Chapter 66: Next Time, Rain, Stay on that Plain

nerd blog post #71

Spain was wonderful. Steve and I had a long travel day on January 1st, complete with two long bus rides, two metro rides and a flight, before arriving in Barcelona. We made our way to the hostel, which turned out to be really great. Due to the fact that most places were full, we were to share the room with two others. This is something I don´t mind at all, but not really Steve´s style.. But when we arrived, they told us that we would be in a private room. So that was good news. Showers and breakie were free, and the hostel was very inexpensive. The room was big and clean and I got the top bunk.

We quickly threw down our stuff and checked out the neighbourhood. We were in the Gothic Quarter, the old part of town near the port with narrow streets and dark, run-down buildings. Being the 1st, everything was closed, and it was quite spooky Halloween. Very cool. We tried to find a place to eat dindins, with no luck. Turns out, Spanish peeps eat dinner between 10pm and midnight, and all that could be eaten around 7pm is Tapas, which is kind of snacktime. We had some tapas snackies and lemonade beer and then continued walking.

In the evening, we met my friends Foun and Lucie from Rennes, who were there visiting a friend that Foun had met in her travels in Canada. Anna was a really nice woman who told Steve and I some good things to do while there, and warned us that Barcelona is the pickpocket capital of Europe. Good to know. We had tea and a fun chat and split ways around 1030. Steve and I weren´t too impressed with Spanish food, and had Chinese stirfry for dinner. Then we had delicious sangria and Spanish beer at a really local-feeling place.

The next morning, we got up really early and took Barcelona by storm. We walked about 15kms that day, on a hunt to see all of Antoni Gaudi´s architecture. Most impressive was the Sacred Family cathedral, a masterpiece that was unfinished at his death, the plans missing... They say it will be complete in 2030. Even unfinished, it was the coolest cathedral I´ve seen. We then went to the Guella Park, which was designed by him. Stretching endlessly were his mosaic tiled designs and gingerbread/Willy Wonka-styled houses. It was amazing.

Later, we went to Placa Espanya, which Anna told us would have a light show at 7pm. We didn´t know what to expect, but went anyways. At this giant water fountain was the show. A sort of water ballet, with epic music playing and lights flashing. It really was spectacular. We climbed to the top of the mountain and had a view of it from every angle. We also had a great view of the city, from the opposite side of Guella Park, also atop a mountain. We then walked back towards the Gothic Quarter, up La Rambla and settled at a really delicious Indian restaurant for dinner.  La Rambla is sort of the touristy zone.  It's a long strip of sidewalk that has market stalls lining it.  Street performers do tricks or stand still and men sell cans of beer for 1euro and other men try to sell drugs to Steve.  We checked out a bit of Barcelona nightlife that evening..  Bought beer from streetmen and went to a bar.  We went to bed relatively early, though, as the traveling continued the next morning.

Ibiza was a 45 minute flight from Barcelona but it felt different as soon as we landed.  Palm trees and mountains and sea could be seen from the airport.  Very beautiful.  We took public transit from the airport to the town of Ibiza, where our hotel was.  It was the nicest place we had stayed at yet.  A nice hotel with cheap off-season prices.  We realized it was the first time we'd not shared a toilet since Saint-Malo.  We were pretty tired and worn down from hostels and airports and tourist spots so being able to relax and unpack a bit was really well-needed.  

That evening, we walked around the town and saw the big castle and ate Chinese food and got oriented.  We went to bed at 930pm!

The next day, we were disappointed in yet another grey day.  Though the temperatures were warm (mid-teens), we hadn't seen a minute of sunshine since arriving in Spain.  Which was part of why we headed there..  So that was really too bad.  That day, we had a wonderfully relaxing morning. We ate breakie that we'd bought at the grocery store the day before and read our books and watched the news.  We then took off on an epic walk to the neighbouring town and saw where all the summer (high season) partying takes place.  We had coffee at a very cool spot and then ate more ethnic food for dindins.  That night, we dragged chairs down to the beach and sipped wine at the seaside.  The night was clear which was a good sign for sunshine the next day.  It was great to chat on a silent beach, wine in hand, and moon shining on the Mediterranean.  It was perfect.

The next day was sunny!  We got out of the hotel early and spent five hours on the beach.  We were pushing it a bit, because it certainly wasn't hot, but we lay in our bathing suits anyways.  We had a picnic lunch of sammys and beer and it was a welcomed change to the rain and clouds we'd been bearing.  That evening, we witnessed one of the stranger things I have ever seen.  All of the local Ibiza peeps lined the main streets for a parade celebrating the Three Wise Men.  The parade was about 10 minutes long and included teens dressed as fireflies, moons and stars, and then three giant three wise men floats.  It was the shortest parade I have ever seen, and really a bit bizarre to experience.  Oh, and they were chucking candy at the kids.  It must have dented cars..  After the parade, we headed to Ibiza's smaller version of La Rambla, which was packed with people celebrating.  

And then I had a delicious treat.  Steve bought me barbe de papa!  Barbe de papa is cotton candy and happens to be one of my favourite treats.  I ate it in 2 seconds and it was so great.  A definite highlight of the trip.

We repeated wine beach party.

The next day was a bit harrowing.  We flew to Barcelona and then had seven hours to kill in the very small Girona airport, before flying back to Paris.  Steve and I have our differences, and these were really brought into light in those seven hours.  Actually, it went fine.  We read and played two games and wandered about.  We stayed at Raffi's that night and didn't get there until 1am, making it a 15.5 hour travel day.  Yowsas....  Raffi has been a wonderful host and very accommodating to my friends.  

And now?  Amsterdam.  But more on that latron.

Much love to Canada.  I am very homesick this break.  I feel as though I have had a little fun in Rennes but will be boarding the plane with Steve on Sunday and returning to my apartment on Isabella.

Signing off,

Hincks.