Barcelona Short Break - our 1st Anniversary, January 2008

[Mike]

Saturday 26th January – Monday 28th January, 2008

Well, can it really be a year since we tied the knot? It’s certainly been a busy one, if a bit short on holidays (we’ve only managed a week in Paris and a week in Rome since our honeymoon in the Lakes last year! )

This trip almost arranged itself – I was playing around on the low-cost airline sites last year, when I discovered that, on the day of our anniversary itself, we could fly to Barcelona (a bookmarked favourite since our first trip there in 2006) at dawn for the princely sum of £0.99p each, and return on the following day, Sunday, evening at 10pm, for the same amount! Ok, I know it’s plus taxes etc, but it was still only about 30 quid! We sorted a cheap hotel close to the old town and that was it… all we had to do now was look forward to some lovely seafood and maybe a bit of winter sun.

Life’s never that simple is it? A few week’s later we were advised that Ryanair had changed our return flight to mid afternoon on the Sunday, and it now all looked a bit of a rush… we cancelled the return flight and booked another (same price) for the Monday evening instead, and increased the hotel booking to 2 nights.

Right, on with the action. I tend to ramble on a bit as a rule, with detailed descriptions of our toilet stops and all, but for this one (and as I haven’t yet finished the trippie from Rome last October) I’m going to try and be a bit more succinct. If your interest is drawn to the city, have a look at our previous trippie, where there’s a bit more detail about the Modernista architects and buildings..

DAY 1 – Saturday

We awake at 230 a.m. somewhat drowsy after a bottle of wine too many last night. An hour and a shower later we’re headed off down the M62 to Liverpool John Lennon airport. As usual, we use Liverpool Park And Fly (dot com) at Lenox Farm a mile or so away in Hale Village – they have great, secure parking at less than the (insecure) on-site provision.

It’s 430 as we enter a spookily quiet terminal and check in 10 minutes before the desk is even supposed to be open! Security is a doddle too, and by 4.50 we’re camped at Starbucks waiting for them to open up at 5.00.

Coffee and breakfast is followed by an hour of people-watching before heading to the gate shortly after 6.00. We’re boarded by 6.20, but then wait around for an hour due to a large group of about 30 people who were delayed at security. It’s 7.25 when we eventually take off.

A pleasant flight of 1hour 50 minutes, with fine views across the French countryside and Pyrenees.



We have a row of three seats to ourselves almost at the rear of the plane and are therefore first off after landing at 10.15 local time. I head off to buy tickets for the Barcelona Bus (21 Euros each, return) while Amanda retrieves our single hold case. By 10.35 we’re outside the terminal and climbing aboard the coach – very relaxed so far! Oh, and it’s sunny, and warm!

The journey to Estacio del Nord in the east centre of Barcelona takes 70 minutes. We reckon it’s about a mile or less to our hotel, the Confortel Almirante, on the Via Laietana, and we stroll across the Sant Pere district in search of it.

It’s easily found, a bit closer than we thought, but a little further up the Via from the harbour. Our room isn’t ready yet, so we dump the case and spare cabin bag before heading off into the old town streets.





The Cathedral (Le Seu) square is nearby and we walk across, noting that this magnificent building is still undergoing renovation, and into Placa De Sant Jaume where the administrative heart of the city and region lies. There’s some sort of political rally underway and laid-back policemen are directing traffic into the narrow maze of old-town streets, creating wonderful chaos!



We reckon we’re hungry, and as a main objective of this trip is to enjoy a fish fest at one of the Palau de Mer seafood restaurants on the harbour, we walk in that direction, through the old town



..to the seafront.



It’s early yet, and the two we fancy most are both quiet. We settle on the Cal Pinxo and are shown to a table on the sunny terrace overlooking the marina.





We both order the largest, grilled-seafood platters and share a bottle of white Rioja.



The food is superb – half a lobster, razor clams, regular clams and huge swan mussels, langoustines, king prawns and various other shellfish I can’t even name!

[Mike]

We sit for half an hour or so after the meal, to finish our wine and watch the growing numbers of people strolling by. The restaurant is getting busier now too.

The bill is requested (‘el compte’ in Catalan) and although it’s a mildly eye-watering 146 Euro, we were expecting it to be such and had saved our Christmas money for the event!

It’s after 2.00 as we stroll off along the waterfront marina (Port Vell, or ‘Old Port’). The unlicensed street vendors are out in force, but they seem to have learned a new trick – their blankets of ‘designer’ goods are now secured at the corners with four ropes which they keep firmly in hand, ready for a hasty exit when the police arrive to see them off!



We carry on along the harbour..





to the bottom end of the famous Ramblas. The weather is perfect, and to our blue, northern hides, ideal for t-shirts and bare arms (as you will see from the piccies, most of the natives are wrapped as if expecting snow!)



There’s a flea market at the lower Rambla, where we browse the jewellery stalls.

On our last trip we were unable to see one of the nearby, Modernista mansions, Palau Guell, as it was under refurbishment and completely screened by scaffolding and sheets. This time it was mostly visible if as yet unfinished. The details of the tiling and ironwork in particularly are stunning, although what may not be apparent from the photo is that the façade is beautifully carved marble, not brown stone.





We fancy a coffee and cross over the Ramblas into Placa Reial, where we enjoyed the atmosphere and café-bars previously.





Although still lovely and scenic, this time (of year) most of the bars are closed, and the only one in sunlight doesn’t impress.



Another pretty spot from the last trip is only a couple of streets north, where three small squares surround the beautiful church of Santa Maria Del Pi.

The one we liked best (Bar Del Pi) is closed, (naturally!) but there’s another to hand, the Osterhase in the Placa Del Pi to the north side.

[Mike]

This bonny square is hosting a small farmer’s-type market, and although the sunlight is climbing away from the street, the tables have patio heaters dotted around. There’s just one table left and we trip a couple of old ladies up to stop them getting there first!





Dos Café Americano and a couple of brandies please. And… repeat! Effectively we spend the next three hours here, under orange trees, people-watching and drinking brandy. It’s a hard life! Happy Anniversary!







It’s going dark as we pay the bill at 6pm and wander back across the Old Town to our hotel to check in.

Our bags have been taken to our room – 710, at the rear of the hotel, with a large, private terrace that has views across to the Agbar Tower (a bit like the Swiss Re Tower in Docklands, aka The Gherkin) and in the distance, the Sagrada Familia cathedral. The room is fine.. spacious, modern and well equipped, including a flatscreen tv, free WiFi, marble bathroom, and, get this, a free mini-bar!





At 7.30 we head back out and make our way towards the Passeig De Colom (the main seafront highway) to see if a rustic, Catalan restaurant we like, La Flor Del Norte, is open, passing through the lovely, ancient streets of the Barri Gotic on the way. The ancient church of Santa Maria del Mar is on the route, and we pop in to have a look around.





The square at the back of the church has a huge and unusual iron lantern sculpture, with a torch illuminating what we think may be a martyrs’ memorial, although our Catalan is insufficient for the task.

[Mike]

We carry on to the Passeig De Colom and locate the restaurant, which is happily open for business and less than half full (it’s quite early yet by local standards, this place was full to bursting last trip)





This is a relaxing, laid-back place. So laid back in fact that the sixty-odd year old, lady owner is getting merrily p*****d with some pensioner cronies while her hubby waits on tables.

We both order rabbit and grilled peppers with potatoes, which today turn out to be chips!



It’s lovely, and with a couple of beers and some wine costs around 40 Euro.

We leave at 10.00pm and continue our meandering through the city, along the Ramblas, stopping at an Irish pub for a pee, and up to the vast Placa De Catalunya.





Time for a last drink or two (I know, we’re lushes, but it’s our anniversary.. we’ll be good tomorrow, I promise!) at a pavement –terrace bar near the Cathedral (Taverna Del Bisbe – ‘Pub of the Bishops!’ ) where we catch up on the trippie notes and once again chuckle at the experience of sitting outside at midnight in January!







Home to the hotel at midnight, I can’t resist a (free) beer from the mini-bar on the terrace. We slump happily and pleasantly squiffy into bed at 12.30.

Mike & Amanda – One Year On.



Day 2 – Sunday 27th January 08

Not surprisingly, given the amount of alcohol we imbibed yesterday, we sleep pretty soundly. We are briefly disturbed at 5.00am by voices from outside the room, as some young revellers head for their beds (suddenly I feel pretty old, as 12.30 seemed risqué to me!) but must have fallen asleep again easily enough, waking naturally by bladder clock at 8.00am.

The views across the east of the city are lovely, and I take a few pics either side of my ablutions as the light levels change. The Agbar Tower and Sagrada Familia are prominent.

[Mike]

We leave the room at 9.10, fortified by fruit juice and water from the mini-bar (restocked daily, apparently, so we don’t want to leave anything!) and walk to Placa Catalunya before striking out north-west along the Passeig De Gracia.



The last time we wandered this way we were in bustling, rush-hour conditions, so the atmosphere this January, Sunday morning is eerie…. There’s hardly a soul around! It’s T-shirt warm again, and promises to be another lovely day.

Today’s agenda is to revisit a favourite Modernista building (Gaudi’s incredible Casa Mila/La Pedrera) before continuing on to see the Gracia district.

On the way to La Pedrera we pass another stunning Gaudi building, Casa Battlo, although the effect is somewhat marred by the sheets and scaffolding covering its under-repair neighbour.





We arrive at La Pedrera at 930, expecting a lengthy queue before it opens at 10am (there’s always a queue here, according to our Rough Guide, and this was indeed the case in October 2006)…. Well, we need a new guide book, as it opens at 9.30 now, and there’s no-one here!





We have the place virtually to ourselves as we tour the central courtyard, attic exhibition space, bizarre roof terrace and period, show-apartment… I’ve just counted up, and we took around 200 photos between us in less than an hour! So here they all are….

.. only kidding! Here’s a random selection.. just go and see the place for yourselves, it’s stunning!

[Mike]

It’s 10.30 as we leave, well satisfied, but peckish. A nearby Starbucks provides coffee and sub rolls for ‘brunch’, which we eat on a Gaudi-inspired bench.

We’re now only a few blocks from the northern suburb of Gracia, once a separate village but now an integrated part of Barcelona’s urban spread. As we approach the ‘centre’ it certainly seems to have retained a distinct and individual character.





We more or less follow a Rough Guide-suggested route around the area, taking in such sights as Casa Fuster (now a hotel),

[Mike]

Casa Vicens (Gaudi’s first, private commission from 1885)







Placa De La Virreina…



Placa del Sol



And Placa Rius I Taulet, with its lovely 30m clock tower.





It’s 1145. The day is still warm and sunny, and we are thinking about lunch. Paella sounds good, so we decide to head off down the 3 or 4 miles to Barcelonetta where we know a couple of possible venues.

We return along the Passeig de Gracia as far as the Avinguda Diagonal, and follow this wide boulevard as far as the Passeig de Sant Joan (and that’s John again, not Joan!) which in turn leads us down to the Arc de Triomphe. We pass a variety of beautiful buildings and viewpoints along the way…

[Mike]

Families and couples are out in force, enjoying the lovely weather.



We cross into Barcelona’s favourite green space, the Parc de la Cuitadella,



A happy group of mixed ages are working hard at improving their Salsa skills on the bandstand, dancing around a huge pile of coats!



One of the reasons for visiting the park was to view an imposing fountain and ornamental lake worked on by the young Gaudi, but sadly it is covered and under rehab…



We pass through the park and onto the harbour front before entering the 18th century grid of streets that make up this not un-pretty residential area… we enjoyed a lovely paella at a café here a couple of years ago.

It’s still there, and open, but we want to sit outside and at this time of year the terrace is in the shade. We return instead to one of the bigger restaurants on the edge of the suburb, the Port Vell Terrassa. It’s already (at 1.30pm) encouragingly busy, but we secure a table on the patio terrace.



Paella Marinara for 2, plus water and a bottle of white Rioja.



It’s first class.

Declining desserts, and paying the 40 Euro bill, we head onto the seafront, past the marina



to see if the cross harbour cable car is operating.

It is, but there’s a 30 minute wait, so we turn north east instead and strike out along the beach towards the Port Olympic and Olympic Village areas.

[Mike]

The beaches are well used, with walkers, cyclists and sunbathers along their length. Some cracking sculptures too.








In the distance we can see what appears to be a huge, shiny, copper whale or fish on top of a building..



We play ‘spot the Brit’ – basically, anyone in a T-shirt is from the UK, and all the natives are in winter coats! Hysterical! It’s around 70 or 72 F!



We stop to use the public toilets along the way – they are truly grim, and I determine to cross my legs until I reach a bar before succumbing again!

Upon reaching the Port Olympic marina we discover more interesting sculptures



and find that the bronze/copper fish is effectively a lattice-style roof over a lovely, sunken garden and restaurant area…





Time to walk back.. this time along the upper, promenade level,

[Mike]

and cutting the corner through Parc de Barcelonetta, we see an intriguing, modern, glass tower block nearby…



It turns out to be the HQ of the Gas Board! Fabulous architecture!









Still warm and T-shirtable. Back across the Old Town streets…





to Placa Del Pi and ‘our’ new, favourite people watching spot….



..although we have to menace a couple of lads into leaving and letting us have their table!

4.45. Sun well over the yardarm, so coffee and brandy it is!…& another…..& another….. with a cheese and ham toastie or two……this goes on for a good number of hours, during which time the patio heaters are ignited and the generators light the
stalls in the square.