Barcelona: August 24-29, 2015
AlteCocker began this trip in Paris and then had a home exchange in Salou, Spain, if you want to read about what she did before getting to the Catalonian version of the Big Apple!
August 24, 2015: Barcelona At Last
AlteCocker wraps up things in Salou by doing some cleaning--a process that was begun the day before. Finally, it is time to hit the road and return the car to Victor in Barcelona. She puts his address in her trusty GPS and takes off. As it did when she went to Salou, it keeps telling her to get off the autopista and take slower roads. She did try giving it an instruction to take the fastest route with the same result. No clue why. Finally she is in Barcelona and has to find Victor's apartment. Well, the GPS keeps sending her to this traffic circle where only buses are now allowed. So she makes a couple of attempts at going around the intersection before she successfully does it and, boom, she pulls up at Victor's apartment. She gets out of the car to ring his apartment but doesn't have to. Victor was watching for her to arrive and comes right down. This was easy. She hands over the agreed upon sum for the damage done to the car in the parking garage when she scraped it the first day and Victor drives her to Hotel Ginebra right off Placa de Catalunya--a hop, skip and a jump from the famous Las Rambla. She goes off to explore the famous pedestrian area, but is quickly disappointed. Just tons of crappy souvenir places with pretty much the same stuff sold in Salou and, of course, ice cream places, the usual tourist shops that can be found anywhere. If it had ambiance in the past, it doesn't now. She has some tapas at a place across from the hotel named Tuxapela and then some gelato on the Rambla. Then, she's had it and returns to the hotel for some down time and blog time. She also does some trip planning for her days in Barcelona. She has booked the Sagrada Familia for August 26 and, for August 25 the plan is to spend the day on Montjuic riding the funicular and cable car.
A word about the hotel. The Hotel Ginebra is very basic and might not be to your taste if you want a place with a concierge, etc. It is, however, centrally located--in fact, it couldn't be more centrally located. It is also relatively inexpensive for the location. It is one of those hotels that takes over a floor in an old Spanish building and is family run. AlteCocker, at least for her first night, has an upgraded room. In fact the room is the best room in the place with a view of the Placa outside her window. She spends a lot of time photographing the plaza. She will only have one night to do it as the upgrade is only good for one night. She has booked a budget room (not doubt overlooking an air shaft or something akin to that. That is where she will be moved after her one night with the view, so she is taking maximum advantage of her one night in the room with the view.
A word about the hotel. The Hotel Ginebra is very basic and might not be to your taste if you want a place with a concierge, etc. It is, however, centrally located--in fact, it couldn't be more centrally located. It is also relatively inexpensive for the location. It is one of those hotels that takes over a floor in an old Spanish building and is family run. AlteCocker, at least for her first night, has an upgraded room. In fact the room is the best room in the place with a view of the Placa outside her window. She spends a lot of time photographing the plaza. She will only have one night to do it as the upgrade is only good for one night. She has booked a budget room (not doubt overlooking an air shaft or something akin to that. That is where she will be moved after her one night with the view, so she is taking maximum advantage of her one night in the room with the view.
August 25, 2015: MontJuic and Pickpockets
Off to explore Montjuic, the mountain that lords it over Barcelona. Well, it didn't go so well. The Metro was fine. AlteCocker bought a 10 ride pass (you can pay with cash so no need to try to pay with American credit cards which never work in European automatic machines. Then she was off to Plaza Espagna and a long walk together with escalator ride up the steps. At one point, she was met with seemingly nice young ladies who asked me to sign a petition to place more escalators for the handicapped on the way up to the top of the hill. OK, AlteCocker is a bit long in the tooth herself and was a prime victim. She signed the petition although she was a bit mystified why they would want a signature from a non Spaniard. Then they asked for a donation. With pleading, AlteCocker fished in her wallet (taken out of a purse that locks) and was relieved of about 100 euros in the process (AlteCocker carries only enough money for her daily needs and leaves the rest behind; she also carries her drivers' license in lieu of her passport). It was a pickpocket scam. Other tourists told me there had been a warning on the TV the previous evening. As is true with most of these scams, no one in Southern Europe seems to be the least concerned about locking up the perpetrators long term to stop them.
In any event, AlteCocker could mourn the loss of her (at most) 100 euros or get on with it. She went up the hill to the National Art Museum of Catalunya and spent several hours there on the top floor (the modern paintings--most from the 19th century onward). The museum was free to seniors--a nice benefit for AlteCockers. She realized that she had been the victim of the pickpocket scam when she opened her wallet to pay for the acoustiguide at the museum. She was informed that it had been happening all day. Grr! She did not have the time (or the interest) to do the Medieval and Renaissance areas of the museum--which are supposed to be excellent. She did, however, have time to eat lunch at the restaurant in the museum, Oleum--definitely a room with a view overlooking the entire area; its on the top floor together with the more modern art. Many photos were taken both on the way up and from the viewpoint in the restaurant. AlteCocker had fish and then a creme Catalan for dessert. She used the lunch to break up the museum viewing into two parts and to sit down. Sitting down is always a plus in European big cities. One thing she has realized on this trip is that she needs to read more on the relationship between the government in Madrid and its various regions; she also needs to find a good book on the Spanish Civil War (the fascists bombed Barcelona--one reason supporting the local Barcelona football team is so important in Catalonia; the go wild if they beat Real Madrid!).
After finishing at the museum, more photos were taken outside and AlteCocker got her first view of the Sagrada Familia. Really a nice viewpoint for photos. She then began her walk down the hill to take the funicular down, but was waylaid by the Fundacion Joan Miro and spent an hour in it looking at Miro's work. It was not on her "hit list" of things to see, but it got added because it was there and no need to make a special trip somewhere. The funicular was only a short distance away and then it was back to the hotel to try and play catch up on the blog. She had, by the way, been moved to a different room (with a lovely view of the air shaft but a bit larger than yesterday's upgraded room with the view). No one had bothered to tell her that the email from the other side of the hotel did not work in her new room so she was frustrated and finally gave up. When she went out to visit Casa Batllo and mentioned that the internet did not work, she was told to use a different internet address and now it works fine.
Casa Batllo just blew her away. She had had a look at it last night from the outside but inside it was a "wow" and a feast of art nouveau. AlteCockers get a reduced price and everyone gets an acoustiguide in his chosen language. The acoustiguide is well done. You travel throughout all the rooms and up to the roof. While this house is expensive (AlteCocker price was 18.50 euros), it is worth every penny. AlteCocker had never seen a place like this. If you go to Barcelona, you gotta see this! AlteCocker, who buys few things, bought a picture in the shop. That is how much she liked the place. Gaudi was a genius!
Walking back to the hotel--and her airshaft view--AlteCocker stopped off for some tapas and a delicious banana ice cream/chocolate fondant dessert at Trobadour, a restaurant just across from her hotel. After the big lunch, it was enough. She rushed in to catch up the blog and set the alarm clock on her phone for early to make sure to make the Sagrada Familia on time.
In any event, AlteCocker could mourn the loss of her (at most) 100 euros or get on with it. She went up the hill to the National Art Museum of Catalunya and spent several hours there on the top floor (the modern paintings--most from the 19th century onward). The museum was free to seniors--a nice benefit for AlteCockers. She realized that she had been the victim of the pickpocket scam when she opened her wallet to pay for the acoustiguide at the museum. She was informed that it had been happening all day. Grr! She did not have the time (or the interest) to do the Medieval and Renaissance areas of the museum--which are supposed to be excellent. She did, however, have time to eat lunch at the restaurant in the museum, Oleum--definitely a room with a view overlooking the entire area; its on the top floor together with the more modern art. Many photos were taken both on the way up and from the viewpoint in the restaurant. AlteCocker had fish and then a creme Catalan for dessert. She used the lunch to break up the museum viewing into two parts and to sit down. Sitting down is always a plus in European big cities. One thing she has realized on this trip is that she needs to read more on the relationship between the government in Madrid and its various regions; she also needs to find a good book on the Spanish Civil War (the fascists bombed Barcelona--one reason supporting the local Barcelona football team is so important in Catalonia; the go wild if they beat Real Madrid!).
After finishing at the museum, more photos were taken outside and AlteCocker got her first view of the Sagrada Familia. Really a nice viewpoint for photos. She then began her walk down the hill to take the funicular down, but was waylaid by the Fundacion Joan Miro and spent an hour in it looking at Miro's work. It was not on her "hit list" of things to see, but it got added because it was there and no need to make a special trip somewhere. The funicular was only a short distance away and then it was back to the hotel to try and play catch up on the blog. She had, by the way, been moved to a different room (with a lovely view of the air shaft but a bit larger than yesterday's upgraded room with the view). No one had bothered to tell her that the email from the other side of the hotel did not work in her new room so she was frustrated and finally gave up. When she went out to visit Casa Batllo and mentioned that the internet did not work, she was told to use a different internet address and now it works fine.
Casa Batllo just blew her away. She had had a look at it last night from the outside but inside it was a "wow" and a feast of art nouveau. AlteCockers get a reduced price and everyone gets an acoustiguide in his chosen language. The acoustiguide is well done. You travel throughout all the rooms and up to the roof. While this house is expensive (AlteCocker price was 18.50 euros), it is worth every penny. AlteCocker had never seen a place like this. If you go to Barcelona, you gotta see this! AlteCocker, who buys few things, bought a picture in the shop. That is how much she liked the place. Gaudi was a genius!
Walking back to the hotel--and her airshaft view--AlteCocker stopped off for some tapas and a delicious banana ice cream/chocolate fondant dessert at Trobadour, a restaurant just across from her hotel. After the big lunch, it was enough. She rushed in to catch up the blog and set the alarm clock on her phone for early to make sure to make the Sagrada Familia on time.
August 26, 2015: SAGRADA fAMILIA
Well, the Sagrada Familia is finally off the list. This is certainly the most unique church AlteCocker has ever seen and the culmination of all she has learned about Antonio Gaudi since coming to Catalonia. She did reserve the church and went up in one of the towers. With your reservation, you get an acoustiguide tour. The tour is not adapted to the entrance that is being used for the prebooked people because you get commentary that is more appropriate for those queueing for entry as there are two different entrances. AlteCocker, who sort of went the long way round on the Metro, to get to the church followed the signs from the Metro to "Sagrada Familia". Those directions are great for those who have NOT prebooked. If you have, take the other exit from the Metro. The prebooked entrance is around the back from those queueing. Once you figure it all out, everything works, but AlteCocker did spend initial time listening to commentary about the wrong façade because the façade discussed is that the queueing people see first. She eventually got it sorted, but kind of annoying. Make sure you see the museum as it is quite interesting. There is a film there that gives you the opportunity to sit down--always a good deal on a trip like this where you spend so much time standing and going from place to place.
After about 1 hour in the church, AlteCocker spent another hour in the museum. Then she went up in the tower which was worth doing once. You get a view of Barcelona and of bits of the roof, but there are other places to get good views if you can't get a tower ticket. AlteCocker does not regard the tower as a "must do". Thank goodness for the selfie stick ban within the church. It was pleasant going around without people taking selfies at every corner. The interior of the church is just spectacular. Gaudi was able to build so high because he used the "catenary" arch. The museum explains (as did the Gaudi Center in Reus which AlteCocker saw as a side trip from her Salou home exchange), how Gaudi used geometry to determine how to build such arches. Unlike gothic arches, catenary arches do not require flying buttresses. It is obvious that Gaudi was a genius and the Sagrada Familia is just one of those places you must see before you die.
After leaving the church (no purchases in the shop to report, although there were lots of nice things), AlteCocker took the Metro back to the hotel, stopping for a salad and frappacino at a café. The salad came with teeny bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. She would have liked to take the teeny bottles home but too much risk of the remains leaking in the suitcase. Then it was a short walk to the hotel where it was time to do the blog and take a siesta because it is very hot today. AlteCocker has not had a lot of the very torrid Spanish summer weather, but there is only one solution too that: Take a couple of hours off and resume her forced march through Barcelona after the extreme heat has begun to lessen.
So in the evening she heads off to another Gaudi house, Casa Perdrera aka Casa Milia. While it is less compelling than Casa Batllo, it is still something to see--although AlteCocker got very nervous up on the roof and was glad to descend to inside the house. You get a good view of the catenary arches Gaudi used to support the house. They are made of brick. One interesting thing about Casa Pedrera is that it is an apartment building and people still live in the building. You take the elevator to the roof to start and then slowly work your way down. Everything went well and it was not crowded--until AlteCocker ran into a tour group from Quebec. They just sort of blocked up everything leading to waits to get around the house because the group was taking its sweet time. Eventually, the tour was over and AlteCocker went to eat dinner. She had some lamb with sangria in a restaurant called La Tramoia near the hotel and got in a conversation with a couple of female Spanish pharmicists at the next table. She told them she always knows a trip is over when her medication runs out--and her meds are almost finished.
Today was a two shower day as it was very hot and humid in the day time. One thing about the heat here, unlike DC, it always cools off at night. Another day of vacation is done.
After about 1 hour in the church, AlteCocker spent another hour in the museum. Then she went up in the tower which was worth doing once. You get a view of Barcelona and of bits of the roof, but there are other places to get good views if you can't get a tower ticket. AlteCocker does not regard the tower as a "must do". Thank goodness for the selfie stick ban within the church. It was pleasant going around without people taking selfies at every corner. The interior of the church is just spectacular. Gaudi was able to build so high because he used the "catenary" arch. The museum explains (as did the Gaudi Center in Reus which AlteCocker saw as a side trip from her Salou home exchange), how Gaudi used geometry to determine how to build such arches. Unlike gothic arches, catenary arches do not require flying buttresses. It is obvious that Gaudi was a genius and the Sagrada Familia is just one of those places you must see before you die.
After leaving the church (no purchases in the shop to report, although there were lots of nice things), AlteCocker took the Metro back to the hotel, stopping for a salad and frappacino at a café. The salad came with teeny bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. She would have liked to take the teeny bottles home but too much risk of the remains leaking in the suitcase. Then it was a short walk to the hotel where it was time to do the blog and take a siesta because it is very hot today. AlteCocker has not had a lot of the very torrid Spanish summer weather, but there is only one solution too that: Take a couple of hours off and resume her forced march through Barcelona after the extreme heat has begun to lessen.
So in the evening she heads off to another Gaudi house, Casa Perdrera aka Casa Milia. While it is less compelling than Casa Batllo, it is still something to see--although AlteCocker got very nervous up on the roof and was glad to descend to inside the house. You get a good view of the catenary arches Gaudi used to support the house. They are made of brick. One interesting thing about Casa Pedrera is that it is an apartment building and people still live in the building. You take the elevator to the roof to start and then slowly work your way down. Everything went well and it was not crowded--until AlteCocker ran into a tour group from Quebec. They just sort of blocked up everything leading to waits to get around the house because the group was taking its sweet time. Eventually, the tour was over and AlteCocker went to eat dinner. She had some lamb with sangria in a restaurant called La Tramoia near the hotel and got in a conversation with a couple of female Spanish pharmicists at the next table. She told them she always knows a trip is over when her medication runs out--and her meds are almost finished.
Today was a two shower day as it was very hot and humid in the day time. One thing about the heat here, unlike DC, it always cools off at night. Another day of vacation is done.
August 27, 2015: Park Guell, Museum of the History of Barcelona
AlteCocker normally books things but she had omitted to book Park Guell, the iconic Gaudi designed park in the hills of Barcelona. Then, when she tried, it was all booked up. So, AlteCocker hauled her carcass out of bed really early. She wanted to be at Park Guell when it opened at 8:00am. Well, sometimes you totally luck out. Before 8:00am the park is open, there are no tickets and it is FREE! She did not attempt to get a ticket to the associated house, as no one was there to sell her one until after she saw the park. Having seen two other Gaudi houses and the Sagrada Familia, she has Gaudied out anyway.
To get to Park Guell, AlteCocker took Rick Steves' advice and took a taxi. If you walk from the Metro, the walk is almost straight up. You do quite a bit of uphill walking in the park and AlteCocker was glad to have taken Steves' advice. The taxi cost 12 euro--exactly what Steves said it would.
AlteCocker spent about an hour in the park. In the early morning hours there was only a scattering of people and photos could easily be taken without being photobombed constantly. There was one idiot who kept having his picture taken holding up the walls of the slanting walkway you walk through. When AlteCocker finally said something, he accused AlteCocker of being rude! Another American, of course. When you are taking photos, you need to look around and be considerate of others waiting to take photos and not take 20 of them--at least in AlteCocker's opinion. If someone is waiting, you do what you want to do quickly and don't take the same damn photo a bunch of times just in case.
Finally the photos were done and it was time to leave. There was a Gaudi "4-D" attraction on the way out. Since it did not open until 10:00am and AlteCocker would have had to wait almost an hour for it to open, she did not visit it but it did look interesting. She meandered her way down the hill and towards the Metro stopping for an iced coffee drink and donut.
The next stop on the tour was at the Museum of the City of Barcelona in the old city. She had seen a flyer at Park Guell that there was an exhibition of Spanish Haggadahs--the books Jews use at the Passover seders. Being a Jewish makes her a sucker for anything Jewish although not Bibi Netanyahu or Bill Kristol. She began her visit with the museum's permanent exhibition. That exhibition is largely a dig beneath Barcelona's old city. You descend into the depths with an acoustiguide provided to explain everything. You see Roman ruins for a starter. A tremendous amount of work has been expended by archaeologists to decode what you are seeing. You see a laundry, a place with a sort of fish sauce was made, etc. Everything is explained in detail. You gradually ascend to the more "modern" Middle Ages. One fun thing is how old stones with Roman inscriptions were used in building other buildings. The dig goes beneath today's cathedral (which AlteCocker did not visit--not wanting to see anymore saints body parts). AlteCocker cannot say enough about this exhibit. It is extensive and you will spend more time there than you had planned. The haggadah exhibit was less compelling. You viewed pictures from the haggadahs but they were all computer images. AlteCocker surmises the original books are too fragile to be shown, but it did make the exhibit less interesting than it would have been with the real McCoy.
At the end of the museum, AlteCocker had a lemon granissat (like granita in Southern Italy--a sort of slush) and headed back to the hotel for the daily heat of the day siesta. Then it was off for some Tapas at Txapela across from the hotel, a Basque themed tapas place that AlteCocker had enjoyed once before and that was also recommended by her home exchanger
To get to Park Guell, AlteCocker took Rick Steves' advice and took a taxi. If you walk from the Metro, the walk is almost straight up. You do quite a bit of uphill walking in the park and AlteCocker was glad to have taken Steves' advice. The taxi cost 12 euro--exactly what Steves said it would.
AlteCocker spent about an hour in the park. In the early morning hours there was only a scattering of people and photos could easily be taken without being photobombed constantly. There was one idiot who kept having his picture taken holding up the walls of the slanting walkway you walk through. When AlteCocker finally said something, he accused AlteCocker of being rude! Another American, of course. When you are taking photos, you need to look around and be considerate of others waiting to take photos and not take 20 of them--at least in AlteCocker's opinion. If someone is waiting, you do what you want to do quickly and don't take the same damn photo a bunch of times just in case.
Finally the photos were done and it was time to leave. There was a Gaudi "4-D" attraction on the way out. Since it did not open until 10:00am and AlteCocker would have had to wait almost an hour for it to open, she did not visit it but it did look interesting. She meandered her way down the hill and towards the Metro stopping for an iced coffee drink and donut.
The next stop on the tour was at the Museum of the City of Barcelona in the old city. She had seen a flyer at Park Guell that there was an exhibition of Spanish Haggadahs--the books Jews use at the Passover seders. Being a Jewish makes her a sucker for anything Jewish although not Bibi Netanyahu or Bill Kristol. She began her visit with the museum's permanent exhibition. That exhibition is largely a dig beneath Barcelona's old city. You descend into the depths with an acoustiguide provided to explain everything. You see Roman ruins for a starter. A tremendous amount of work has been expended by archaeologists to decode what you are seeing. You see a laundry, a place with a sort of fish sauce was made, etc. Everything is explained in detail. You gradually ascend to the more "modern" Middle Ages. One fun thing is how old stones with Roman inscriptions were used in building other buildings. The dig goes beneath today's cathedral (which AlteCocker did not visit--not wanting to see anymore saints body parts). AlteCocker cannot say enough about this exhibit. It is extensive and you will spend more time there than you had planned. The haggadah exhibit was less compelling. You viewed pictures from the haggadahs but they were all computer images. AlteCocker surmises the original books are too fragile to be shown, but it did make the exhibit less interesting than it would have been with the real McCoy.
At the end of the museum, AlteCocker had a lemon granissat (like granita in Southern Italy--a sort of slush) and headed back to the hotel for the daily heat of the day siesta. Then it was off for some Tapas at Txapela across from the hotel, a Basque themed tapas place that AlteCocker had enjoyed once before and that was also recommended by her home exchanger
August 28, 2015: Girona & Figures
Another early morning as AlteCocker hauled herself out of bed to go to a day tour of Girona and Figueres. Girona is a small city that maintains its medieval wall. At Girona we had time for coffee and these donuts they peddle in the area called "shushu" (that is the pronunciation. You don't want to know from the spelling in Catalan. Then we had a walking tour of the old city. The group was divided into those who spoke Spanish and those who spoke English. There were too many who spoke English which ended in too many on the tour. The guide was not bad, but, with massive numbers and a hot sun, AlteCocker lasted through half the tour before heading to the Museu d'Historia dels Jueus--Museum of Jewish History. Before the explusion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, Girona had a Jewish Community. The museum is located in what has been identified as an old synagogue, but there was little shown--except tombstones that came from the time of the Jewish community. Much of the museum was focused on describing Judaism to non Jews. As a member of the tribe herself, AlteCocker knows what Judaism is all about. She can't imagine what she would have learned from the acoustiguide and was glad she did not purchase it. The building itself is interesting, but, to be quite frank, she found the museum to be not all that interesting. Having said that, if she had missed it, due to the hype, she would have regretted it. So, there you have it.
After visiting the museum, AlteCocker wandered back to the bus pick up point and had a tuna sandwich and chips in the same bar where she had previously had the donut--with a bottle of cold water. Then she waited a short time for the bus loading and it was on to Figures and the mobbed Dali Museum. Actually, she was told the museum had relatively few people in it compared to earlier in August. She could only imagine what a mess it would have been then. One thing the museum could do to help is to totally ban nonmuseum guides from escorting groups during July and August. A guide would come in and totally hog a room with a group preventing anyone else from getting in the room. This was especially true of Russian tour groups. It was very annoying.
Our guide, Carlos, started to give a presentation as well. AlteCocker simply walked off. The entrance area in the museum with contains this sculpture of Dali's wife Galla and a car was in an open courtyard--which meant hot. The guide switched back between English and Spanish. AlteCocker did not mean to be rude, but who wants to stand there in the heat while the guide does his double lecture--especially when he switches to the Spanish? The guide, who was conscientious to a fault, came looking for AlteCocker and asked her if she didn't want to hear the talk. AlteCocker did not and told him she would just rather see the museum and went off on her own. The rooms in the museum are numbered but only so you know which ones you've been to and which ones you haven't been to. Getting through all the rooms is very confusing. AlteCocker figures it goes with the territory as, after all, Dali was sort of unusual. She had always thought he was a bit crazy. Perhaps, but there was more to him than that. She came away from the museum with a better appreciation of what he was all about--not only crazy, but a genius as well. Yes, she saw the Mae West room with the lips.
On the downside at the Dali Museum, AlteCocker's camera picked that moment to crash. It basically would turn on and then immediately turn off. She did not have her phone with her, so, of course, she could take no photos. She suspected something worse than failure to charge the battery and basically the camera is shot--but so is the trip.
After visiting the museum, AlteCocker wandered back to the bus pick up point and had a tuna sandwich and chips in the same bar where she had previously had the donut--with a bottle of cold water. Then she waited a short time for the bus loading and it was on to Figures and the mobbed Dali Museum. Actually, she was told the museum had relatively few people in it compared to earlier in August. She could only imagine what a mess it would have been then. One thing the museum could do to help is to totally ban nonmuseum guides from escorting groups during July and August. A guide would come in and totally hog a room with a group preventing anyone else from getting in the room. This was especially true of Russian tour groups. It was very annoying.
Our guide, Carlos, started to give a presentation as well. AlteCocker simply walked off. The entrance area in the museum with contains this sculpture of Dali's wife Galla and a car was in an open courtyard--which meant hot. The guide switched back between English and Spanish. AlteCocker did not mean to be rude, but who wants to stand there in the heat while the guide does his double lecture--especially when he switches to the Spanish? The guide, who was conscientious to a fault, came looking for AlteCocker and asked her if she didn't want to hear the talk. AlteCocker did not and told him she would just rather see the museum and went off on her own. The rooms in the museum are numbered but only so you know which ones you've been to and which ones you haven't been to. Getting through all the rooms is very confusing. AlteCocker figures it goes with the territory as, after all, Dali was sort of unusual. She had always thought he was a bit crazy. Perhaps, but there was more to him than that. She came away from the museum with a better appreciation of what he was all about--not only crazy, but a genius as well. Yes, she saw the Mae West room with the lips.
On the downside at the Dali Museum, AlteCocker's camera picked that moment to crash. It basically would turn on and then immediately turn off. She did not have her phone with her, so, of course, she could take no photos. She suspected something worse than failure to charge the battery and basically the camera is shot--but so is the trip.
August 29, 2015: Day Tour to the Catalan Pyrenees
It is unusual to do anything monumental on the last day of a long trip, but AlteCocker's flight left at 11:45pm from Barcelona to Reykjavik (where she was to get sorted and change planes for Washington DC). She has to check out of the hotel before 11:30am. She asked about late check out but the hotel is full and it isn't possible. So, she had to decide about the luggage and not having a place to rest during the day. Doing another day tour seemed to be the best option. The luggage was placed on the tour bus and stored in the luggage well. The bus returned exactly to where the airport buses leave, so AlteCocker pulled her luggage off the bus and walk to the airport bus and headed immediately for the airport.
The tour was fantastic. We were taken to a train station at a place called Ribes del Freser where we boarded a cog wheel railroad to the Vall del Nuria. The Vallis a place in the mountains that has been developed for skiing in winter and hiking in summer. There is also, predictably, a shrine to the Virgin there that is a place of pilgrimage. They leave her wishes placed on pieces of paper. No, AlteCocker did not ask her for anything.
After Olga, our tour guide gave us some orientation, we were on our own. AlteCocker had to use her phone for photos because, as you know if you have read this far, her camera had bit the dust. It must have been the curse of Salvador Dali.
After the orientation, AlteCocker took a hike up the valley to a viewpoint--the hike that Olga labeled as "easy". It was not so easy for AlteCocker. The hike was full of gravel on and assorted rocks on the ground and AlteCocker was worried about falling. Going up on such of a hike is easier than coming down. If an AlteCocker slips and falls, it is easy to break a bone. So, after the "easy" hike, AlteCocker abandoned all thought of any of the more ambitious ones for younger mountain goats.
AlteCocker had the buffet in the restaurant and then basically relaxed. There were 8 of us from the bus and most of us spent considerable grass laying time enjoying the spectacular scenery or napping. A round of the gift shop was made but nothing was purchased--in fact nothing much was purchased on this entire trip. Europe is not a place for bargains, so it was pretty much a cheap fridge magnet here and there, a 15 euro picture in Paris with a humorous take on the traffic around the Arc de Triomphe and a 39 euro picture of Casa Batllo. Do not discuss framing costs. For the kids next door there are t-shirts from Paris. The boy got a noisy remote control car (his parents will kill me) and the girl one of those flamenco dresses that sell all over Spain for 7 or 8 euros depending upon size.
After the day tour, the trip was over. AlteCocker headed to the airport and sat around for awhile before checking in for her flight to Reykjavik. One problem with odd hours flights is that airport services close down. She couldn't even find anything she wanted to eat. She finally consumed a salad with a bottle of water and then more hanging around until her flight boarded. The flight arrived in Reykjavik at 2:00am with, of course, no local services available there and a very cold airport. So with nothing to do--and too much chatter from overnighting passengers, AlteCocker took the opportunity to finish the blog.
Thanks for reading. Next trip up will be SE Asia for the winter, but right now, AlteCocker will be glad to be home visiting her own bed.
The tour was fantastic. We were taken to a train station at a place called Ribes del Freser where we boarded a cog wheel railroad to the Vall del Nuria. The Vallis a place in the mountains that has been developed for skiing in winter and hiking in summer. There is also, predictably, a shrine to the Virgin there that is a place of pilgrimage. They leave her wishes placed on pieces of paper. No, AlteCocker did not ask her for anything.
After Olga, our tour guide gave us some orientation, we were on our own. AlteCocker had to use her phone for photos because, as you know if you have read this far, her camera had bit the dust. It must have been the curse of Salvador Dali.
After the orientation, AlteCocker took a hike up the valley to a viewpoint--the hike that Olga labeled as "easy". It was not so easy for AlteCocker. The hike was full of gravel on and assorted rocks on the ground and AlteCocker was worried about falling. Going up on such of a hike is easier than coming down. If an AlteCocker slips and falls, it is easy to break a bone. So, after the "easy" hike, AlteCocker abandoned all thought of any of the more ambitious ones for younger mountain goats.
AlteCocker had the buffet in the restaurant and then basically relaxed. There were 8 of us from the bus and most of us spent considerable grass laying time enjoying the spectacular scenery or napping. A round of the gift shop was made but nothing was purchased--in fact nothing much was purchased on this entire trip. Europe is not a place for bargains, so it was pretty much a cheap fridge magnet here and there, a 15 euro picture in Paris with a humorous take on the traffic around the Arc de Triomphe and a 39 euro picture of Casa Batllo. Do not discuss framing costs. For the kids next door there are t-shirts from Paris. The boy got a noisy remote control car (his parents will kill me) and the girl one of those flamenco dresses that sell all over Spain for 7 or 8 euros depending upon size.
After the day tour, the trip was over. AlteCocker headed to the airport and sat around for awhile before checking in for her flight to Reykjavik. One problem with odd hours flights is that airport services close down. She couldn't even find anything she wanted to eat. She finally consumed a salad with a bottle of water and then more hanging around until her flight boarded. The flight arrived in Reykjavik at 2:00am with, of course, no local services available there and a very cold airport. So with nothing to do--and too much chatter from overnighting passengers, AlteCocker took the opportunity to finish the blog.
Thanks for reading. Next trip up will be SE Asia for the winter, but right now, AlteCocker will be glad to be home visiting her own bed.