Girona's nights.

In between Barcelona and France you can place the city of Girona.Famous in May for the flowers' festival , the Jewish Quarter (Call Jueu) and the Cathedral . It is a medieval city known for the besiege suffered during the  Spanish Sucession War , the river Onyar divides the city with the most popular bottom of the area. You can take a train from Barcelona directly to Girona ( 1 hour time and ticket costs10€ per journey). Really close to the Costa Brava and Calella de Palafrugell. People are very friendy , it's a good place to spend a nigh and a good place to plan some excursions around  if you fancy small picturesque villages and beautiful landscape.

The lights of the cathedran in riven Onyar

View of Girona's cathedral, really close of the Jewish Quarter:

Mixture of old stone building with new edification:

This is the most famous bottom in town, it is called " lion's butt" just in front of the Cathedral, they say that if you touch it you will come back to Girona , you can ask a wish too, it's said that students go there for luck in their exams.

Costa Brava. Calella de Palafrugell.

Last weekend I was 127 km (79 miles) north of Barcelona. In a little town called Calella de Palafrugell, really close from France and few miles from Dali's hometown. It was a shinny sunny day, even some people dare to swim! ( I bet watter was reeeeaaally cold).

The map shows where Calella de Palafrugell is placed. During summer time town council authorizes an stage on the beach where traditional songs are sung ( called habaneras), rum is drunk ( burned rum, they are not pirates, are they?) and grilled fish is eaten.

Views are fantastic, seawater clean :

 

No trains directly from Barcelona to Calella de Palafrugell ( not Calella de Mar , careful there!), you can take a tren to Girona ( media distancia train is called , and costs about 10€ / one way journey)  from Girona you can rent a car or directly take a  bus from Barcelona to Calella de Palafrugell , 17 € one way.

Pickpockets in Barcelona

I would like not to write this post about pickpockets in Barcelona as it feels like it is an unsafe city which is not. Though this week I saw two thiefs acting and I feel I have to write things I don't like about Barcelona too.

The first one stole a movile phone in a metro's wagon, ( I have to say I was stolen couple of times in metro, some of them I could stop them before going further) . Thiefs take advantadge of the rushing time when the beep beep beep alarm for 'we-are-going-to-close-wagon's-door' goes and everybody in the platform wants to go in. Normally you are pushed (not strange in the hurry up moment) and your purse-movile-wallet is stolen. Fast and easy.

Second thief tried to stole student's belongings in a library while they were studing or choosing a book in the shelfs. Some time ago , University decided to install padlockers in the lockers because of the thiefs, as sad as it sounds.

None of the thiefs this week, reached their aim but we all were very confused and angry at the moment.

I've been living for a really long time in Barcelona and everybody I know it's been stolen at some point. Not necessary , though to put your wallet in your underwear but it is very important not to leave your passport, money, whatever in the external pockets of your rucksak or coat or pants...even if you think you will notice if someone puts a hand on it, probably you won't in some situations. What makes you a good target? Cameras ( of course you can bring cameras to Barcelona but discretion is a point , you don't need to show you are a tourist , do you?), laptop, huuuuge map of the city... If you fancy a beer or coffee in a terrace don't leave your belongings next chair or in the back of your chair, always better in your lap. Some thiefs act as a team, one distract ( asking something, saying you've been stained and try to help you...) and the other one steals your bag. I prefer to be rude if someone I don't know tries to talk to me and looks a weird situation than to be robbered.
If you are living in Barcelona don't let people you don't know ( you can let in neighbours you already know, of course) take the lift with you, it is rare but sometimes thiefs give a try). Bikes are easy stolen too ( but that's another story).

Here  a link where people who's been stolen explains briefly what had happened and places in google maps where did happen.

How they (can) treat clients in Restaurants

Another post about things I don't like.

Yesterday night I went to a restaurant I fancy, not expensive and I like the food. They were always so nice and helpful that I like to reward with a tip. But yesterday night something happened. I asked for a take away dish ( they offer that service) which is a seasonal especiality. At first the waitress asked me: 'A bla bla bla and a blee blee blee? . Oh, no, no, just the first bla bla bla. I asked then if I could have a beer while waiting, after a gathering to the desertic restaurant the waitress said that people will come at some time ( Friday night) and they did not have the dish I asked for. So, no take away dish, no beer and I will not come back to them anymore.

It is not the first time I was bad-treated in a restaurant or bar in Barcelona. During summer time some places with terrace don't allow you to have a drink without having something to eat ( and I don't mean restaurants). Some bars have some 'to-have-something-to-eat-tables' and some 'to-have-something-to-drink-tables' and they adapt to their clients.

About a year ago, some friends came to visit me in Barcelona. It was late at night . There is a pizzeria-restaurant in the center where they ordered something to eat. When I arrived to the restaurant I ordered a drink and was about to sit when the waiter told me if I would not order food I should leave.

It is not unusual either, in some crowled bars, to take your dish with still food on it to rush you to leave. I keep a list ( not really long I have to say) and when someone asks me to recomend a restaurant-bar-pizza... I give them the don't-go list and I encourage them to go to another places instead.



Barcelona has plenty of restaurants. The greatest part are excellent about how they treat clients but don't be shocked if  some are extremely rude.

Church of Purísima Concepción.

I found a new place while walking around in Barcelona. It is a church and you can only see it if the building gate is open. It is called:claustro de Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción  and it is located in 70 Roger de Llúria street.  From the street you can see the cloister and at the end of the cloister's corridor, the church, stone made and pretty big.



Inside the cloister there is a small garden with a hen ( don't know why , could be monks need an alarm clock though I did not see any monk or priest).

Inside the church is cold but is worth , very beautiful and quiet in comparision with the noise of the street. I made some pics with no flash and trying not to bother, no much people in anyway.

Yes, there was a confessional, really scary dark spot with a cross.

Mont Taber. Not Rome but Barcelona.

I was walking on the street when I found this :

Says: Monte Tàber, 16.9 meters,  it's a hill in Barcelona where nowadays it's located the Hiking Center of Barcelona , used to be located Augustus' Temple when Barcelona was Barcino. When the Hiking Club is opened you can see... 

You can't no see it from the entrance, you have to sneak in a bit ( don't worry it is allowed)

Timetables and address of the Hiking Club of Barcelona :

Monday to Friday from 9 am to 1pm and from 4:30 pm to 21:30

10, Del Paradís street

08002 Barcelona
tel 933 152 311

www.cec.cat

Looking in Google Maps from metro station Jaume I, yellow line L4.

 

How to arrive and move around Barcelona

Once you land in the airport, how to arrive to Barcelona?

• Taxi, comfy, journey to the city costs about 30-40€ .

• Timetables of the train , ticket costs 2 € , more or less, once you arrive to Barcelona you should take the metro ( easier and cheaper, same price than bus) or bus. There are several kinds of metro's travelcards ( 1 day, 2 days, 10 trips, a month...) depending on your needs . It is worth to  check prices here. Last train at 23h38. Last metro at 24h.

• Bus, ticket 5,30€, leaves you in plaza Catalunya,  there are several stations between the airport and plaza Catalunya in case that your hotel-apartment is not in the route you should take a taxi, metro or another bus ( not valid same ticket). Service of aerobus until 1:00am.

• You can rent a car in airport ,there are several big international companies as Hertz, Avis, or Europcar. You can rent on-line or by phone before leaving your country. In case you choose driving I recommend soft music and tones of patience.

Here you can find a map of Barcelona, it is an official website with hotels, restaurants, what to see...Have a good trip!