Barcelona!!!
Yep, we´re here! Quick warning, no spell checker on this entry (like Madrid, this cafe´s configuration is making blogger think I´m spanish)... So, sorry in advance.
The overnight train wasn´t so bad. That was the 4th time that I´ve been on an overnight train and the first time that I slept more than a couple hours. Not sure why I slept so well this time, maybe I was just tired. One funny thing though. Jenn and I decided to have paella one last time before we left. But, when we got on the train, the conduct insisted that we go to the train car (we spoke no English and wouldn´t except that we were not hungry). So, we got to the diner car, got the waitress to give us some water, and just sat there for a while. Ah, nice to relax. But, after a while the waitress got a little concerned (also spoke no English). She kept pointing through the menu and showing us great food options. She seemed to think that we just didn´t understand that it was dinner time (it was actually nearly 11:00pm). After awhile, she finally gave up. Then we decided to go back to our room (a nice private room with a bathroom and shower -- on a train!!!). But, the conductor was still confused. Finally, Jenn managed to explain to the conductor in Spanish that we just weren´t hungry. This seemed to work. But, about 15 minutes later he knocked on the door and asked again if we wanted some dinner. :-) Oh well. That was the last time. We did have breakfast on the train, which was also included with the price. Next time we´ll be carefull not to eat much before taking an overnight train which includes dinner...
The original plan for Barcelona was to try and find accomadations in the trainstation. But, after flipping through the guide book, there was no mention of a location service. Also, we were reading the prices for medium range (ie not hostals) hotels and finding that there are virtually none under 100€ for two. Turns out Barcelona is very expensive for hotels, like Amsterdam. So, we ran back to the internet cafe (still in Sevilla) and booked our hotel online. We didn´t save any money this way, but it is so much easier. Our room is roughly the same price quoted for other places, but it is very nice and centrally located (near plaza espanya).
So, although we were pretty foot tired from our last day in Sevilla, we still managed to walk around the hills above our hotel. Montjuic is a mountain the overlooks the harbor. Because of it´s strategic location, there an impressive looking fortress on the top with many mounted artillary. It also has an impressive view of Barcelona and the Medaterainian. After than we took a gondola over the bay and to the beach. This bothered Jenn a little, since she doesn´t like enclosed spaces or heights too much. But, I tought it felt pretty solid, better than it looks from on the ground. From the beach we made our way back to the metro and back to our hotel.
So, we´re just killing time waiting for the resturants to open up. Typically, resturants don´t open for dinner until at least 7, though usually much later. According to the guide book, the typical dinner our in Barcelona is between 9 and 12.
The internet cafe here just told me that I may NOT hook up my camera. Sigh. The place back in Sevilla was really great! I should have done it then. Live and learn...
That´s it for now. We´re going to do the open top bus tour tomorrow. I can hardly wait! Type later.
The overnight train wasn´t so bad. That was the 4th time that I´ve been on an overnight train and the first time that I slept more than a couple hours. Not sure why I slept so well this time, maybe I was just tired. One funny thing though. Jenn and I decided to have paella one last time before we left. But, when we got on the train, the conduct insisted that we go to the train car (we spoke no English and wouldn´t except that we were not hungry). So, we got to the diner car, got the waitress to give us some water, and just sat there for a while. Ah, nice to relax. But, after a while the waitress got a little concerned (also spoke no English). She kept pointing through the menu and showing us great food options. She seemed to think that we just didn´t understand that it was dinner time (it was actually nearly 11:00pm). After awhile, she finally gave up. Then we decided to go back to our room (a nice private room with a bathroom and shower -- on a train!!!). But, the conductor was still confused. Finally, Jenn managed to explain to the conductor in Spanish that we just weren´t hungry. This seemed to work. But, about 15 minutes later he knocked on the door and asked again if we wanted some dinner. :-) Oh well. That was the last time. We did have breakfast on the train, which was also included with the price. Next time we´ll be carefull not to eat much before taking an overnight train which includes dinner...
The original plan for Barcelona was to try and find accomadations in the trainstation. But, after flipping through the guide book, there was no mention of a location service. Also, we were reading the prices for medium range (ie not hostals) hotels and finding that there are virtually none under 100€ for two. Turns out Barcelona is very expensive for hotels, like Amsterdam. So, we ran back to the internet cafe (still in Sevilla) and booked our hotel online. We didn´t save any money this way, but it is so much easier. Our room is roughly the same price quoted for other places, but it is very nice and centrally located (near plaza espanya).
So, although we were pretty foot tired from our last day in Sevilla, we still managed to walk around the hills above our hotel. Montjuic is a mountain the overlooks the harbor. Because of it´s strategic location, there an impressive looking fortress on the top with many mounted artillary. It also has an impressive view of Barcelona and the Medaterainian. After than we took a gondola over the bay and to the beach. This bothered Jenn a little, since she doesn´t like enclosed spaces or heights too much. But, I tought it felt pretty solid, better than it looks from on the ground. From the beach we made our way back to the metro and back to our hotel.
So, we´re just killing time waiting for the resturants to open up. Typically, resturants don´t open for dinner until at least 7, though usually much later. According to the guide book, the typical dinner our in Barcelona is between 9 and 12.
The internet cafe here just told me that I may NOT hook up my camera. Sigh. The place back in Sevilla was really great! I should have done it then. Live and learn...
That´s it for now. We´re going to do the open top bus tour tomorrow. I can hardly wait! Type later.
posted by Greg | 8:52 AM
2 Comments:
Gracias! Greg, again, for all the time and effort you're putting into keeping us all so wonderfully updated. Your descriptions are so vivid I feel as though I'm right there.
Hi Guys. Sounds like you are having a great time. How is the weather> I read you had some turbulence, Greg. Was anything a help? It is fun to hear about the traveling - just got caught up this morning. Take good care of each other.
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