd to disperse somewhat, but it was still a queue, hot and crowded to catch the metro back to the hotel but I was happy anyway!
Based on Chloe's recommendation we made a visit to the markets. Lots of produce, including these sheep heads and lots of seafood, but nowhere attractive to get a coffee, so after a quick explore we headed off.
We checked out of the apartment and got the cashier to call a taxi for us. The taxi to the station was a bit of a circus: muttering about the amount of luggage, running into a concrete bollard at low speed, going the wrong way down some streets, a near miss with another vehicle but we made it!
By comparison the train trip to Barcelona was uneventful: we had missed the MD train but there was enough room for us to sit with all of our luggage. Barcelona Sants isn't too bad with luggage and we were soon out of the station. Catching a cab was easy.
We checked in at the hotel... the rooms were less than perfect but OK. Ours fronted onto what is risibly termed a light well so the electic light was needed most of the time. The rooms were fairly quiet except for bathroom noise in ours and street noise for K&J. We had a late tapas lunch around the corner which was pretty good.
I made a solo trip out to Camp Nou, primarily to get tickets for K&J. I also bought a new #8 shirt and scarf. This all turned out fine, and it gave me a chance to check out the metro route. C&K&J took the explorer bus so that they could check out the layout of Barcelona and decide what to go back to on subsequent days.
For dinner we tried to go to a recommendation from Trip Advisor, but they were fully booked, so we ended up with cheap and cheerful paella at a cafe in between.
The original plan had an optional trip to the coast and back today, however nobody took up the option! Fair enough too, there was plenty to see and do in Girona!
More stairs : everywhere you turn in the old city
We went down to the B12 restaurant and bar on Placa del Vi for breakfast. The breakfast was fairly standard but I noticed that they had a very good range of organic and artisan local beers so I had a lovely dark ale to finish the meal off. Some of our group were incredulous, others knew me better :-)
View from the walls
Next task was the laundry, so off to Chloe's place... she was full of hospitality and was really generous with her time and washing machine. She recommended the walk along the city wall so that was next on the agenda.
It took us a little while to find the stairs up to the top and there were plenty of them, but it was worth the effort. The city walls give great views over Girona and the surrounding area. We walked the entire length of the reconstructed wall from down near the river up to behind the cathedral, where it ends in some lovely gardens.
Cathedral main entrance
We then headed down to the river and had lunch at Konig, which had a good range of lunch options and good beer! After that we went our various ways, Christine and Julie back to the apartment and Keith and I wandering around. I found a gelato shop and indulged myself, then headed up the hill to visit the museum and the cathedral.
The museum was primarily religious art. Some of it was interesting, but nothing really stands out. In general I am not a fan of Spanish art until we get to the moderns (Picasso, Dali, Miro etc.)
NO photos of the interior of the cathedral. Why do some ban photography and others (Ripoll, Barcelona, Valencia etc.) don't? The Cathedral has interesting internal structure, a result of the multiple expansions over the centuries. The wide single nave is very impressive.
We all ended up back at the apartment (the clean laundry collected already) and then headed down the hill for a drink with Chloe. We met up at the bike shop and went to the River Cafe (across the plaza from Konig) for a glass of wine and a chat.
Chloe recommended a restaurant for dinner and we said goodbye as she was off to the English language cinema (a treat for her). She also recommended a visit to the local markets which we decided to do in the morning.
Dinner at El Cau del Llop was really good. It was hard to find, but we ended up still being fairly early for dinner which was great because it really filled up. Six of us for dinner, good food and wine with a very comfortable feel.
Everything went will in Girona for our departure. The cathedral bells gave us a wakeup call at 6 and then again at 7 :-)
We had breakfast at a restaurant onPlaça de la Independència overlooking the river. Then back to the apartment to pack and check out. I was very happy when the proprietor offered that we could leave our bags in the apartment for the two nights that we would be away, which significantly reduced our effort! Then down to the bike shop to pick up the bikes and depart for Ripoll.
Everything went well there, and we were soon on our way in a van with the bikes in the back. Fitting our pedals, my seat, getting the heights right and so on was quickly done. This was despite a steady stream of customers of many were Australian! Dave told me that they had 100% of their rental bikes committed so things were busy.
The narrow streets of the old city were a bit of a challenge in the large van but we made it eventually and were out on divided roads for most of the way. The country became more lush and mountainous the further we went. I was sitting in the front with the talkative driver who spoke no English so my Spanish comprehension got a workout for an hour or so!
We discussed the scenery, other drivers, the volcanoes that we drove past, the various routes available and much more. As we came through the edge of Olot he told me where our hotel was.
Plaça de Sant Eudald
In Ripoll we quickly found Hotel La Trobada and settled in. Once again they were well prepared for us and our bikes. The hotel is only about 200m from the via verde so they probably get lots of cyclists.
We strolled across town looking for some lunch (barely adequate) in Plaza del Ayuntamento and then took in the sights of the town including the picturesque buildings inPlaça de Sant Eudald and elsewhere.
Cloister at Santa Maria
Christine went back to the hotel and Keith, Julie and I visited the monastery of Santa Maria's church and cloister. Ripoll had been the location of an important scriptorium in the 12th century.
Later Jeff and Gerda, Peter and Sandy arrived having taken slow trains from Valencia. We all went out to dinner at La Piazzetta which as the name would indicate serves pizza (along with other dishes). The pizza flavours were unusual and interesting and the wine was good!
We had a fairly relaxed schedule, with the train not due to depart until 1pm. So we had a relaxed breakfast with the others, strolled around and then checked out and took the short walk to the station.
The train to Girona was uneventful. These medium-fast trains (around 200kph) are not pressure sealed and they generate quite a bow wave in tunnels so that our ears were popping at each one. The service was good, and Keith and I headed off to the cafeteria car to get lunch for us all.
The train made only a few stops and Keith and Julie got to see this section of the Med coast for the first time. From Barcelona onwards the landscape got more hilly and a lot greener. A stark contrast to what we had been riding through inland of Valencia.
The other obvious difference is in terms of population density. No wide open vistas here... lots of towns and villages with small agricultural lots and plenty of industry.
This complex set of supports is required because one building has been
demolished and supports are needed to hold up the neighbouring ones.
When we got to Girona it was straightforward: into a big enough taxi and up the hill to Hotel Historic to sign in and be shown the way to our apartments (about 50m away) at Casa Cundaro. The old town of Girona is definitely hilly, so I am glad that we didn't even contemplate walking from the station! At the apartment there were a couple of flights of stairs but after a few trips we had all the luggage up and unpacked.
The apartment was quite comfortable. That is until the cathedral bells started almost overhead at 6am :-) Actually I didn't mind. It is a pleasant sound and I am already awake at that time.
A beer in La Rambla, which is lined with bars and restaurants
A classic Girona view in the evening
After dealing with arrival and unpacking we headed down the hill to explore. Lots of typical narrow, twisty streets, but here many of them have stairs. It reminds me somewhat of Cortona. The town is very photogenic, especially the buildings and bridges along the Onyar river, with the cathedral towering overhead. Everywhere we went there were lots of sightseers, camera at the ready but it was nver crowded unlike Barcelona!
I made a quick visit to Girona Cycle Centre to confirm arrangements for the next day. There we met Dave and Saskia and bumped into Chloe Hosking, ex Canberra cyclist. All seemed in readiness so we agreed to return in the morning for fitting etc.
Plaça de la Independència
We had dinner of tapas at one of the many restaurants that surround Plaça de la Independència on the other side of the river. It was a comfortably warm night, quite suitable for eating outdoors and listening to the buskers - of varying quality who went from one group of tables to the next. Then the stroll back over the bridge and back up the hill to the apartment to finish the day.
Lots of people out in the street, enjoying a drink
or just socialising.
As we had previously planned, Christine and Julie set off to the station to catch the train down to Valencia with the dead bike. However bike problems were not yet over... the rear tyre on my bike was a little flat. This was with a new tube, having carefully checked the tyre for shap objects etc. the previous eveing. Not too bad, but down a little. So I rolled down the hill to the service station to fill it. Bad news. It was now going flat instantly. We had no spare tubes, so I sent Keith on his way and started the walk down town to the bike shops. More bad news, one not opening and the other not open :-( So I rolled around to the train station to discover that it was a LONG wait for the next train. Pretty pissed off I called a taxi and took it all the way to Valencia Nord. This was amusing as the drive spoke no English, so we conversed via my bad Spanish. Turns out that she is a supporter of Los Che so we talked football.
Meanwhile Keith successfully found the route to the Les Valls railway station (past the end of the via verde) and caught the train in from there. The rest followed along on more or less the same route :-) Actually as I walked to the bike shops I passed a signpost with the shortest and best route back onto the via verde but by then it was too late to be of assistance to the others who chose various longer ways to get out of town.
Julie and Christine had waited for me at Valencia Nord, so the three of us rolled our laden bikes around to Orange Bikes. I explained to the guy there that I wasn't happy with the bikes and tried to explain why. No, he wasn't going to listen. No, he wasn't going to say "how unfortunate, I'm sorry it didn't turn out well". It was all about how it was our fault and I didn't know what I was talking about. It was all about charging us full retail for the broken parts. It was all about "as soon as you leave the shop with the bike it is your problem". So it is now my mission to explain to others via the internet how shoddy the service was. This poor service was brought into stark contrast by the excellent service that we were to get two days later in Girona.
From the bike shop, still pissed off, to the hotel, the Sorolla Centro. This hotel is in a great location, a short block from the station and in an area surrounded by restaurants and cafes. We checked in, showered and washed, and then the three of us went downstairs to a restaurant for lunch and to wait for Keith. He had also been around to the bike shop and was no happier than I was! Anyway enough of that, on with enjoying Valencia...
Valencia
The ride in by taxi had shown me some more of the lovely vistas of large buildings that are a hallmark of the city. That and the Turia Gardens make Valencia a very attractive city. Although Valencia is a very busy port, perhaps the biggest container port on the Med, the old city is a fair way from the coast and the industrial elements don't intrude. However they do provide the economic activity that is needed for a large city. So in the afternoon we did some more walking and sightseeing and looked forward to our dinner booking at Restaurante Riff.
This was the second Michelin starred restaurant that we were to visit in Valencia and I had high hopes. It was only a short walk to the restaurant and after a bit of effort (it isn't well signposted and doesn't look like a restaurant) we found it. It is a bit strange in that you ring a door bell and wait for a staff member to come and escort you down a corridor to the restaurant. My high hopes were somewhat met. The good? The chef is very friendly and spends a lot of time talking to customers. The decor is subdued and tasteful. The menu is short but with good coverage of meats, fish and vegetables. The staff are well trained. Last but not least the food is adventurous and very tasty. The bad? I'm sorry but it wasn't relaxing at all. We had chosen to have wines matched by the chef for each course. This meant a complete change of cutlery, plates and glassware for each small course so it seemed that there was always someone buzzing around the table. As a culinary adventure it was great, but as a meal it wasn't so good. Waiting on some food photos from Keith :-)
The Mercat Centrale in Valencia. A good place for breakfast and to buy provisions. The best chocolate croissant ever!
We got up early (assisted by the jet lag) and headed down to Mercado Centrale. The building itself is lovely, with stained glass windows and a nicely decorated dome.
Here we had a very satisfactory breakfast of fresh chocolate croissants and good coffee and then bought some provisions for lunch.
Fresh food markets are always a wonderful introduction to local food and this was no exception. I love seeing the different foods in different countries and regions. Pan! Figs! Jamon! Quesos! On our way back to the apartment we didn't go past a bottle shop so we had an Albarino and a Ribiero del Duero to wash down the lunch.
Horchata - a traditional drink of Valencia. Made from a local nut ground to a paste, with sugar added. Served cold it is very refreshing.
The old part of Valencia has some very impressive large buildings, many built around plazas and small parks. Not much use of colour, but very solid building. A lot of the footpaths are red marble pavers which looks great. We stopped in at a Horchataria for a glass of Horchata.
The afternoon was spent sorting out the rental bikes and mobile phone plus data plans. I didn't have a very good feeling about Orange Bikes and our experience there was not great. It was all a problem and all very hard. The bikes themselves seemed to be OK but the customer service left a lot to be desired. Then on to Vodafone which was not much better. A LOT harder than in Dubai! The guy in the shop gave us a bum steer in the morning and it took research over lunch and phone calls to Vodafone support before we were able to sign up for what we wanted.
In the evening I had pre-booked dinner at La Sucursal restaurant. It is a tasting menu of around eight courses. Some really sensational dishes, a great balance, great fresh ingredients.
We seemed to get through cava and a couple of bottles of champagne with dinner. The restaurant had a lovely casual feel with good service. It was a lovely evening for the walk there and back as well.
All four of us were impressed by this Michelin-rated restaurant.
