today's been a bit of an odd kind of day. Good day, but odd. Ie just been wandering around, and starting to get a bit of a feel for the city. I don't think I've paid for a single thing, apart from one bottle of water that cost €0·75 =). Went off this morning after an easy late start to explore the Barri Gotic, or Gothic Quarter, which was cool. I went to this awesome museum which took you through a whole lot of excavations through parts of the original Roman and Visigothic settlement - walls, tower entries, laundry houses, factories....it was cool, and free =)
I'm not too sure what it was, but there's been some kind of minor festival or celebration on today, and all the squares I went through had stages set up with different kind of acts on and were packed out with people. The best thing I stumbled upon was a couple of troupes of castellers - I think that was the name, but anyway it was people climbing on top of each other making human towers or castles. It was awesome, I watched them for ages and they kept getting bigger and harder hehehe.
I think the travelling/backpacking lifestyle is starting to catch up on me and I'm getting really tired all the time hehe so its nice that at least I'm in one place for a few nights and don't have to think about packing up and moving around for another day or two =)
I had been considering the possibilty of making another daytrip, from Barcelona to Tarragona, which is about an hour south and it's a small city with [surprise] Roman remains - theatre/temple/circus....stuff like that, since I missed out on Mérida. But now I think I'm not going to, because there's so much to see here, and I think I'd rather take my time doing everything I wanna do in Barcelona. After all, I came here to see Spain and I can go to Italy another time to see Roman stuff properly, and besides I have seen bits and pieces here and there - like these awesome as columns from a Roman temple hiding in a corner of the Barri Gotic today =)
Well that's today's update, tomorrow I think I might go and check out some Gaudi buildings, and probably the Sagrada Familia - probably Barcelona's biggest and most famous attraction.
latterrr
xoxoxox
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
apparently I have a boyfriend...
well no not really but I had to invent one this afternoon!!!
So I went walking down La Rambla, which is this huge and largely pedestrianised street which runs from Plaza Catalunya (one of the main squares) right down to the waterfront and a large monument to Christopher Columbus. It's full of restaurants/cafes, bird stalls, flower stalls, buskers - some very good and/or original, others average, and some pretty bad and just plain desperate haha - magazine stands selling more tourist souvenirs than magazines, craft stands oh yeah and a bout three hundred million people, probably about 90% of them tourists haha but it was pretty cool =)
Then I was wandering around the waterfront when some random guy started talking about me. (in English) Well I shouldn't have replied but don't always think so quickly or know what's coming up. He was like 30 and from some country in Africa, can't remember which one but yeah and became quite attached to me and I couldn't get rid of him. Followed me all around town, through the produce market and the supermarket and on the metro back to the hostel (=s) And every 3rd question was about my 'boyfriend' nkdfnkhsfuihfujbnjsjdf
lol
So he thinks I'm gonna call him tomorrow so we can meet up, because we are now great friends and 'Barcelona is going to be for us'
hahaha
I think not.
lol
I only hope he doesn't try come back to the hostel, and if he does that he gets lost and can't find it!
Other than that Barcelona so far has been pretty cool and this is another awesome hostel =).
was so excited to have salad with my dinner - with stuff I bought at the huge produce market off La Rambla =)
and man, It's such a small world!!!!!
Just before I came on to this computer I ran into [oh dear I've forgotten her name, if I ever knew it], but the German girl I shared a room with my first night in Sevilla.
And also...
I think I already said we found out Larissa and Greg (her bf - who actually does exist lol and is petty cool) are gonna be in Paris when I am on their contiki tour, and in Lyon before that
The Korean girl I shared a room with and spent a morning climbing up hills with in Malaga - well I ran into her a few days later in Granada, up in the Albaycin [Arabic district] and turned out we were both staying at Oasis backpackers!
Made friends with 2 supercool Australian girls [well actually one is British and the other South African but they've been living in Aus for 3 or 4 years] at Oasis in Granada. Just before they moved on, we discovered that they were booking onto the exact same hostel in Lyon that I've booked, on the exact same nights!!! Can't wait to meet up with them again =) and share tales hehe
And then there's the Kiwis I've met - not so many but still more than I expected
One girl in the backpackers in Cádiz
The guy who checked me in at Granada, from Auckland/Kumeu. Had this awesome as little convo about how it sucks to have to say we're from Auckland...
And when I was checking into the backpacjers in Córdoba some other guy [I think he worked there] came up from behind, saw my passport and was like oh, kia ora - it was cool!
and then
- 'so where are you from?'
-Christchurch, you?
-Auckland.
-oh, right. [silence]
-shut up!!!!!
lol
the girl at the desk was so confused
anyway, I only supposed to spend 20 mins at a time on internet here and I think its been double that so I´m out
xoxox
So I went walking down La Rambla, which is this huge and largely pedestrianised street which runs from Plaza Catalunya (one of the main squares) right down to the waterfront and a large monument to Christopher Columbus. It's full of restaurants/cafes, bird stalls, flower stalls, buskers - some very good and/or original, others average, and some pretty bad and just plain desperate haha - magazine stands selling more tourist souvenirs than magazines, craft stands oh yeah and a bout three hundred million people, probably about 90% of them tourists haha but it was pretty cool =)
Then I was wandering around the waterfront when some random guy started talking about me. (in English) Well I shouldn't have replied but don't always think so quickly or know what's coming up. He was like 30 and from some country in Africa, can't remember which one but yeah and became quite attached to me and I couldn't get rid of him. Followed me all around town, through the produce market and the supermarket and on the metro back to the hostel (=s) And every 3rd question was about my 'boyfriend' nkdfnkhsfuihfujbnjsjdf
lol
So he thinks I'm gonna call him tomorrow so we can meet up, because we are now great friends and 'Barcelona is going to be for us'
hahaha
I think not.
lol
I only hope he doesn't try come back to the hostel, and if he does that he gets lost and can't find it!
Other than that Barcelona so far has been pretty cool and this is another awesome hostel =).
was so excited to have salad with my dinner - with stuff I bought at the huge produce market off La Rambla =)
and man, It's such a small world!!!!!
Just before I came on to this computer I ran into [oh dear I've forgotten her name, if I ever knew it], but the German girl I shared a room with my first night in Sevilla.
And also...
I think I already said we found out Larissa and Greg (her bf - who actually does exist lol and is petty cool) are gonna be in Paris when I am on their contiki tour, and in Lyon before that
The Korean girl I shared a room with and spent a morning climbing up hills with in Malaga - well I ran into her a few days later in Granada, up in the Albaycin [Arabic district] and turned out we were both staying at Oasis backpackers!
Made friends with 2 supercool Australian girls [well actually one is British and the other South African but they've been living in Aus for 3 or 4 years] at Oasis in Granada. Just before they moved on, we discovered that they were booking onto the exact same hostel in Lyon that I've booked, on the exact same nights!!! Can't wait to meet up with them again =) and share tales hehe
And then there's the Kiwis I've met - not so many but still more than I expected
One girl in the backpackers in Cádiz
The guy who checked me in at Granada, from Auckland/Kumeu. Had this awesome as little convo about how it sucks to have to say we're from Auckland...
And when I was checking into the backpacjers in Córdoba some other guy [I think he worked there] came up from behind, saw my passport and was like oh, kia ora - it was cool!
and then
- 'so where are you from?'
-Christchurch, you?
-Auckland.
-oh, right. [silence]
-shut up!!!!!
lol
the girl at the desk was so confused
anyway, I only supposed to spend 20 mins at a time on internet here and I think its been double that so I´m out
xoxox
in Barcelona!!!!! and tired...
yet another computer with usb ports blocked it seems...pain in the ass haha. gonna have to find an internet cafe to transfer photos from my camera otherwise memory card gonna fill up again - and soon!
So I got to the hostel about an hour ago, normally I´d be well into exploring the city by now but Ive just been sorting out some stuff, I made me a bocadillo (filled roll) with chorizo for my late lunch, and read a little bit of lonely planet since I still hadnt got through much of the Bacelona section while I ate.
This seems like a good hostel. Its pretty big, very clean and very secure. Havent talked to anyone yet other than reception staff, mostly because all the guests are either not here or in groups and/or talking in languages like french or catalan (not sure which). And the kitchen is clean and well equipped =)
I didnt really like the hostel in Madrid, though it wasn't bad.
I did however love the city of Madrid, just as much as when I was first there but it was really cool and interesting being back there after seeing a lot of the rest of Spain and getting used to the customs, language and people etc somewhat. It was a totally different experience! It almost felt like a totally different city, in a way, mostly because of the weather. This time the temperatures (from about 11/12-5/6 anyway) were around 16-18 degrees and in various places, like in the Plaza Mayor, everyone was out enjoying it!
Yesterday afternoon/evening I was getting pretty tired, so I thought when I got back to the hostel I would go to bed/sleep pretty early so I would hopefully be un-tired for today. That plan changed somewhat when my room, which was tiny, became occupied by 3 drunk/drinking australians who decided to hang out there before heading out clubbing at midnight! So I didn't get as m,uch sleep as I wanted and am still just as tired but hey that's backpacking right.
Off now to check out La Rambla - Barcelona's and Spain's most famous street (says Lonely Planet)
So I got to the hostel about an hour ago, normally I´d be well into exploring the city by now but Ive just been sorting out some stuff, I made me a bocadillo (filled roll) with chorizo for my late lunch, and read a little bit of lonely planet since I still hadnt got through much of the Bacelona section while I ate.
This seems like a good hostel. Its pretty big, very clean and very secure. Havent talked to anyone yet other than reception staff, mostly because all the guests are either not here or in groups and/or talking in languages like french or catalan (not sure which). And the kitchen is clean and well equipped =)
I didnt really like the hostel in Madrid, though it wasn't bad.
I did however love the city of Madrid, just as much as when I was first there but it was really cool and interesting being back there after seeing a lot of the rest of Spain and getting used to the customs, language and people etc somewhat. It was a totally different experience! It almost felt like a totally different city, in a way, mostly because of the weather. This time the temperatures (from about 11/12-5/6 anyway) were around 16-18 degrees and in various places, like in the Plaza Mayor, everyone was out enjoying it!
Yesterday afternoon/evening I was getting pretty tired, so I thought when I got back to the hostel I would go to bed/sleep pretty early so I would hopefully be un-tired for today. That plan changed somewhat when my room, which was tiny, became occupied by 3 drunk/drinking australians who decided to hang out there before heading out clubbing at midnight! So I didn't get as m,uch sleep as I wanted and am still just as tired but hey that's backpacking right.
Off now to check out La Rambla - Barcelona's and Spain's most famous street (says Lonely Planet)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
I found me some internet =)
Found a computer at my hostel but I gotta pay for internet. damn lol, was getting used to free internet at backpackers. oh well. I wanted to post some photos, but theyve covered the usb ports behind a huge plastic case. bullies!
So the hostel here in Toledo is in a restored/renovated castle, that was built I don´t know when but it´s a genuine castle from lots of years ago, sitting up on a hill. It´s about a 10-15 minute walk from the old town which is spread over another hill, and a river (forgot its name) runs between the two. I feel like I´m repeating myself somewhat here haha but walking around Toledo is pretty awesome. It was once the capital city of Spain, well maybe of the kingdom of Castilla (I think it was before the unification of the various kingdoms that became Spain) but anyway yeah it used to be a pretty powerful place, and also was an important centre of culture/learning etc etc. Today it´s a `World Heritage Site´, or something, like so many places I´ve visited hahahaha. It´s all old and medieval-like =) And full of little narrow streets that go up and down and up again. That´s what happens when they build a city on a hill.
It´s been a really lovely day (weather-wise). Leaving Cordoba this morning (I miss the south already!) I was prepared for cold weather again but it´s actually been about 15º so very nice and I think it´s gonna be about the same tomorrow. Since I arrived this afternoon, I´ve been walking around seeing things and definately noticing the difference between Castilla and (i.e here) and Andalucia, where I have been for the last week and a half, still kind of adjusting. It´s a hard thing to explain though so yeah. I raced through the Cathedral, trying to keep ahead of the huge asian tour group, I´ve also visited a Jewish synagogue + museum, though I didn´t find the museum as great as Lonely Planet made it out to be, maybe I just wasn´t in the right frame of mind for reading all the details hehe. Never really have been a massive fan of museums, in general. Also quickly visited another church, couldn´t find one of the other museum things I thought I might see, and there was probably one or 2 more things but I can´t remember them.
Tomorrow gonna probably go for a morning walk around the city, maybe take a few more photos and then head off to Madrid. Might go look at the Museo del Prado.
So the hostel here in Toledo is in a restored/renovated castle, that was built I don´t know when but it´s a genuine castle from lots of years ago, sitting up on a hill. It´s about a 10-15 minute walk from the old town which is spread over another hill, and a river (forgot its name) runs between the two. I feel like I´m repeating myself somewhat here haha but walking around Toledo is pretty awesome. It was once the capital city of Spain, well maybe of the kingdom of Castilla (I think it was before the unification of the various kingdoms that became Spain) but anyway yeah it used to be a pretty powerful place, and also was an important centre of culture/learning etc etc. Today it´s a `World Heritage Site´, or something, like so many places I´ve visited hahahaha. It´s all old and medieval-like =) And full of little narrow streets that go up and down and up again. That´s what happens when they build a city on a hill.
It´s been a really lovely day (weather-wise). Leaving Cordoba this morning (I miss the south already!) I was prepared for cold weather again but it´s actually been about 15º so very nice and I think it´s gonna be about the same tomorrow. Since I arrived this afternoon, I´ve been walking around seeing things and definately noticing the difference between Castilla and (i.e here) and Andalucia, where I have been for the last week and a half, still kind of adjusting. It´s a hard thing to explain though so yeah. I raced through the Cathedral, trying to keep ahead of the huge asian tour group, I´ve also visited a Jewish synagogue + museum, though I didn´t find the museum as great as Lonely Planet made it out to be, maybe I just wasn´t in the right frame of mind for reading all the details hehe. Never really have been a massive fan of museums, in general. Also quickly visited another church, couldn´t find one of the other museum things I thought I might see, and there was probably one or 2 more things but I can´t remember them.
Tomorrow gonna probably go for a morning walk around the city, maybe take a few more photos and then head off to Madrid. Might go look at the Museo del Prado.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Iḿ sleepy...
so I came up intending to write a somewhat decent blog entry but sat down at the computer and suddenly Im really tired so probably gonna end up being a quick one. Even though Ive got about a million things to say.
Today I came from Granada to Córdoba, and have spent the afternoon exploring the city. The highlight of course would have to be the Mezquita, i.e. mosque (although it has now been converted into a cathedral. It was pretty epic, but the craziest thing was the Cathedral built into the middle of it.
Yesterday went to the Alhambra and it was fantastic!!!!! Same as in the Alcazar at Sevilla but this time even more so - photos just cant convey its magnificence! Obviously I have more to say about the alhambra, and I want to post some photos from there, but cant tonight (sorry mum i know youre waiting!!!)
Tomorrow hoping to get out early again to see the archeological museum, do a couple of little jobbies, and then got train out of here at 11.30, to Toledo, via Madrid.
This hostel is cool, but doesnt come close to the one at Granada!
Well off to bed now. With any luck I should be able to get back on tomorrow because I have more to tell but we shall see. Its also harder in places where Im only staying one night because i tend to spend more time seeing and doing things etc that sitting at computer.
Right now Im excited for sleeeeeep
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
Today I came from Granada to Córdoba, and have spent the afternoon exploring the city. The highlight of course would have to be the Mezquita, i.e. mosque (although it has now been converted into a cathedral. It was pretty epic, but the craziest thing was the Cathedral built into the middle of it.
Yesterday went to the Alhambra and it was fantastic!!!!! Same as in the Alcazar at Sevilla but this time even more so - photos just cant convey its magnificence! Obviously I have more to say about the alhambra, and I want to post some photos from there, but cant tonight (sorry mum i know youre waiting!!!)
Tomorrow hoping to get out early again to see the archeological museum, do a couple of little jobbies, and then got train out of here at 11.30, to Toledo, via Madrid.
This hostel is cool, but doesnt come close to the one at Granada!
Well off to bed now. With any luck I should be able to get back on tomorrow because I have more to tell but we shall see. Its also harder in places where Im only staying one night because i tend to spend more time seeing and doing things etc that sitting at computer.
Right now Im excited for sleeeeeep
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Granada
Another awesome, mostly sunny day in the South of Spain. Got the bus first thing from Malaga to Granada and checked into my hostel before 12. The guy who was working at the reception I discovered is a Kiwi!!! from Auckland even, though I never would have guessed it from his accent. This backpackers is totally awesome, it's what backpackers are supposed to be like. I've been talking to two girls on Australia, whose epic trip across Europe is making my journey look like nothing hahaha. And later on I'm going out for a tapas tour, organised by the hostel...sooo glad I changed hehe.
This keyboard is annoying the crap out of me...half the punctuation keys are not what they say they are...useful. But - its internet, inside the backpackers, and it works!!!
I was wandering town earlier this afternoon and went through a little plaza where I ran into Clara [I now know her name], my Korean roommate from 2 nights ago in Malaga, which was the craziest thing! We then discovered we were staying at the same backpacker, in the same dorm even! So that was pretty cool.
Haven't done a huge amount today...well I have but not so much to write about...mostly just random wanderings. I walked up this huge as hill - the arabic side of town, can't remember its name but anyway wandered up to the awesomest lookout point that had the best view out over the city and the Alhambra on the opposite hill, and behind the Alhambra - the Sierra Nevada (=snow covered mountain range) beautiful. In the plaza just behind it there were two outdoor cafes and since it was sunny and lunchtime I decided to treat myself to a proper lunch - cod fish with basil, pinenuts, raisins, prawns (!!!) and maybe something else I can't remember.
I think I worked out what's up with this keyboard. The keys are arranged as they are on English keyboards, but theyre printed like spanish keyboards (if that makes sense).
Tomorrow the plan is to get up early and head up to the Alhambra. Can't wait!!!!!!!!! A million more photos to be taken there, methinks....
xoxoxoxox
This keyboard is annoying the crap out of me...half the punctuation keys are not what they say they are...useful. But - its internet, inside the backpackers, and it works!!!
I was wandering town earlier this afternoon and went through a little plaza where I ran into Clara [I now know her name], my Korean roommate from 2 nights ago in Malaga, which was the craziest thing! We then discovered we were staying at the same backpacker, in the same dorm even! So that was pretty cool.
Haven't done a huge amount today...well I have but not so much to write about...mostly just random wanderings. I walked up this huge as hill - the arabic side of town, can't remember its name but anyway wandered up to the awesomest lookout point that had the best view out over the city and the Alhambra on the opposite hill, and behind the Alhambra - the Sierra Nevada (=snow covered mountain range) beautiful. In the plaza just behind it there were two outdoor cafes and since it was sunny and lunchtime I decided to treat myself to a proper lunch - cod fish with basil, pinenuts, raisins, prawns (!!!) and maybe something else I can't remember.
I think I worked out what's up with this keyboard. The keys are arranged as they are on English keyboards, but theyre printed like spanish keyboards (if that makes sense).
Tomorrow the plan is to get up early and head up to the Alhambra. Can't wait!!!!!!!!! A million more photos to be taken there, methinks....
xoxoxoxox
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
