Saturday, June 29

I love sleeping in! 

First on the list today was the Navarre Museum. There were a few interesting things to see but it was not a must see. 

I walked through the old town. I stated following the music I heard in the distance. And I came across a parade with large comical figures dancing through the streets. It was some sort of children's parade, like for kids 3-7. 

People took turns "wearing" The large figures. The larger ones were larger than 12ft. Smaller characters were carried by young teens. The guy "wearing" the horses were caring sticks with spunges hanging from the end. They go around chasing kids (and adults) and adults trying to hit them with the sponge. 

I walked over to the bull ring which is closed in preparation for the running of the bulls next week. behind that is Fort St Bartholomew a later addition to the defensive walls. 

 Path the bulls run into the ring. 

Fort battlements

This hostel, Hostel Aloha, is super cute. The people who run it are so nice. Hugo, the main guy, has an amazing patio garden: herbs, flowers and even an olive tree. 

I had just gotten back from walking around when Hugo knocks on my door asking if I was hungry because he was making Cuban Rice. It was about 3:30 and I haven't eaten lunch yet so I accepted. Several other people were about and we chatted while Hugo cooked. He cooked Indian rice with garlic and bay leaves (from the garden). A huge heap of rice was put in the center of the plate and topped with tomato sauce and a fried egg. It was yummy and so simple. 6 of us all sat down and enjoyed a meal together.

Lately I have been meeting so many really nice people.  A teenage couple from Salt Lake and a girl from near Perth Australia and I hung out later in the evening. We went out for churros (which according to Hugo are the real ones, not like the ones I had in Barcelona). We opted for the larger stuffed ones. I ordered one with chocolate and one with nata (like whipped cream). The were yummy.

 After we walked around exploring for more than 2 hours. We walked over a bridge over the river and around this park. It doesn't get dark here till like 10pm. Which is weird. 

Friday, June 28: Cathedral of Pamplona

Slept late and walked around town. I gabbed a yummy chocolate donut for a cheep €.90 breakfast. 

The Spain guide book at the hostel recommended seeing the Cathedral and its museum. It is a lovely old cathedral... with two giant 7' baby heads in front of it. Don't know what that's about but one has eyes open, the other eyes shut. 

A collection of Mary and child statues

Inside the cathedral

The tomb of Carlos III king of Navarre and his wife Lenora. Chapels and alcoves. 

Over half the city still has the old fortification walls around it which is so cool.  Behind the cathedral is one such place. It has a great view of the suburbs and the mountains beyond. 

I just sat and read in one of the the plazas for a while  

Skyeped with dad and Jeff it was really great to talk with both of them. 

I made a hamburger with tomato mozzarella salad on the side. It was yummy. 

Hung out late in the common room talking to all the other people in the hostel, most of which are Americans or UK, Australian to from New Zealand. 

Thursday, June 27 bus to Pamplona

I got up at 6:00 to catch the 7:30 bus to Pamplona. It was fairly easy to find and I made it aboard no problem. The bus has assigned seats like an airplane. The people around me all slept while I read. Then I fell asleep a few hors later. We stopped at a rest area once. 

Sights along the way

Wind turbines

We pulled into pamplona at 1:30. I had forgot to write down the hostel address but the nice lady at information looked it up. I walked the 4 blocks to my new hostel called Hostel Aloha. It is small 4 multi-person bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, kitchen and sun porch. 

I promptly crashed in my new bed. It felt like I slept for 5 hours but it was only 2. I didn't really want to get up but I made myself go exploring. 

I walked to the Plaza del Castillo where the locals were hanging out. Small children were riding around on bikes and scooters or just playing. Adults young and old chatted with friends. 

Sights of Pamplona 

They are starting to get stuff up and ready for the running of the bulls, a week from Sunday. I won't be here. Darn. 

I stopped at the grocery store on the way home. I made my self a lovely dinner. Fresh ripe tomatoes and mozzarella cheese drizzled with balsamic vinegar to start. Then spaghetti with meat sauce. It was yummy. 

The rest of the evening I hung out in the living room reading while some of the guys here watched soccer on tv. 

Wednesday, June 26: Barri Gothic Area

Bought a new towel today at the big department store, El Corte Ingle, because my old one was rubbish. 

Tried to find the post office without luck. I haven't come across one just walking around either. 

I had a huge buffet lunch. I was craving spaghetti and the fast food pasta place was like €8 and the buffet was €10.30. The food was good. Salad bar, carved meets, pasta & pizza bar and a few appetizer things. 

 The little brown things bottom left are tasty ham and cheese croquettes.  The pana cotta and ice cream for dessert were very good. 

I toured the Barri Gotic area today. The main road through this area is a giant pedestrian zone with loads of shops. Off the main, road down the little side streets, the sight of this area are tucked away. 

The Four Cats bar where Picasso used to hang out. 

Church of St. Anne

Sights and statues

The cloister of the Barcelona Cathedral was open today. Thirteen swans live in the center garden. The fountain is topped by St. George, the one who slew the dragon. He is very popular in Barcelona. 

Francesca and Emily had found an excellent chocolate and churros place. They had given me non-specific instructions as to where it was. Just when I was about to give up looking, there it was. The chocolate was bittersweet and thick. I was not able to finish the pile of churros they gave me. 

I was stuffed from churros and chocolate but I couldn't say no when Francesca and Emily invited my to have Paella with them. Luckily we ended up eating at like 11. It took us forever to decide. We ordered seafood paella and a few tapas (chicken croquettes, bruschetta toast and potato & onion tortilla). The paella tased a lot better than it looks. 

Tuesday, June 25

 

Missed the all-you-can-eat toast buffet breakfast again. Darn! 

I walked down Las Ramblas again this morning. It is a busy pedestrian commercial zone. There are small stalls selling souvenirs, pastries, candy, pet animals, flowers, ice cream... 

There a few cool things along the way. The fountain/bench/lamppost, the Academy of Sciences and Arts official local time clock, ancient Roman burial ground and turtles for sale. 

Off the center of Las Ramblas is the Boqueria Market. This market, who's beginnings trace back to the 1200's, has stalls selling all kinds of food items. Tourist wander through taking pictures while the old ladies selling fruit and meat yell at you not to take pictures. "This is not a museum." They say. But it is just that, a museum of food, a museum of people, a museum of life. I snacked my way across the market: pineapple & coconut juice, Iberian ham, a beef and cheese pastry thing. 

I stopped at the grocery store and picked up stuff for sandwiches and a few packets of Ramen (which is not as cheep here approx. $1/packet). I had chicken ramen and a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. It was nice to be back in a kitchen. 

In the late afternoon i toured another Gaudi house, Casa Mila. I didn't like this one as much as Casa Batllo. It had period furnishings in all the rooms but not the ones original to the house. Again the tour included the roof, attic and an apartment. 

Apartment rooms

Roof chimneys & towers

On the roof

Parabolic arches in the attic. 

Yes I take pictures of flooring. My dad is so proud. 

My roommates this stay have been very nice and Lucus, the guy from Germany, offered to make everyone dinner. He picked up all the ingredients and we (Francesca and Emily from the UK and I) helped cleaning and chopping. He made a wonderful Ratatouille and rice. He is a vegetarian. It was delicious. The four of us had a great time cooking and hanging out. We played Foosball/table football Francesca and I against Emily and Lucas. The first game tied 6-6 so we played a second inning. Final score 12-10 Francesca an I won. We hung out late talking and playing hangman to guess everyone's last names. Mine definitely was the most unusual.  It was a wonderful evening with delightful people. 

Monday, June 24: Casa Batllo

Late in the afternoon I toured Casa Batllo. This is one of the houses Gaudi designed and it is exactly one block from the hostel. 

The outside is whimsical. Most of the building is covered in a mosaic of colorful tile and glass. I think the balconies look like lizard skeletons faces. 

The theme of this house is water and sea creatures. 

They let you tour three sections of the house (main floor, roof and attic) as some of it is privately rented as homes and offices. 

Main floor was the home of the Batllo family who commissioned Gaudi to reinvent the building originally on this site. There is mushroom fireplace. The large living room over looks the busy street below. This room has beautiful curved wood doors and windows accented with panels of stained glass. 

Hey look its Morgan Freeman. And they didn't have him do the cheese audio guide. 

 

The roof is topped with clusters of mosaic chimneys and towers. A dragon spine and crosses crown the edge of the front facade. 

The main color scheme is blue, my favorite. The stairwell is shades blue tile lit from a skylight above. 

 I really enjoys this Gaudi house. 

Dinner Pans & Company

This is a local chain that I stopped at for dinner in the vary long 1 block walk back to the hostel. I ordered a sandwich with lettuce tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese, a side salad and a diet coke,  the first diet coke I've had since leaving the U.S. 

I walked along Las Ramblas to the beach in the evening. At the beach the full moon was beautiful on the water. A man has 3 fishing poles about 12-15 feet long in the water. 20 yards down the beach I watched a lady stretching then take off three shirts and go for a nighttime swim. I don't think that fisherman is catching minnows... It was a lovely evening. 

I got mistaken for a local 3 times today!!! Only by other tourists though.