Montserrat

Montserrat is a mountain near Barcelona and on the top sits a monastery called Santa Maria de Montserrat. From Barcelona it is a train ride and then a cable car ride up the mountain at 4,000 ft above sea level. The mountain's name translates to jagged rock. The monastery is also home to the world's oldest publishing press which dates back to 1499. The view from the top is quite spectacular.






Rocio recommended that a dish to try at the top. Goat cheese and honey which is sold in a market area near the monastery. Nick, Mike and I end up hiking around the mountain and then checking out the monastery before hurrying down to catch the last train out and back to Barcelona.

Sitges

Tapas haven’t been the same since Granada, meaning that they are no longer free with your drink order. However there is an upside to all this. The tapas restaurants have better quality dishes than the free ones, makes sense right? Mark takes Nang and me out to a fancier tapas bar which despite being expensive, have dishes good enough to draw Mark back for a return trip. Although paying as much as we did for plates such as small dish of mushrooms wasn’t quite the price I was expecting the dishes were all extraordinary. After bunch I head over towards the direction of Villanova i la Geltru again, but this time I am getting off at Sitges.



I have plans to meet up with Rocio who I met on the train ride to Vilanova. I arrive on the main beach area of Sitges and walk along the street. To my left there are beach chairs and tons of people laying out and on my right there are small hotels and restaurants lining the street. Rocio works at the Santa Maria hotel and it is easily spotted. From there the same hotel owners also have the Nina, and Pinta finishing the Christopher Columbus theme. The Santa Maria is the biggest and better of the three hotels. I get a local’s tour of Sitges.



I am still trying to get over a cold at this point and Rocio has invited me to her health spa. I have to swear a swimming cap, but I have access to the pools, sauna and solarium, which is just a desk out in the sun. There is a pool where jets of water shoot out and giving you a pressurized massage. The most interesting part of the health spa is the saunas. There are two types. The first one is a dry heat and breathing alone makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the Sahara Desert. It is amazing how fast and how much the body sweats when presented with temperatures of 80C.



After the health spa we head over to Vilanova. Rocio has taught in Japan and lived there for 5 years. She has found an authentic Japanese restaurant in Vilanova and that is where we head off to. I don’t really recall any of the names of the dishes, but I just know that I haven’t had them before. Beside sushi, I really haven’t had much exposure to Japanese cuisine.
On my stay in Vilanova I also get the chance to check out Rocio’s brother’s house. He is building it single handedly while owning his own women’s clothing/fashion store. The house is still a work in progress, but most of the framework and foundations have already been put in place. A swimming pool is already finished in the back yard. The house is fully equipped with remote controlled blinds and windows, which is pretty baller.

Life in Barcelona

There are many things to do and see in Barcelona. In the morning Mark, who is skipping school, Nang and I head over to the open market near the ramblas. Here the market is packed with shoppers and tourists. The highlight of coming to the market is not the cheap fruits and vegetables, but the variety of fresh squeezed 1€ drinks. There are so many flavors that I had to try three, mango, coconut & chocolate, and orange strawberry & banana. This is especially helpful since I feel a sore throat coming on from the lack of sleep.





In the evenings on the Mountjuic there is an outdoor theater for movies. I guess it is the Spanish equivalent of a drive in movie minus the cars. For 8€ we get straw mats to lay on and watch Pan’s Labyrinth in its original cut in Spanish. Luckily I had already seen the movie with English subtitles back in Paris otherwise I would have been really confused. The second time around I saw much more details that had gone unnoticed previously.



For part of my stay in Barcelona, I end up crashing at Mark, Nick and Mike’s apartment near Segrada Familia, the cathedral that you see in everyone’s pictures that have ever visited Barcelona. Near there just north there is an old hospital. It is worth visiting because the idea of this particular hospital is that they wanted the patients to feel good and at ease while at the hospital. Thus, the entire campus of the hospital is in the most finest of upkeep and has little to no resemblance to an actual hospital.



Mark, Nick and Mike’s apartment is quite nice. Since bills have already been paid for there is no conversation of energy whatsoever. Thus the air condition is run at all hours of the day at temperatures of 20C. This is really nice in the daytime when coming from the scorching humid conditions of Barcelona.

Vilanova i la Geltrú

The second day I wake up to the chatting noises of my roommates. I quickly realize that it is check out time and hastily pack up my bag and grab my sheets to turn in at reception. In the all the commotion I accidentally turn in my white dress shirt with my white sheets, oops. I drop of my luggage at Nang’s as today I am heading out to Villanova i la geltru which is a small town just south east of Barcelona.



I was able to get a hold of Llusia who I met back in Korcula Town in Croatia. She has invited me to join her and her friends to a day out on the beaches of Villanova. After dropping off my main pack I arrive at the train station to purchase my 2.70€ ticket to Villanova. I look up at the signs unable to find the right route I need to take as none of the signs say Villanova. I guess I must have looked pretty lost and confused because another bystander at the train station came over and spoke perfect English to ask where I was headed. As it turns out she is also headed in the same direction on my train, so I follow her to the right platform.



The train ride is about 45 minutes from Barcelona to Villanova. Rocio is going to the town before my stop which is Sitges. Rocio works at a hotel in Sitges and lives in Villanova. After telling her about my travel itinerary, I come to discover that she is quite the world traveler as well. She tells me that Sitges is touristy destination for Spaniards and suggests that I check it out if I have the time. She even offers to show me around. We exchange information before the Sitges stop and I wait another 5minutes and arrive in Villanova.



Lluisa and her friend are at the station to pick me up and drive directly to the beach. Unlike the fake beaches of Barcelona, the beaches of Villanova are natural. Our plan for the day is to go sailing on a Pati Catala which is a small wooden catamaran unique to Villanova. It is easiest with two people, so I gladly step up to stay and take a nap on the beach as the previous night was exhausting. Time passes quickly and I awake to Lluisa and her friend returning. At that point we are all hungry so we walk back towards the town to get a bit to eat. We arrive at a seafood restaurant and order fish, and different kinds of calamari.



After some food it is my turn to go sailing. Llusia is an expert on the Pati Catala and directs me where to sit and lean. The small boat is easily manageable by two people and since I am the fat ass of the two, I have more sway over what the sailboat does. There are two hulls on this catamaran and I am seated on the left. If I move my body forward the boat will turn to the left. If I move my weight to the back the boat goes right. A rope on a pulley determines how taught the main sail line is and how fast we go. The winds are much stronger than in the morning and we are able to pick up much more speed. A turn is done by a combination of dragging my legs in the water and moving the sail. To do a 180 turn I have to stand up to the front of the catamaran and lean my body into the sail while pulling a series of ropes until the boat turns the wind again catches in the sail. It was probably one of the coolest and most interesting activities I’ve done on my trip.



That night I meet up again with Nang and his crew to check out the fountain show at the Plaza de Espana. The fountains of the Bellagio cannot hold a flame to this show. The water fountains check colors and shape synchronizing to the music.

Hola Barcelona!

In the morning I take the first train out of Seville heading towards Barcelona. Tino is heading towards Madrid so we go our separate ways. I was able to get a descent breakfast on the food cart. As the sun rises, it brightens up the entire food cart and makes it look ultra modern. From everyone I’ve talked to, Barcelona has portrayed a reputation of dangerous. From Tino’s trek around town armed with his swiss army knife’s blade at the ready and the Dutch guy’s story about getting their bag almost stolen, I am on an all time high level of alertness.



I take the metro to get to my new hostel which is near a shady part of town. The first thing I notice about the metro is that like Madrid all the carts are air conditioned. However unlike Madrid the station itself is probably one of the muggiest and most uncomfortable I’ve experienced thus far. The wait time between trains is noticeably longer than in Madrid or Paris with highs in the 5-15min range. Barcelona is beach city and it is evident in the metro as most people are wearing board shorts.

After arriving at the hostel my first todo bullet is to get ahold of Nang who is also in the city. Via skype and pidgin we are able to figure out a meeting point. Gaudi apartment is near the diagonal metro stop and easily spotted as it is so different looking than all the buildings around it. I meet up with Nang and his friends outside of the entrance. Nang is staying with his friend Mark. Mark, his roommates Nick and Mike are all living together doing a month long Spanish course of the University of Barcelona. They arrive with their friends Melissa, Danielle and Jenna.





The Casa Batllóis notorious for the statues on top of the roof. Mark informs me that the George Lucas visited this structure and got the idea of the storm trooper’s helmet from the figures on the roof. Theses helmet like chimneys are quite strange and it is curious of Gaudi would have come up with these designs. The entire building is artsy and has a wavy motif.





Later that night we I meet up with all the students that are in the Spanish program, most of which are from California for dinners at a tapas bar. Unlike what I’ve been so happily accustomed to in Granada the tapas in Barcelona do not come free with a drink and cost extra. The quality of the food was much better and I was happy to pay a little more for it. After dinner Nang and I head back to my hostel so I can get changed for the clubs. We then meet up at his friend’s place and head out from there.





The nightlife in Barcelona is good and reminds of the party scene in Miami, meaning things don’t get started until well past midnight and don’t end until the sun comes up. The first venue we went to had no cover as we got promotion cards on the streets. The music was mostly house and as Americans we quickly became sick of it and left. The second club or I guess I should say area of clubs as there were several in a row played more hiphop and rap. The entrances of these clubs face the boardwalk of the beach. We stayed out until the metro started running again in the morning. Nick got sick and probably killed some bushes that night.

Sister Seville

Seville is the sister city Kansas City and from what my friends have told me it has some of the same architecture of the Plaza area. Since Seville is near Cadiz it made a perfect stop on my way towards Barcelona. The weather is hot and muggy in Seville and we arrive in the mid afternoon. Friend’s hostel is probably one of the cleanest places I’ve stayed at. All the rooms are cleaned on a daily basis and most important of all there is AC, and not just cool, but ice cold AC, in every room. This is definitely a rarity in most of Europe with hot climates.



As it turns out, the name Kansas City is a motif throughout Seville. In fact we have to transfer from a bus to a tram at prado de Kansas City. The bell tower near the edge of the plaza can be seen near the cathedral of the city and the other building’s architecture is only slightly similar. At the last night we were unable to catch a bull fight, so instead we opted for a flamenco dance. It was a 4 person show and lasted a little over two hours. However it wasn’t as good as the live show we saw back at Cadiz. I would describe this show as confusing because the first half is just the singer telling a story that we don’t understand. I can usually get by with Spanish, but I can hardly pick out any words from the singer. I would describe the dancing as sporadic between slow elegant movements and then sudden bursts of erratic and almost fit-throwing movements.



Along the river there are tents and shows setup for a festival. Apparently, Seville is currently having a festival for the city. I am not sure the reason for it, but there are people walking along the tents that are selling anything and everything. Near the start of the walk most of the tents are your typical traveling carnival games such as air guns and ring toss. Towards the end of one of the bridges the tents only sell beer, sangria and tinto verano. Each cup is no more than 2€. The big stage at the end of the road has performances for the entire night.





Seeing that one of the main attractions is the cathedral immediately across the street from hostel, we decide that we should check it out. It has been a while since I’ve visited cathedrals since once you’ve seen several of them they all start to look the same. Tino and I were both able to get the student discount. Tino almost didn’t, but a gator’s tshirt saved him from paying full price.

Cadiz = Festival Time

Cadiz and San Sebastian were both described to me as really good beach towns and vacation destinations for the local Spaniards. Since I had already missed my opportunity to go to San Sebastian when I was up by Pamplona, I opt for the southern coast of Spain, Cadiz. Lauren from Croatia had described it as a really good relaxing atmosphere and I have to say that she was wrong. Upon arrival by train I find out that there is a festival going on and we have just arrived at the start of it.
There are people everywhere and all the hostels we look are booked. At this point we are almost ready to try sleeping on the beach, not a bad idea, but the hassle of police made us look a little harder. Finally by some chance of luck we are able to find a pension, like a hostel, but cheaper that had enough room for Tino, Rick, Dwayne, Kim and I. And luckily it is also the cheapest place in town.





The entire town seems to have having a sale and there is imitation stuff everywhere. The streets are really crowded and there is not much of a tourist scene here, as far as international tourists. We are all able to catch a free flamenco dancing show in one of the squares. I would describe it as a random display of tape dancing, body motions and clapping of the hands. It is quite a treat for being free. The main square area has a cathedral and during the evening when it is less crowded Tino and I just chill at the steps to catch the free wifi that’s available in the square. At night there are gardeners setting up a floral area in the middle of the square.





The beaches of the Cadiz are the highlights of the trip. The water is clear and refreshing. The tide changes quit dramatically between low and high tides. At night the tide is low and the water increases in depth really slowly. You can actually sprint 100m before you are waist deep in water. During the day the waters rise so fast that many of the sun worshippers have to frequently move farther up the beach to avoid the waves. The first night we head out to the beach and ended up doing some night swimming. We even got as far as the far buoy. All in all Cadiz was a really relaxing experience.

Kickin' It In Granada

We spend most of the time just relaxing in Granada. During the day the weather is too hot to do too much so we are either inside the hostel hanging out in the upstairs terrace area or drinking and eating tapas in the tapas bars found throughout Granada. One awesome thing about the funky backpacker's hostel is that they serve home cooked meals every evening. This evening they are serving paella, which is a traditional Spanish dish which usually involves rice, garlic, saffron and some kind of meat (chicken, beef and seafood). Today seafood paella is on the menu and I decide to stay for that. We hung out with the Aussie girls again despite the fact that they recommended the regretful thermal pool experience.







The last night in Granada Tino, Rick, Dwayne and Kim were all able to get 5 person apartment together. During one of the runs back to the apartment we had trouble opening our door with the key and even the manager could not open it. At that point a group of Aussies that were staying in our building wanted to help. So Tino climbed on top of one of their shoulders and climbed up through our second story balcony. That night we all went out with the Aussies to celebrate. The Irish pub we went to had a promotion where if you buy a Jameson shot you get a scratch card to win prizes. Somehow we were all able to win shirts off the same ticket and no one actually had to buy any shots.

Alhambra

During the evening I had to switch hostels from Funky Backpackers to Makuto Backpackers Hostel. This new hostel is up the hill from our old hostel. Although there is no ac it has much more character and a better chill area. There is a zen garden and the common area is filled with hammocks. If I had more time I would have definitely stayed longer than one night.







While recovering from the almost vertical climb up, I talk to some of the receptionists at Makuto hostel and they inform me of several attractions near this new hostel. One of them was a great view point for the Alhambra and that night, Tino, Jorick, and Dwayne all climb up to the area. Alhambra translates to “the red fortress” and was one of the residences of the Muslim rulers of Granada. It is the major attraction of Granada.










The sun had already set and it was night time. Alhambra was lit up and was the only bright building on the other side of the hill. At the vantage point, there were tons of tourists taking pictures of the building. We were easily able to find it because of all the flash photography that marked the area clearly from the distance. The moon is out and revealed an overcast of dark blue clouds hovering over the building.













The Alhambra is decorated with gardens and water features. In fact water flows throughout the entire structure via water fountains and drainages flowing from top to bottom. There is a ton of details in every part of the building from the tiles on the floors to the walls and windows.