I met an old man from Switzerland while on my bike tour, and he shared some of his life experiences with me. He warmed up to me because we were always the last ones at the back of the biking group taking pictures, and he had a son about my age who was currently backpacking in South America. When I told him I was going to Berlin next, he told me he was there 20 years ago, just when the Berlin wall had been taken down. It was quite a feeling to talk to someone who was there. It was like meeting a living relic or something.
In my hostel, I met an Australian girl, Lucy who was also on exchange in the UK. We shared our exchange experiences, and she recommended a good tapas bar to me and told me about some local drink called Sangria which is apparently quite a knockout. It's fruit punch mixed with wine with diced fruit peel floating in it. After awhile the conversation drifted to London and we couldn't stop talking about it till she got tired and went off to sleep.
After that, I met two American guys called Justin and Deb from Chicago who left soon after to go on a pub crawl. Like duh. Somehow all the Amercians I meet always go on pub crawls. It's like some holiday ritual. I also met a Turkish guy from Istanbul called Musa, and he was like "I love Singapore. Good place for me. I've been there twice. The last time though, I bought a bag at the market for $10, and left my $400 glasses behind." He then proceeded to give me a Turkish name "Veli", which is how my name is spelled in Turkish. He then joked "I hate my name, because it ends in USA. Haha. Damn hilarious can.
However, I've had my share of weird occurences too. The first one happened in the morning when two students approached me. The conversation went something like this.
"Can you write 'Barcelona museum?'"
"What, you want me to write 'Barcelona museum' on your postcard?"
"Yeah. You speak Spanish?"
"No."
"Never mind. Write 'Barcelona museum' on this postcard."
"In English?"
"No, not English. Japanese."
"I'm sorry, I'm not Japanese."
"Oh sorry."
Like seriously what is wrong with you people. Why does every Tom, Dick and Harry think I'm Japanese.
The second occurred at the metro when I was trying to ask the guy how to get to Camp Nou, home ground of Barcelona FC, the greatest soccer team in the world. You'd think that with the city so fanatical about their home team, they'd be more helpful to tourists trying to visit it. It wasn't the case though.
"How do I get to Barcelona stadium?"
"What is the question?"
"Barcelona stadium. Where?"
"What is the question?"
"Barcelona. Stadium. Football."
"What is the question?"
"Camp Nou."
"Line 3. Information on the right, end of corridor."
"Which station?"
"What is the question?"
"Thanks."
(Bloody hell.)
All in all, Barcelona is a must-see. It's a beautiful happy happy place where it is sunny in the day and vibrant at night. The people are friendly too and it has nice scenery to boot, including beaches. Oh, Barcelona has a nudist beach too, east of the Olympic Village in Barcelonetta, the beach district. Our bike guide told us that the nudist beach was always very crowded, because the "nakeds" like to stick together. A bunch of nakeds roasting on a beach like sardines in a tin can? I don't know, but that sounds a little too close for comfort to me. She even went "these people don't have tanlines because they are naked all the time." Eh, too much information but thanks.
Pictures of Barcelona
Placa de Catalunya. The centre of Barcelona, this place is a must-know for visitors because it links to La Rumbla, the main street of historic Barcelona, it is the meeting place for tours, and it has the buses to the airport. It also links to the main shopping streets. Enough said.
La Rumbla. A shaded thoroughfare that sells everything from souvenirs to pets. I have no idea why they would want to sell pets to tourists but hey anything goes.
The Market La Bouqueria along La Rambla. It sells fruits, vegetables, and fruit salads among other things in a pretty wet market setting.
I saw this, and felt two distinct emotions run through me at the same time. Extreme ecstasy and a crushing sadness. One was my heart going "ICECREAM" and the other was my brain going "No you can't afford it. Move on." The brain won this one because I really had no money, unless I wanted this to be dinner, but I'm a guy and guys need meat for dinner so that's not possible.
The section selling seafood. Noticeably less tourists. Why? Because it freaking stinks. I had to hold my breath to take this picture.
A picture with the old Swiss guy I met in Placa Reial of the Gothic Quarter. I never did ask his name, but it was an experience talking and listening to him about his life. And it's amazing he's still backpacking at his age.
A bunch of very happy people in front of the city hall. They were blowing horns and shouting slogans in absolute jubilation. Well, I don't understand Spanish.
Port Vell and the beach. I went absolutely nuts on this beach. I just ran around taking pictures, sitting and rolling around in the sun, and got myself absolutely damn chaotah. But it was just so shiok seeing a beach, and such a lovely one too, after months of grey cloudy England.
Cycling through the Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona's biggest park, to the Arc de Triomf.
La Sagrada Familia. The structure to see in Barcelona. Most amazingly, still unfinished. It will be finished in 2012, so if you want to see it complete, come here around that time. By the way, guess who pays for its construction? Tourists. It's really cool knowing you contributed money to build it. When I'm an old guy I can tell people "Did you know that when I was young I contributed money to help build this church?" And I would be telling the absolute truth. Freaking awesome yo.
Atop the Sagrada Familia, at the current highest accessible point.
Looking back at the church because I can't get enough of the fact I'm helping to build it.
A very pretty old hospital, the Hospital de la St. Creu i St. Pau. They certainly don't make them this nice these days, although I have to admit they save more lives in them now. "Tenblade. Can I get some suction over here please." Alright, cutting the Grey's crap now.
Guess what place this is? A clue, it's a football stadium and it's in Barcelona.
Need another clue? Here's their home colours.
Camp Nou. Mes Que Un Club means "More than a club". A truism for the hundreds and thousands of supporters in this city who live and breathe Barcelona F.C. I was rather pissed they had that really awful looking stage in the middle but I'd already paid my money so I took pictures anyway.
The one that got away, much to the chagrin of Man Utd fans. Haha.
Castle de Montjuic atop Montjuic, the mountain overlooking Barcelona and the highest point in the whole city. This place has breathtaking views of the city around, of the red brick buildings, of the famous monuments, but mostly of the bright blue sea. I don't know about you, but there's something about clear blue seas and bright sunny skies that takes me to happy places, just like how the cloudy skies and incessant rain of England gives me rheumatism.
My new friend from Chile. She's called Viviana and we started talking because she needed someone to take pictures for her and vice versa. I had no idea there were blondes in Chile. I thought they were all Latino and dark-haired or something. I'm probably the only person she's ever met from Singapore either, so I guess that makes us even. It was fun talking to her though because she had come from somewhere so totally different it doesn't even exist on my list of places I have an impression of.
I got lost while trying to descend Montjuic and I wandered into this beautiful park. I was half dying from the extreme heat and lack of water, but I guess if I really needed to I could dive into the fountain and drink from there like a dog.
Barcelona. I will never forget this place. Someday during summer I will come back here. Life's a bitch when you're in Singapore, but it's a beach when you're in Barcelona.