Tag: Spain

Barcelona to Valencia

This morning after breakfast we visited Barcelona Cathedral. They started building the Cathedral in 1298 and provisionally finished it in 1450.

Inside Barcelona Cathedral

Our train to Valencia left at noon so our visit to the Barcelona Museum had to be short. The Museum tells the history of Barcelona since prehistoric times. The archaeological ruins in the basement of the museum are really fascinating. There are the remains of Roman building from around 300 AD. On top of them are the remains of a Chapel from around 600 AD. As you walk through the ruins more and more recent buildings are revealed.

The Archaeological Ruins below the Barcelona Museum

Our train to Valencia took about three and a half hours. It was a smooth and uneventful ride.

Our train to Valencia

Valencia is a beautiful city. We spent a couple of hours walking around and admiring the squares and the buildings.

Marion and Duke In Valencia

We had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant near our hotel.

Beet hummus and breadsticks
Spanish ham and rosemary crusted cheese
Covina fish with a peppermint sauce.

Barcelona

This morning we took the metro out to the airport to meet our friendS Rick and Elaine who will be traveling with us for the next two weeks. After they checked into the hotel we went exploring. First we went to the cafeteria at the top of the Corte Inglés department store on Plaza Catalan. for coffee and pastries.

Having coffee in the Corte Inglés department store on Plaza Catalan

Next we strolled down Las Ramblas.

Las Ramblas

We stopped to rest our feet and people watch for a while. While we were sitting there we saw a seagull kill and start eating a pigeon. It was gory!

A break on Las Ramblas

Next we went to the top of the Columbus Monument overlooking the harbor.

The Columbus Monument
The view from the top of the Columbus Monument.

Next we Walked through the Gothic Quarter on our way back to our hotel.

A street in the Gothic Quarter

For dinner we went to a restaurant called Raó. The atmosphere was great. The people were friendly and the food was wonderful. We had several small plates each of which we shared.

Octopus in a paprika sauce.

Gran Canaria to Barcelona

Here’s a link to my Gran Canaria video on YouTube.

This morning after breakfast we went for a great hike from Cruz de Tejeda along the ridge top. We could see all the way down to where we stayed in Las Palmas in one direction and in the other direction we could see the island of Tenerife.

Along the way we had a nice chat with a couple from Yorkshire in England. When we mentioned we were going to Barcelona they said “Beware of the pickpockets!” We agreed because we also know people who have been robbed in Barcelona. Of course we always try to be very careful and aware.

When we got back to the Parador we packed up and checked out. We drove to the airport, turned in our rental car and got a flight to Barcelona where we are tonight.

In Barcelona we took the metro to our hotel. As we were changing trains we started up a series of escalators. Then the escalator stopped. There was a well dressed couple right behind us. I started to climb up the stopped escalator and the guy behind me helped with my suitcase. We got on the next escalator and then it stopped. This time the guy was up by Duke and the woman tried to help me. As I ran out of breath and insisted on stopping I looked up and saw Duke push the man away from him and yell very loudly “You’re a f***ing thief!” By the time I got to the top of the escalator the couple were heading up the next escalator. We regrouped and I asked Duke what happened. He said he had realized the man had his hand in Duke’s pocket. The couple were pickpockets! They were stopping the escalators as a diversion. Luckily we didn’t lose anything. It was a very disconcerting experience.

We found our hotel, rested a bit, then found a tapas bar for a great dinner.

Las Palmas to Cruz de Tejeda on Gran Canaria

This afternoon we rented a car and drove up into the center of Gran Canaria. We are staying at the Parador Cruz de Tejeda. It feels like we are at the very top of the island. We have magnificent views in every direction.

View from Parador Cruz de Tejeda
Parador Cruz de Tejeda

This morning we walked to El Corte Inglés department store. They have a post office where we bought stamps and mailed a couple of post cards. Then we went to their restaurant and had a bit of breakfast.

Breakfast in El Corte Inglés

We wanted to have a picnic dinner tonight so we bought food in El Corte Inglés grocery store.

When we arrived at the Parador this was waiting for us in our room.

Here is our picnic dinner.

Avocado, cheese, bread, olives, Jamón Serrano, squid salad

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

It’s a beautiful day here on Gran Canaria, a low of 62 and a high of 70. We started out the day by walking along the promenade to the auditorium at the south end.

Along the promenade

Along the way we stopped for pastries and coffee.

Later we saw a churrería and stopped for more coffee and a churro.

Coffee and a churro

We were resting in our room when we heard the children’s parade starting so we went down to watch.

Part of the children’s parade
More of the children’s parade

Duke was really looking forward to seeing them mark the end of Carnival by burning the sardine. We found some seats in the bleachers and waited for the parade escorting the sardine to start. It was worth the wait. The end of the parade was the sardine followed by mourners in black.

The sardine
The mourners

We followed the sardine as it headed towards the beach. We were swept along by the crowd and were dumped onto the beach. Eventually the sardine was carried down to the water and loaded onto a barge.

The sardine being carried across the beach
The sardine being towed out from the beach

Eventually they lit the sardine on fire and then the magnificent fire works show started.

The sardine burning and the fireworks starting
Fireworks

As the fireworks were ending we found our way to an Italian restaurant overlooking the beach and had dinner. The pizza and ravioli were excellent.

Ristorante Pizzería Al Maccaroni
Anchovy and olive pizza
Shrimp and salmon ravioli

What a great day!