Strange sights in Barcelona

Before we get into our impressions of Barcelona, I have a question for you. Take a close look at this picture and see if you can spot what's wrong with it:

Using Michelle's birthday as an excuse for a holiday, we headed off to Barcelona for a 4 day weekend. It was our first trip to Spain and it was a country that we had both really been looking forward to visiting. Barcelona was great introduction and we enjoyed a very relaxing few days there. Here are are some of our reflections.

Gaudi's Barcelona

To be honest I hadn't really heard of Gaudi before I found myself visiting one of the many buildings he designed in Barcelona - 'Casa Batllo'. To be fair, I don't know much about most of the places we visit before I get there - but fortunately Michelle is all over it.

Anyway - Casa Batllo was probably the highlight of the trip for us. Designed at the turn of last century for a wealthy Catalonian family, it is bizarre, beautiful, modern, functional, lavish and incredibly kooky. A 'sea' theme runs throughout the building, so there are many curves, swirls and blues - it is said there are no straight lines in the building.

The house and its architecture looks very modern - even though it is now over 100 years after it was built. Many of the imaginative features are not just aesthetic but also have a real functional purpose. For example - strange hoods on the roof top terrace that form part of the dragon's body (yes - the roof looks like a dragon), also have the functional purpose of shielding the chimneys to ensure greater airflow. It is hard to describe - you have to see it for yourself to really appreciate it.

(Right - the fireplace, together with a double seat and single seat in the alcove either side of it - the double for a couple, the single for their chaperon).

Below: Casa Batllo from the outside - known by locals as the 'The house of bones' due to the balconies, said to represent the skulls of the dragon's prey.

There are many other Gaudi attractions in Barcelona and we also visited some of these:

• La Pedrera - An apartment block which was the last of Gaudi's civil works. It is probably his most famous building and was worth visiting, but for us, although it was impressive and again, very unusual and unique, it was slightly more conservative and therefore not as interesting as Casa Battlo.

Chimneys at La Pedrera

• La Sagrada Familia - A temple, the construction of which started over 100 years ago and is still very much a work in progress now. Gaudi spent the final 40 years of his life working on this incredible structure.
  
  Its facades are incredible and in Gaudi style, nature pervades every aspect. The huge columns in the temple look like great kauri trees, with branches forking out at the very top to support the roof (yet to be built). You could also take a lift to the top, and wind your way back down a very narrow, spiralling stone staircase similar to a snails shell.
  
  

• Parc Guell (Gaudi's Park) - a public park which Gaudi designed. It features a huge public area surrounded by a curving mosaic bench. This overlooks two Hansel and Grettel like gate houses, and is supported by a forest of stone columns underneath. The mosaic work here, like in Gaudi's other works, are a bright mishmash of colours. A mosaic lizard guards the park. A great spot - and we were fortunate to see it on a beautiful sunny day.

Gaudi's legacy is apparent all over Barcelona and although I've never been huge on architecture, it clear that he was a real innovator and a key part of the modernist design movement.

We also saw some other incredible buildings (not Gaudi's) - a large Cathedral with an open cloister complete with pond and white geese. We also visited the Palace of Catalan Music - a building surrounded by glass designed by one of Gaudi's contemporaries and which was intended to look like a flowery fantasy land inside.

Lively La Ramblas

La Ramblas is a long pedestrian avenue and is said to be one of the liveliest streets in Spain. It is full day and night with an incredible array of street performers.

Nowhere have we been and seen such an array of painted people eager for you to have your photo taken with them - warriors, guys sitting on toilets, monkeys in cages, people on bikes, cowboys, indians, fruit stands, tango dancers, creatures reminiscent of Lord of the Rings - you name it. Elsewhere in the city talented bands and buskers are scattered around squares and small courtyards - it is a city with a real buzz.

There are also a series of markets here including a pet market. At the pet market you could buy almost any small fluffy animal you care to think of - rabbits, mice, rat, Guinea pigs, gerbils, stoats, hamsters... and birds and frogs and turtles and iguanas and fish...

Just off La Ramblas was a large market area with fruit, vegie, meat and deli food and the most impressive seafood market we have ever stumbled upon. There were things in the seafood market I had never seen before and have no idea what they were. The fish was beautifully presented and looked like it was fresh from the sea. It was an amazing place and I could have wandered around here for hours and hours. Below is a fish market photo - but for those who get as fascinated as I do by fish markets I have attached a few more fish/seafood pics at the end.... extra for experts if you like?

The lifestyle

Much is made of the late night lifestyle of the residents of Spain. We enjoyed many good meals sitting out in the balmy evenings and drinking cheap Spanish reds. The wines were great - and waiters were more than willing to suggest good wines to try (and refreshingly, they didn't try and up sell you to something flash - more commonly we were advised to downgrade to something cheaper!?). I think we may have got a bit tapa'd out by the end of the weekend, but we did enjoy a great meal at a tapas place Andy and Sel had recommended to us - well worth a visit(http://www.lavinateriadelcall.com/). We did manage the odd late night - but didn't go crazy but we certainly had a few sleep ins!

The Beach

On our last afternoon we sat in the sun and enjoyed a great seafood meal at a seaside restaurant (Agua). Bacelona's beach is a great asset, accessible to the city and full of guys and girls with their assets also on display. Wandering back along here in the sun to our accommodation in the Port area of town was nice way to end a relaxing few days off.

Oh - just about forgot. Did you work out what was not quite right in the photo at the start? If not, here is a closer shot that should help:

More fish pics........

If you can tell me what these are and how you eat them I would be grateful?!

He looks scary?

A couple of oldies checking out dinner

Water logged: Bath & the Cotswolds

More travelling with Mum and Dad - this time in Bath and the Cotswolds. But before we get into that, I have finally got round to writing up our trip to the South of France at Easter. You can see what we got up to here: http://rossandmichelleontour.blogspot.com/2008/04/family-fun-in-south-of-france.html

Bath

Bath (as the name implies) is centred around its famous Roman Baths. The natural warm water here has been used by different cultures throughout the ages. The Roman's made good use of them - but after a visit by royalty in Edwardian time the town and their Baths had a renaissance and became a popular holiday destination for Britain's high society who came here to soak and spa, gamble and parade for a wealthy partner.

We spent a few hours on a free guided walk around Bath. This was really interesting and great thing to do if you are ever in Bath. It gave us a sense for the history of Bath, the key people in its history and an insight into how life would have been like in Bath at various stages in the past.

We also spent some time exploring the Roman Baths - which have been excavated from under layers of building which had developed over them over time. It was a fascinating place both for exploring but also just a nice spot to sit in the sun and take in the green thermal waters. We forgot to try some of the spring water that you can have at the baths. It is said to have healing properties.... Mum and Dad tried it, and it is fair to say they didn't rave about its more tangible properties (e.g. flavour).

The other main feature in Bath is its 15th century Abbey. It is quite a striking sight - and its facade has quite unique features, such as Angels climbing ladders to Heaven. Some of them climbing down head first... just like something straight out of the horror 'The Ring'!?. It is also features a lot of stained glass and so inside is quite a light airy place. Worth a look if you are ever passing.

Angels on ladder

Angel - close-up

Chipping Campden - The Cotswolds

From Bath we drove into the Cotswolds - quintessential, picture postcard rural Britain. Lush rolling paddocks, small cottages with thatched roofs, tree lined lanes, cute villages, burbling creeks, old churches and historic pubs.

We were based in Chipping Campden a classy little town - and a bit less touristy than some of its neighbouring towns. We passed the time here driving around and exploring the many towns dotted around. Unfortunately the weather was pretty awful so we were unable to get out and do any of the walks that the Cotswolds are known for. The weather also put a bit of a dampener on some of our planned sightseeing - but the upside was that it gave us a good excuse for sleep-ins, early nights, afternoon soaking in the spa and general catching up on some sleep!

Tuscany - our home in Europe?

After a good dose of coastal life in Cinque Terre it was time to move onto Florence - the heart of Tuscany and home to great art and architecture - not to mention a food and wine lover's paradise.

The unobstructed view down the coast from our Cinque Terre terrace was replaced by a terrace with Florence's Duomo looming over it - testament to the central location of our apartment and home for the next week.

View of the Duomo from our balcony... no zoom.

I guess our stay in Tuscany can be divided into several categories:

Exploring Florence - its art and architecture

Florence is full of art and architecture. We're not huge on these things, but even for the unconverted like us, it was impressive. Most imposing was the Duomo... in the heart of the city. This is the world's 4th largest cathedral and took around 150 years to complete... a bit mind blowing for a couple of Kiwis from a young country like NZ! Its most impressive feature is its huge dome - 90 odd metres high - and after a steep and winding climb, it offers a fantastic view across the city of Florence and the sea of tiled roofs and terraces (including ours) below it.

Florence is also rich with sculptures - including many by Michelangelo. Obviously, the most famous of these is David. You see this iconic sculpture in many places - including the replica in Piazza Michelangelo on the hill overlooking Florence - but for some reason, when you see the real thing on display in the Galleria Dell'Accademia it is quite captivating. The detail and balance in this sculpture is incredible. As you walk around its expression changes - from a peaceful expression deep in thought, to something more like controlled anger. For the record - Michelle was most impressed with his butt - which apparently is pretty special.... she has photos.

We also did quite a few other galleries, churches and famous sights - all of which were interesting and impressive in their own way - but none of which could top David.

A wine experience in Chianti

After our first driving experience in Florence - it is fair to say that driver, navigator and passengers were ready for a drink - but it was only 10am. An hour to kill before our wine experience would commence - so we detoured to Greve in Chianti, a small town just 20km out of Florence - but which felt like it sat in the middle of the Tuscan countryside. Greve has two claims to fame: the local butchery (world famous in Tuscany - which was pretty cool) and as home to Giovanni da Verrazzano - the local boy who sailed from Europe and into what is now the bay of New York. More notable however (and particularly relevant to us) was that his family castle just out of Greve was then making table wine and now is a respected winery.... so it would have been rude not to take a look around......


We had lined up a tour and 5 course wine matched lunch at Castello di Verranzzano. We arrived at the castle to be greeted by Jillian our host. Upon realising we were Kiwis, she was excited to tell us that during WWII, the castle had been home to Allied forces - most of whom were from the Maori Battelion. Upon learning that wild boar roam the forest surrounding the castle - it made sense that they would have been happy settling in at this spot for a while.

The tour was very interesting - a good mix of information, history of both the castle and its owners and background on how wine making has changed from when it was first made at the site of this castle in 1100 to the 'Supertuscans' of today. The tasting and lunch were sensational.... Course after course of food - prepared mainly from the Castello's land - wild boar salami, pasta, roast pork, aged cheese with home made 15 yo balsamic vinegar and more, each matched with a wine.... all red, until the dessert and coffee when the local sweet white dessert wine and grappa appeared. A brilliant introduction to Chianti Classico wines - and some of the peculiarities and regulations the winemakers must adhere to - no irrigation, only planting on sloping land, just to name a couple.

Driving in southern Tuscany - Montepulciano and Montalcino

Not content with one (mainly) successful driving experience in Florence/Tuscany, we set off again - this time to the south of Tuscany and the two neighbouring towns whose names are synonymous with good Italian wine - Montepulciano and Montalcino. Building on our experience the day before, we managed a faultless departure from Florence and (thankfully) that theme continued for the day.

Montepulciano is a small hilltop village around 2hrs south of Florence. Its wine is very well known and highly regarded.... although I think our first taste of it was back in NZ when it took the form of a '1.5L Dirty Italian'.

We didn't get too caught up in the wine here - rather spent an hour or two exploring the hill top village, its narrow winding streets and practicing with the new camera.... even stalking an elusive pigeon which lived in the side of an old building.... the results... unimpressive... but we try. It was a nice place - obviously on 'a' tourist trail - but by no means 'the' tourist trail and certainly a good mix between tourist and locals going about their daily business.

From here we went on to Montalcino - home to the Brunello wines... famous, grunty and expensive Italian reds. Once again we explored - although here there was eating and a bit more of a concerted effort to explore the wines as well.

In between the towns we got to see first hand the Tuscan countryside - wild red poppies, flowing long grass waving in the wind, Cyprus trees, oil groves, grape vines, terracotta red buildings... everything you picture when you think 'Tuscany'.

Food and wine... mmmmm

Tuscany is known as a foodies paradise. There is no denying it - it is. A visit to the local market near Piazza Ghiberti (not the one for tourists) quickly evidences this.... all the normal stuff - fresh fruit, veges etc - but head inside and you are greeted by an incredible array of cuts of meats - many of which have been prepared to be cooked - chicken's necks stuffed ready for cooking (head still on), rabbit, the list goes on and on and on... so I won't.

We also enjoyed some fantastic meals, which we had at all sorts of different restaurants - swanky joints, small family run local affairs, deli come restaurants, small hole in the wall baguette bars. Too many good meals to mention - but here are some links in case you ever visit Florence.....

- Ross' favourite: A bit on the swanky side, but we ordered off an extensive menu, very little of which we understood (since it was in Italian) - but with some shrewd recommendations from the waiter ("Whose favourite response to questions about his recommendations was.... "You should" - in a tone that made you sense you would get your butt kicked if you didn't go with what he'd opted for)..... Anyway - I got lucky with a great meal. Bonus points for the complementary bottle of Lemoncello left on the table at the end of the night... my kinda place: //www.ristorantelagiostra.com

- Michelle's favourite: The Rick Stein/Jamie Oliver/Gordon Ramsey of Florence is Fabio Picchi. He is famous for not offering pasta (the Florentines believe that their mother's cook this best - so why eat it when you are out?), but this place shares a kitchen with his top restaurant - but you pay bistro rates... the food was the most interesting with items such as tomato jelly, stuffed chicken's neck, raw tuna etc........ delicious: Trattoria Cibreo.

- Hole in the wall bagels: Two guys in a shoe box of a 'kitchen' (more like a cupboard which opens onto the street). Choose your choice of fillings (I'd recommend the fresh roasted pork or fennel salami) and get it stuffed into a fresh warm bagel. Get yourself a glass of Chianti and sit in the gutter and enjoy. 3.50 euro for the pleasure: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/florence/D53840.html

- Family run place - Yum: Stumbled onto this place. Run by a wife (the waitress) and her husband (the chef) you know you are at a local favourite as you walk into this place. Starting from the complementary nibble (deep fried bread dough - a Tuscan favourite) through to the tiramisu the food was very very good - and incredible value. Bonus point for a limoncello to end: Its called - Icche C'e C'e.

- Castello di Verranzzano: the food on our wine matched lunch was amazing - but I have rambled on enough about this place already... so I will give it a miss now.

To sum up

We are enjoying a bit of a focus on travelling in Italy this year - and Tuscany is a real highlight so far. Like Argentina, it is definately a place that we can see ourselves returning to - perhaps for an extended stay at some stage. Fingers crossed, we'll be back.

Cinque Terre - The 5 Lands

More travel with Mum and Dad - this time we flew in to catch up with them as they made their way around Italy.

Michelle and I flew into Pisa and had a night there before we headed up to Cinque Terre. Although we had heard mixed (and mainly uncomplimentary) things about Pisa and its leaning tower - it seemed wrong to be in the city and not visit the tower - so we did.... twice. Once that night - to see it lit up at night - and again the next day as we killed some time before taking the train north. We did so with low expectations - but I think we were pleasantly surprised. Although we didn't go up the tower - it was an interesting sight and quite an unusual design (even leaving aside its angle). And with a small outlay of effort we have now earned the right to say 'we've been there' whenever we eat some tacky Leaning Tower branded pizza or pasta - priceless.

Coincidentally Sanjay and his ladies were also in Pisa also en-route to the Cinque Terre - so we managed to catch-up with them and sample Pisa's nightlife - which seemed to largely revolve around students milling about drinking in piazzas and on the river wall. Like any good student town - Pisa's kebab's did not disappoint - so after a bite and beer it was time to call it a night.

Cinque Terre is about an hour and a half north by train. We met up with Mum and Dad at the train station (where they had come in from Sienna). Unfortunately our train was 'retard' (late), but eventually we got there.

Cinque Terre is a great part of the world. Five old Italian fishing villages perched on the cliffs overlooking the Ligurian Sea. These days the area is a national park - there is not so much fishing and tourism is the main life blood. Having said that the area is still home to old Italians who work the step terraced hills growing artichoke and other vegetables - and most impressively.... wine!

Manarola - our place is the bright yellow one on the cliff

We were based in the second village in - Manarola. It was probably one of the smaller and quieter towns - but I would highly recommend it. The directions to our accommodation were to walk to the end of the street and our house was the 'last one before the sea'
(http://www.arpaiu.com/english.html). The instructions were no exaggerations - we were perched right on the edge of the cliff with spectacular views and an great terrace from which to enjoy a glass of wine and the sunsets in the evening.

"This retirement caper is not so bad after all"

By the time we got settled in we really only had 2 1/2 days in the area. Days were a mix of walking along the coastal walk that joins the 5 towns and relaxing and soaking up the sun. Despite the decline of fishing here, there was no shortage of great seafood - so dinners were protein packed seafood extravaganzas - washed down with a little bit of the local white wine.

On the walking front, our most notable achievement was to do the walk from our village to the 5th village (a fairly easy 4 1/2 hr walk). The track hugged the coast and took us in and out of each of the villages - giving us a chance to see them first hand (not to mention sample the odd gelatti here and there). Although we enjoyed the walk - we declined the opportunity to make it a round trip - instead opting for a short ferry ride back down the coast to Manarola. We also did some shorter walks - including one back up into the hills behind Manarola which took us through the olive groves and grape vines being tended there - with wild red poppies flowering between them. The walks were great - and a good way to work off a bit of the last night's dinner.

The Cinque Terre was a very spectacular place with its colourful houses perched on rocky cliffs, the clear sea below and the step terraced hills behind them. Although we avoided the summer peak, the track was busy during the day - but early in the day and in the evening it was fairly peaceful and for people like us staying in Cinque Terre there was an opportunity to see it at its best when all the 'tourists' had headed home for the day. A very pleasant spot..... and not a bad destination for a week of rest and relaxation.

Unfortunately - before we knew it, it was time for us to move on - so the week of R&R would have to wait. Fortunately for us - the holiday was not over yet..... next stop Tuscany.

New Camera...... Yay!

Well the Ricoh has died...... so it was time to go shopping!!! We've joined the world of the digital SLR. A stormy summer's day in London today - but managed to get out and have a play..... fair to say we still have a lot to learn, but looking forward to it.

Ducks on the Thames (x2)

Storm clouds over the Thames

Liz Hurly and Hugh Grant's street (we're neighbours)

Fish and Trips in Cornwall

We had only just caught our breath after our sojourn in France, but it was already time to head off again with Ma and Pa - this time to Cornwall - the southern most part of Britain.

Armed with Tom Tom (who seemed to know her way around the place better than we did) we arrived in Plymouth late on Friday night ready to begin our adventure. A grey morning dawned - but I was up and about early - eager to check out 'The Hoe' which seems to be the pride of Plymouth and was adjacent to our hotel (one of its key selling points in fact).

For those not in the know, a 'Hoe' is a high place - and in Plymouth it is a high place with gardens, a view of the harbour, a bowling green (more on that soon) and a large statue of Sir Francis Drake. It is said that the bowling green is the very same green where Drake calmly finished his game of bowls before sailing to successfully defend England's shores from the full might of the Spanish Armada. If bowls clubs are anything like they are now, no doubt he probably also popped into the bowls club rooms for some discounted ale before he did so too, but that chapter seems to have been omitted from Plymouth history books. Plymouth has a rich naval history - but by breakfast time we had our sights on Cornwall and it was time to go.

From Plymouth we set off south along the eastern coast of Cornwall. We quickly discovered Tom Tom's fetish for incredibly narrow lanes - if there was choice between a two lane main road and a narrow pot holed lane just wide enough for our little rental - we were taking the lane.... happy times...

Our real target destination was Lizard Point but our route took us through numerous small (and sleepy at this time of year) fishing villages. We stopped in Fowey - and it didn't take us long to take this opportunity to test out a real Cornish pastie.... The verdict: Very good - but Grandma's short pastry pasties (which are actually more Cornish than the current day Cornish pasties) take some beating.......... They did hit the spot on a cold day though.

We eventually found Lizard Point - which seemed to be the Southern most point in Britain. We did a nice coastal walk here which took us along the cliffs of this rugged coast. Is is easy to picture the smugglers and pirates for which Cornwall was once notorious working and hiding in the many small coves along the coast. It was great to be by the sea again!

Our base for the weekend wasPadstow a great little fishing village - now more famous for the celebrity chef Rick Stein who seems to own most of the businesses in town - he has a restaurant, a bistro, a cafe, a F'n'C shop, a deli/wine shop, a cooking school, not to mention a heap of accommodation. For all this - it remains an operating fishing port and was a great spot for us. We treated ourselves to Rick's Bistro that night and enjoyed great seafood..... the real find of the night was the Greek dessert wine 'Samos'. This was a hit for the boozers in the group who tried it (Mich, Ma and Pa) and is now on the shopping list for export back to NZ.


Day 2 took us to St Michael's Mount - a rocky little island just off the coast accessible at low tide which is home to a very small collection of houses and an old Castle. It was bitterly cold (snow/hail) but fortunately we could shelter in the confines of the castle and watch the squalls roll in over the bay. It was an interesting spot for a castle and not a bad way to spend a few hours. The rest of the day was spent driving further south along the coast. There were many opportunities to stop along the way - not least of which was the stop in Mousehole for Cornish Cream Tea. We also popped down to Land's End - which also seemed to claim be the southern most point of Britain - but which I think must just be the end of Britain... as it is definitely north of Lizard Point.... I checked.

St Ives commanded a bit more of our time - but to be fair, after a quick wander around Mich and I quickly found a seat in a cosy port side pub bay window, right by the fire and enjoyed a drink and some warmth. Rick was on dinner again that night - this time fish and chips - the best we've had since we arrived.... no skin on the fish and no mushy peas on the side! Yay!


Gluttons for punishment - we started our 3rd and final day with... guess what.... a trip to a small fishing village! Port Issac - which is said to be the quintessential Cornwall fishing village - and with this reputation, how could we miss it? It didn't disappoint - parking on the beach at low tide, fresh fish on sale by the sea and fishing boats unloading in the bay.

Having done our quota of fishing villages we set off for the jungles of South America. I kid not. The Eden Project is a series of huge domes - the largest greenhouses in the world and which recreate various climates from around the world - tropical jungles, Mediterranean olive groves and lot's of information on deforestation, eco friendly food, climate change etc. Built in an old China clay quarry around 10 years ago this is an incredible project - and was more impressive than we had expected. It was very surreal to walk in from a cold wintery day straight into a humid tropical jungle....

We had a great time exploring Cornwall and it was great to be back by the sea again. Unfortunately the weather was unseasonally cold - but that didn't hold us back. I imagine it must be packed full of people down there in the summer - so is definitely a good place for a visit in the off season.