Barcelona Blogged

Ok, time to write up my (awesome, by the way) trip to Barcelona before it's too late.

I spent almost 5 whole days there - they were doing a 4-nights-for-the-price-of-3 offer, and it was great. I flew out very early Sunday (10th July) and got back home about 1am Friday morning, and it stayed sunny and lovely and warm (30deg ish) almost the whole time. Of course I got back to find the UK had been having the same - oh well, missed boasting rights on that one.

I'd had several places recommended by mates before I went out there - Montserrat for views and walks, Montjuic for the fountains, and of course all the culture (museums, architecture, Las Ramblas shopping). Picasso lived there for quite a while, as did Gaudi - who could ask for more in modern art?

I visited the Picasso museum; walked round Parc Guell (which Gaudi designed, some great sculptures and decorated/designed buildings); saw the Sagrada Familia (unfinished Gaudi-designed cathedral) with it's very impressive towers and detailing; shopped; had some great views and sunsets from the hills (Guell & Montjuic) and one spectacular and remember-forever dinner on the last evening; practiced some limited Spanish (my pronounciation still sucks but I know how to use it a bit more :-) ); that's not all but I should stop for a moment to catch my breath.

I also burnt through 7 rolls of film, and after looking at the results I'm giving up on my ordinary Kodak print films and sticking with Fuji for trips like this. Reala when appropriate, and Superia 400 the rest of the time. Some really great images, although quite a few more experimental ones that didn't work so well. But good fun, and I haven't used my camera so much in ages (partly due to the d&p cost).
Used up a couple of black and white films that I'd had for a while too, processed through Metro Imaging in London last week when I started commuting up there. Completely forgot I had the last shots from a cousin's wedding on there too, some of which look really great and I'll definitely have to do good size prints of; the holiday b&w's also have a good ratio of nice shots as I took more time with those ones.

I checked out the best patisserie for sweets and pastries too, Escribas on Las Ramblas (#83) have really got it down to a fine art and won awards for it. Absolutely delicious, I only wish I'd kept them longer to show off/allow others a taste. They look great too. Discovered that one from a guide book.

There's still lots more that I didn't have time to do (well, I had relax time as well as sight-see time having not had a proper abroad hols for myself in a long time) - I didn't make it to Montserrat (an hour away), those fountains were only running near weekends and short of knowing that and going up there the Sunday evening after I got there, I couldn't have seen them. I would have liked to check out a club there even if it would have been hard chatting to anyone except other tourists or friendly English-speaking Catalonians, I could have seen more of the Sagrada Familia, I could have spent more time on the beach (did sunbath a bit most mornings on my hotel-room balcony), oh but not to worry of the things I didn't do; remember fondly the things I did.

I might even add more later; it's getting late now, I need sleep so I can get up for the train to London tomorrow (all about this on the next blog entry I suspect).

Tags: holiday spain