Spain 2009 - Travel Journals, Part I

During my trip to Spain, I kept a travel journal. Here is what I did on my journey!

Ready for adventure!

 LAX - 8/28/09 (7:33 a.m.)
I am in the airport awaiting my 8:40 flight to Barcelona (via Philadelphia). I arrived very early, and have therefore needed to keep myself busy while waiting for

[one half-muffin later...]

the flight. I've read my disposable airport magazine (Entertainment Weekly) and I figured it would be a good time to write in my journal. This trip has been a long time coming, and it's just what I need to "reset" myself mentally. I look forward to my upcoming adventures!
[one universal adapter purchase, takeoff, and half-flight later...]

en route to Philadelphia
Anyhow, this is my itinerary:

• Aug. 28 @ 8:40 a.m. - Fly out of Los Angeles, fly to Philadelphia; @ 6:30 p.m. EST - Depart from Philadelphia
• Aug. 29 @ 8:35 a.m. - Arrive in Barcelona
• Aug. 29-31 (3 days) in Barcelona
• Sept. 1 @ 11:40 a.m. - Depart Barcelona, fly to Granada
• Sept. 1 @ 1:10 p.m. - Arrive in Granada; 3:30 p.m. tickets to the Alhambra
• Sept. 2 morning - Bus/Train to Seville; 8:00 p.m. - Flamenco at El Arenal
• Sept. 3 afternoon? - AVE (train) to Madrid; Stop in Cordoba?
• Sept. 3 evening - Arrival in Madrid (3 days); Day trip to Toledo?
• Sept. 7 @12:35 a.m. - Madrid -> Philadelphia; 6:00 p.m. - Philadelphia -> LAX; Arrive at LAX at 8:57 p.m.

[Turbulence!]
[As per the announcement of our pilot, we should expect 35 more minutes of turbulence]

Anyhow, here are my travel priorities:
Barcelona:

• Gaudi buildings and monuments - In particular, I want to see La Sagrada Familia, but I also intend to see Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, and, if time permits, Parc Guell.
• Las Ramblas - Las Ramblas is a grand boulevard, and is also located near La Boqueria (the marketplace); it stretches to the harbor and contains various stores and other sights.
• Cathedral in the Barri Gotic.
• Picasso Museum.
• Possibly the Chocolate Museum, just because.
• The Four Cats restaurant, because of the Picasso connection, and because I am a sucker for places with Picasso connections.

Granada:

• The Alhambra. It would be strange to visit Granada without seeing the Alhambra, the Moorish palace which is the city's chief landmark.
• The Albayzin, and the San Nicolas Viewpoint.

Seville:

• Flamenco - I have tickets for this already.
• The Alcazar - This royal palace is still in use today.
• Cathedral and Bell Tower - Columbus is purportedly buried here (in the Cathedral, not the bell tower).
• The Art Museum - If I can, I'd like to pay my respects to Messrs. Murillo and Zurburan.

Cordoba:

• I just want to see the mosque.

Madrid:

• The Prado - Need I explain? One of the reasons I became interested in the idea of a Spain trip was my desire to see Las Meninas in person.
• Reina Sofia - It has Guernica!
• Royal Palace - It's royal, and a palace.
• Churros and chocolate!

Toledo

• Cathedral.
• Santa Cruz Museum - It has 15 El Grecos!
• Santo Tome - It has the El Greco (the Burial of Count Orgaz).

So that's that. I will need to reserve AVE (high speed train) tickets for the ride from Seville to Cordoba, and also for the trip from Cordoba to Madrid, but that should be simple enough.

Here are my hotels:

• Barcelona - Hosteria Grau, close to Las Ramblas
• Granada - Hotel Anacapri, near Plaza Nueva
• Seville - Hotel Amadeus, in Barrio Santa Cruz
• Madrid - Hostal Acapulco, near Puerta del Sol

[one landing later...]

I am now in the Philadelphia airport, waiting to board the flight to Barcelona. The flight has been delayed for at least an hour, but I am trying to take the setback in stride. One of the reasons I'm here is that I want a reprieve from stress, and getting upset would be counterproductive.

One thing I should note: I have made the extra effort to pack light for this trip; everything fits inside a single messenger bag. I think this is the best way to go, especially since I'll be traveling to so many different cities, but I'll have to see whether this causes any problems.

Climbing to the top of La Sagrada Familia, 8/30/09. 

4 Cats, Barri Gotic - 8/29/09
Well, I made it. The plane departed three hours late due to inclement weather conditions and a host of technical problems, but I think they were able to make up for lost time in the air, and, in any event, it's just nice to have arrived.

The hotel is nice and cozy, with spartan rooms but pleasant common areas, and it's in a good location which is both central and quiet.

I haven't seen anything too exciting yet; I've mostly just wandered around and gotten the lay of the land. I'm thinking of starting out at the Cathedral, given my current location. Then, I may go past Las Ramblas, take a peek at La Boqueria, and go by Palau Guell, a Gaudi building on Las Ramblas. Or, alternatively, I might head to the Picasso Museum. We'll see.

La Rita Restaurant, The Eixample - 8/30/09
Yesterday, I ended up seeing the Cathedral and Picasso Museum, getting lost in the Gothic Quarter and La Ribera, and collapsing on my bed in the late afternoon. I am hoping that I have gotten over the jet lag today.

Today, I decided to see the landmarks associated with Gaudi.

I left the hotel this morning at about 8:00, and wandered around until a particular cafe opened at 9:00. By the time the place opened, several people were waiting to get in, which is a good sign, I suppose. Anyhow, I was able to enjoy some churros and chocolate before I left for some sightseeing.

I took the subway over to La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's unfinished cathedral. Having seen a few cathedrals already, it was interesting to see a cathedral that was (1) designed using a very different style, (2) the product of a singular vision, and (3) still unfinished. I had seen pictures of the cathedral's exterior before, but it is truly a different thing to explore the building up close.

Next, I went to Casa Batllo, a grand home in the Eixample. It's interesting to see a building which incorporates various art noveau and modern art techniques and ideas.

I'm hoping to see Casa Mila and Parc Guell by the end of the day, and we'll have to see how that pans out. In any event, I'm having a good time.

Cafe Centric (cafe/bar next to my hotel) - 8/31/09
Well, I did see both Casa Mila and Parc Guell, though I was exhausted by the end of the day. Especially since Parc Guell was situated at the top of a steep hill (though, admittedly, part of the trip was made easier by the presence of escalators). But I got my picture taken next to a mosaic lizard, so I can't complain.

I went back to the hotel to freshen up, but collapsed out of exhaustion. I was able to get a full night's sleep, so hopefully I'll be able to last the whole day this time.

I've done all my major sightseeing, so I think I'll take a more laid back approach today. Wherever I go, it'll be a bit more spontaneous.