good morning barceloneta
My final morning in Barcelona! It was reassuring to know that I still had half the tour left. Today was a travel day and we were meeting our bus at the Plaça de Catalunya. What does that mean? It means that each of us needed to check out of the hotel, meet in the lobby, and roll or carry our belongings a few blocks from the hotel to the spot we could meet the bus. European streets are narrow and oftentimes can't accommodate buses or other large vehicles. Since I packed light, rolling my suitcase back over the cobblestone streets wasn't a problem.
We rode the bus around the city to see portions we hadn't covered as a group. As Federico mentioned, it was a bit odd to do the driving tour the day we left but it was the day we had the bus. Later in the day we would have a similar drive around Madrid, which would provide highlights on arrival day in that city.
Our first stop of the day was on the beaches in the Barceloneta area of town. It was a beautiful sunny day and reminded me of being home in Florida. We stopped for about 10-15 minutes to walk around before heading to our next destination, Montjuïc.
We rode the bus around the city to see portions we hadn't covered as a group. As Federico mentioned, it was a bit odd to do the driving tour the day we left but it was the day we had the bus. Later in the day we would have a similar drive around Madrid, which would provide highlights on arrival day in that city.
Our first stop of the day was on the beaches in the Barceloneta area of town. It was a beautiful sunny day and reminded me of being home in Florida. We stopped for about 10-15 minutes to walk around before heading to our next destination, Montjuïc.
Montjuïc
What amazing views! We stopped the bus at Parc de Montjuïc and walked to this wonderful overlook location. The group gathered around and soaked in the sun and the city. This area was home to many of the Olympic competitions and the facilities used are still being used today. Barcelona has successfully repurposed Olympic facilities and made them into exposition and sport venues.
Montjuïc Hill also houses the Fundació Joan Miró (Joan Miró museum). In hindsight, I would have visited that museum on the free afternoon of Day 1. Oh well, guess I have to come back again!
Montjuïc Hill also houses the Fundació Joan Miró (Joan Miró museum). In hindsight, I would have visited that museum on the free afternoon of Day 1. Oh well, guess I have to come back again!
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
Our final stop in Barcelona was the Catalan National Art Museum (MNAC). The museum houses Catalan art from the 11th through 20th centuries. A predominant amount of the art is by Catalan artists. We were allowed to take pictures in the museum... here are a few for your viewing pleasure.
train ride from barcelona to madrid
We boarded the train and traveled from Barcelona to Madrid. Our entire group was seated in the same car... our guide, Federico, was in the next car and got a break. I didn't think to take pictures but the accommodations were good. The train was comfortable and Federico recommended we use the train's restrooms rather than the ones in the train station. I took his advice and can happily report the facilities were pretty good... better than an airplane and (I trust) better than the train station. The ride was relatively easy and there was a cafe car that served sandwiches.
|
TIP 1: If you want to eat, head to the cafe car sooner than later. There was quite a line and some of the sandwiches sold out. We hadn't eaten lunch so we all got in line for the cafe. It was a balancing act to say the least!
TIP 2: Use the restroom facilities near the end of the ride before you reach the destination. You don't know how long it will be before the next opportunity arises. |
madrid & cervantes
We gathered our things from the train and gathered in the middle of Atocha station. Federico, our guide, gave us a quick overview of where we were (arrivals) and where to find departures since some members of our group would travel to other European cities by rail after our tour. We headed out, luggage in tow, to find our bus and take a ride through the city.
Our first stop was the Plaza de España at a statue of Cervantes that overlooked his characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. I've never read Don Quixote so I was a bit clueless. Never fear! Our guide Federico is here! Federico told us about Cervantes, his Don Quixote, and how the story reflected the political climate at the time. I could immediately tell this portion of the trip would be highly entertaining. Federico lives in Madrid and is a licensed guide for this city. He would be our leader and storyteller for the next three days. I could hardly wait for the next part of the adventure to unfold!
Our first stop was the Plaza de España at a statue of Cervantes that overlooked his characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. I've never read Don Quixote so I was a bit clueless. Never fear! Our guide Federico is here! Federico told us about Cervantes, his Don Quixote, and how the story reflected the political climate at the time. I could immediately tell this portion of the trip would be highly entertaining. Federico lives in Madrid and is a licensed guide for this city. He would be our leader and storyteller for the next three days. I could hardly wait for the next part of the adventure to unfold!
templo de debod
Our next stop was the Debod Temple. This temple was built in Egypt and includes a single room chapel dedicated to the god Amun and extended on four sides to form a temple dedicated to the goddess Isis. It was under threat of destruction in Egypt and it was given to Spain, rebuilt, and then opened to the public in 1972. The temple is located in West Park which is near the Royal Palace. We were able to walk around the park and overlook the city of Madrid. It was a pleasant stop... but chilly!
dinner with wine tasting
WINE: a wonderful way to kick of a visit to a city! We had our next group dinner. The restaurant was close to the hotel which was good - it was nighttime and I did not have my bearings in this new city. Federico was wonderful and helped us recognize landmarks as we went along so we could find our hotel easily from the nearest plaza and the opera house. It was a beautiful evening.
We had a private room at the restaurant and met Nygil, the local guide and wine connoisseur. Nygil is an American that now lives in Madrid; he also works as a Rick Steves guide. He did an outstanding job of walking us through the steps of how to taste wine. I love to drink wine but had no idea how to taste it. We learned to sniff before swirl and how to gauge acidity. It was an approachable lesson without being snooty.
|
Remember: Try new things
It's a tasting so you don't have to drink all of the wine you are given. If you don't drink, you can pass. There is probably a tour member like me that will gladly help your portion disappear! |