After spending the last few months talking about other people's trips for 9 hours a day, it was bliss to actually be stepping on a plane myself for a quick getaway. Before now, Barcelona has somehow eluded me- when Patrick told me about his invitation to a wedding in Madrid, I couldn't resist a little detour to the Catalan capital.
I wasn't sure how our hostel in Barcelona was going to be- everything else was out of our price range. But we could not have asked for anything more- right in the heart of the Gothic Quarter, a vibrant, winding labyrinth of streets with cafes and shops tucked away here, there and everywhere. You feel like while the main road beside it, Las Ramblas, has become more built up and commercial, the Gothic Quarter has clung onto its charm, so you feel like you could be rambling along these streets at any moment in history.
We only spent three days there, but we packed a bit of everything in- cafe culture, beach chilling, and admiring the architecture. Even though we ended up in Barcelona's 'Catedral' by accident ("I don't think this is the Sagrada Familia- it's definitely already built"), the view from the top was great- especially with the intended destination, Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, staring at us in the distance.
So, what's the fuss about this Sagrada Familia, and why did we wander into the wrong cathedral in our quest for it? Well, the famous Spanish architect Gaudi started building his cathedral in 1882, and it's still being built- less than a quarter of the building was complete at the time of his death in 1926. Always exciting to a part of living and breathing history! Soaring pillars and stained-glass windows on the inside, then walking out and admiring the intricate designs on the outside...I look forward to seeing how this epic project will evolve within our lifetime.
Anyway, as much as I loved glimpsing Spanish history, let's talk FOOD. I thought I had the main highlights of Spanish cuisine sussed- paella, tortilla, jamon, and sangria. Then I discovered 'sidra'- Spanish cider- too exciting for a fervent cider lover! Though similar in taste to British scrumpy (a dangerously strong cider around 6-8%), the way it was poured was very unique and distinctly Spanish.
My love for Madrid was a slow-burner...at first, we thought it was unfriendlier and more commercial than the bustling backstreets of Barcelona. Then we had another fantastic find- Calle Cava Baja, and its surrounding streets. Tapas bar after tapas bar- one with garlic mushrooms and a piano man, another with 'boquerones' (marinated anchovies) on tomato bread, one with fall-apart meatballs- all with many delicious sangrias.
When Patrick was off creating havoc with the boys on Andrew's stag party, I went glimpsing a small chaos of my own- the wacky, wonderful pieces of Salvador Dali. I just went to the Reina Sofia during the day- as I always do when I'm by myself in a new city- and was told by one of the staff 'Dali's exhibition is sold out during the day- but free after 7.' So I had a quick wander, settled down with a sangria for a few hours, then joined the long, long queue to see the work of an artist who pretty much defines 'surreal'. I loved seeing so many people lining up for an art exhibition like it is a rock concert- long may it continue.
All this chit-chat about the cities, and I haven't even started talking about the wedding! When we finally made it (!!) it was such a fantastic night- eating until we couldn't eat any more, dancing until we couldn't dance...OK, that didn't happen, we danced until 5am, and still wanted to dance some more! Congrats again Andrew and Karol- great to meet you, and you sure know how to throw a party!
Other high points in a nutshell...drinking in a bar over the Real Madrid stadium, eating oysters in the Mercado San Miguel, sitting in the sun after eating delicious chicken at sidraria 'Casa Mingo'. Me gusta...no, I LOVE España!
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| Chilling out in a Barcelona plaza. |
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| Wandering around the Gothic Quarter. |
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| The wrong 'Catedral'! |
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| Up on the cathedral's roof. |
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| La Sagrada Familia. |
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| Mercado San Miguel. |
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| La Plaza Mayor. |
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| The Royal Palace. |
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| One of the tapas bars down Calle Cava Baja. |
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