So we set off for another year-end vacation. Barcelona, over
Christmas and returning on eve of New Year day. It is the first time in recent
years that we could nail down a common time when everyone in the family are
free to go together.
When the kids were still schooling it was easy enough to
plan for holidays. The year-end school vacations presented the best opportunity
for all to go. Holidays together were great for family bonding 24/7. But now,
with my elder boy on tight work schedules, and the other two in college, we
have not had much luck in packing the entire flock to fit our holiday
plans. Jenny was never too excited about
travelling without at least one or two kids in tow. A good experience should be
shared. That was her unyielding mantra since children crashed into our lives. And
her heart was always with the children. With
only tiny fragments left for me, I knew where I stood in the line. And I am fine
with that.
But for this December festive season, viola - I could get
all three available. For Spain and Barcelona, a tantalising visit
beckoning. But sadly, the travelling
band is not complete. A vital piece missing, now that Jenny has left us.
The flight on Emirates airways went smoothly enough. We had
a pick-up arranged for us to bring us to the Airbnb apartment we had booked some
weeks ago. Which was nice given that we
were all worn out from the long flight. Staying in an Airbnb apartment would be
a first for us. It was much like the typical
self-catering apartment but slightly cheaper.
So how did the vacation go? Free and easy as always. We
never believed in trying to cover too much ground. Well, if you still care to
read on, here is our travel journal in brief…
The Sagrada Familia |
We opted to save on the tickets. Having visited countless cathedrals across Europe, many far grander than this one so we were doubtful if was worth spending money on admission. This would also be the first church we have encountered that charges admission fees. Could Spain be in such need for revenue generation?
We spent the rest of the day strolling around the city
centre and at the waterfront area. The city have great vibes but enough of street
beggars to tell a different story.
Day 2 – Visited Parc Guell, another of Gaudi’s grand if not
somewhat gaudy creation. Located high on a hill-top, getting there would have
been a vigorous climb but mercifully, much of the ascent was aided by
escalators. Someone painted a “Tourist go home” sign on one of the escalator
steps to remind us we are not so welcomed. An unhappy resident probably, who
got tired of the unending stream of tourist intruding their privacy perhaps.
But I'm pretty sure even they would find the escalators useful. And would these mechanical
fixtures have even been installed if the park was not such as a popular attraction
for visitors all over the world?
Parc Guell |
Afternoon was spent strolling through the Gothic quarters, the
oldest part of Barcelona. Totally enjoyed the walk through the many narrow
cobbled alleys and plazas. Almost transported back to medieval times. Visited
the Barcelona history museum and walked through the remains of a sprawling archaeological
site built since Roman times, more than 2000 years ago. A very impressive
curative display of Spanish history.
Had a delicious Christmas eve dinner at a somewhat swanky restaurant
downtown. Their juicy ribbed veal, tapas and seafood paella are worth dying for.
Day 3 - Christmas day. We checked out to make our way westwards to
Zaragoza, a city about 300 km away. Rented a car at the Sants Estacio or train
station. Turned out to be a vexing 3 hour wait before the car arrived. Got
totally flustered. Zaragoza, 300 km away would be a 3 hour drive. Turned out to be longer, due to heavy fog and
it was dark by the time we arrived. Again we stayed at an airbnb apartment, but
this one was really a private residence. Tried hunting for a restaurant that
can serve a decent meal befitting of a Christmas day dinner but all the restaurants
nearby were closed. Managed to grab some hot food served at a small cafe. Simple
dinner but were thankful that we got our fill at least.
Day 4 – Strolled over to the Aljaferia palace, a fortified
Islamic medieval palace built in the 11th century, one of the major
attractions at Zaragoza. From there, we walked to the city centre along the
river Ebro. Chanced upon an Irish pub which shows live screenings of English
premier leagues football. Watched the Stoke vs Man United game (Stoke won!) and
later the big match between Liverpool and Leicester City (Reds won!). By the
time the matches ended at 6.30pm, the city centre was crowded with people –
Zaragozans mostly and a few aliens like us, all congregating in Christmas celebratory
mood. Tried searching for a restaurant
that can serve us a good meal but they all appeared to close early. Food-wise, Zaragoza was a major let-down. Fortunately my boy’s culinary skills spared
us from starvation. We picked up
essential foodstuff from a nearby super-market and back to the apartment, in no
time we were tucking into delicious chicken stew. A gastronomic delight that would
have made Mum so proud too!
Zaragoza city centre was full of people |
Day 5 – Checked out early and prepared for the long drive
back to Barcelona. Approaching the city,
we detoured and drove up the monastery located high above the Montserrat
mountain with its very unique rock formations.
The panoramic view of the city from atop the monastery was simply breath-taking.
Checked into our 3rd apartment we rented via Booking.com.
Supposedly a 3 bedroom apartment about 8 km from Barca City centre but we struggled
to locate it. The address given was
wrong and without internet access we could not access the contact number. As it
was getting late we drove back to the city for dinner. Thankfully most Spanish
restaurants understand the value of free wifi. We finally located the apartment
and settled in.
Day 6 – We set off in the morning for a ½ hour drive to the
sea-side town of Sitges, known for its picturesque and pristine beaches and
many sea-front restaurants. The late morning sun, shimmering like jewels on the
Mediterranean sea provided a stunning backdrop for lots of photo-taking. We had
seafood lunch at one of the myriad of seafront restaurants.
Drove back to Barcelona city centre and had a simple tacos
dinner at the Gothic quarters.
Day 7 – Our last full day in Spain. Drove to the town of Figueres to visit the
Salvador Dali Museum to satiate the artsy cravings of my daughter C. The 1 ½ hour
drive was followed by a more than 1 hour of queuing for tickets. I suspect that
the long queue time was a deliberate scheme to mitigate overcrowding of the museum
building. Inside, we were consumed by Dali’s surrealistic and mystical art-form.
It was a unique journey into art leaving us both dazed and inspired.
Back to Barca, we spent the remaining time strolling through
the city.
Jenny would have been absolutely thrilled if she was with us
for this trip. A self-drive holiday, sight-seeing in exquisite historic towns, walking
through the cobbled streets, looking through the many shops with their quaint
and colourful souvenirs on offer. Sampling the delicious local food-fare. It would be the
perfect holiday for her.
So everywhere I go, I could not shake off the fact that she is
missing from our travelling troupe. I pictured her in our midst. She would be
wearing her black trench coat, in her skinny blue jeans or black slacks,
carrying her bright red knapsack behind her that she uses only for her travels. Such exotic trips without her sometimes
put me into a sullen mood, detached from the many attractions and sights. But no regrets on making the trip. The bonding
experience with my three kids was priceless. Jenny would give a thumbs up too.