This time last year: May 18th, 2007 Friday 8:25pm.
Cycle Europe Day 3: Still in Barcelona.
Hmm… another day. Started off well enough with some uninterrupted sleep. No later returnees, no grief/disappointment from the football losing Espanyol, Barcelona against Sevilla.
Breakfast as usual but managed 2 sliced of bread extra but it probably became too much in the end. Might get extra juice tomorrow to fix isotonic drink.
Went out cycling, great cycle paths along major roads. Now I realise that almost all of Barcelona’s well planned roads are one-way. Alternating between blocks of streets. And, that the further you are from the coast, the higher the altitude becomes. So I was basically pushing my bike up and down the whole day.
First stop was the Guell Pavilions (Pabellones Guell). Incidentally, the English Guided Tour was about to start just as I arrived. A lady named Moesta was the guide. “Eeehhhhheehheehhh-xactly!!!” was what she kept saying. And I also experienced first hand the intrusion of personal space when Spanish people converse. It’s almost confrontational or intimate the way she stood so close. Hmm…
Didn’t know it wasn’t free but she charged me student rate of €2.50 (instead of €5) for explaining the background to the Guell and Gaudi relationship, showing me some old horse stables and guard rooms. Took about 45 minutes. Worth every other cent, I suppose.
Next stop, Bellesguard. Private home, gate was open but dare not go in. Highest point of the day since it was furthest from the coast.
Parc Guell was cool!!! All the mosaic tiling was very impressive. There were also wave-inspired pillars/corridors. But the bicycle got in the way of better pictures. Probably for the best. Casa Vicens looked like a private home but there was very little obstruction for pictures.
Headed back for a toilet break at the hostel before going back to last night’s restaurant for butifarra, the local Catalona sausage. Served with baguette, the pieces of cooked sausage reminded me of the meal that some Spanish/Portugese teenagers cooked at YHA Edinburgh. They mixed some sausages and eggs on toast.
Came back early to catch up with Mum and Dad on Skype and sent e-mails to try booking Girona Alberg. Waiting for reply. Spaghetti for dinner, too much sauce (260g), too little spaghetti (166g). Expenses for today:
Day 3 Accounts
Guell Pavilions €2.50
Lunch €3.20 Butifarra
Dinner €1.54 Condis groceries
Total €7.24
Total 3 days Barcelona €105.08.
Daily average ~ €35/day.
Within budget, I think?
!!! £24 !!!