Wednesday 6 July
Had a lazy morning in, watching the nesting seagulls on the opposite roof, and slowly packing up. Pending the arrival of our 11am taxi to the airport. It arrived right on time, and we zoomed off along the Douro, before heading north and east toward the airport. The ride cost 25 euro.
It is a sleek new looking, new and spacious airport. We could not persuade the wifi to work as we sat in the Portuguese Café Culture coffee shop, where we enjoyed a light lunch. Duck pie, a pasteis de Belem and a coke zero!
Went through security, experiencing the family who should not be allowed to breed, who suddenly discovered liquid, gels, and all manner of paraphernalia for their cloven hoofed progeny which they’d like totally forgotten was in every one of their multitudinous pieces of carry-on baggage. I expected to find a set of steak knives in there too. Finally headed for the boarding gate, only to find it changed when we arrived. Long walk to the other side of the terminal, for a glacial boarding process.
Nevertheless, the flight arrived on time, affording good views of Barcelona on approach. Jordi’s suggested taxi meetup went fine. We were shortly at the apartment, which appears as promised (though the AC is only in the bedroom, which reduces its effectiveness in the living area). Jordi and Isidre’s house, down the hill, is very swank. We are advised that a 15% discount is available for direct bookings. The accommodation is a touch more basic than we have had, but quite acceptable. The view from the balcony, and particularly from the upper deck was very good.
Walked down the hill, where there are three little supermarkets (each of which had a different and limited stock – one mostly meat!). Dia was the best of the three (and I later found another across the main drag). We ended up with callos for dinner (tripe in sauce – was nice actually), and the essential flan for desert). A cheap red was pretty good too.
Thursday 7 July
A busy day. After breakfast, got the #150 bus to the Catalan Museum of Art, high on the slopes of Montjuic Hill, overlooking the Montjuic Fountain. It was already warm and sunny as we took in the view down to Plaza Espana, waiting for opening time at 10am.
Highlights, the mural frescoes form Romanesque churches in Catralonia, with their stylised and cartoon like saints and saviours. A fine collection of modern art, and artifacts of Catalan modernisme, plus polychrome wooden altar screens.
I took a short detour to view the Mies van der Rohe ‘Pavillion’, built for the 1929 World Fair, and preserved here. Afterward, watched a group of jolly police in high-vis gear being photographed un the steps below the Art Museum
Lunch of pizza at a kiosk opposite the fountain. Not terrible. Thence by bus #15 up past the Olympic Stadium of 1992, to the Fondacion Jean Miro, celebrating the artist’s distinctive style.
Bus home with a detour to the supermarket for food. After dinner I packed, then walked to the metro to make my way to the Palau Real, seven stops up the line for the Patti Smith concert at the Festival de Pedrables. Enjoyed a beer in front of the support band before it was time to make ones way into the open air venue if front of the palace. My seat is excellent, and the show is dynamic, opening with the words of Alan Ginsberg, and closing with a rousing ‘People Have the Power’
Setlist: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/patti-smith/2016/jardins-del-palau-reial-de-pedralbes-barcelona-spain-43ffd313.html
Concert finished in time to catch the metro home, and I was back at the apartment just after midnight.
Friday 8 July
Up early to finish packing, breakfast, then off to the airport by taxi. Cost a bit over 30 euro this time. Flight uneventful, and on time. Watched movies including ‘Zootopia’ and ‘Hail Caesar’. The flight arrived on time.
At Singapore a long walk to the Transit Hotel. We checked in an hour early at 7am, and both managed some sleep in our comfortable, if windowless room.
Saturday 9 July
Checked out at 4pm, ate at the ‘Singapore Food Street’ (Masala Dosa for me, Kuew Teow for minuk, washed down with a young coconut. Then it was time to brave the security theatre and board our flight.
A roaring tailwind saw us home an hour early as we rode the jetstream into Melbourne. Home by 7am on Sunday morning.
Had a lazy morning in, watching the nesting seagulls on the opposite roof, and slowly packing up. Pending the arrival of our 11am taxi to the airport. It arrived right on time, and we zoomed off along the Douro, before heading north and east toward the airport. The ride cost 25 euro.
It is a sleek new looking, new and spacious airport. We could not persuade the wifi to work as we sat in the Portuguese Café Culture coffee shop, where we enjoyed a light lunch. Duck pie, a pasteis de Belem and a coke zero!
Went through security, experiencing the family who should not be allowed to breed, who suddenly discovered liquid, gels, and all manner of paraphernalia for their cloven hoofed progeny which they’d like totally forgotten was in every one of their multitudinous pieces of carry-on baggage. I expected to find a set of steak knives in there too. Finally headed for the boarding gate, only to find it changed when we arrived. Long walk to the other side of the terminal, for a glacial boarding process.
Nevertheless, the flight arrived on time, affording good views of Barcelona on approach. Jordi’s suggested taxi meetup went fine. We were shortly at the apartment, which appears as promised (though the AC is only in the bedroom, which reduces its effectiveness in the living area). Jordi and Isidre’s house, down the hill, is very swank. We are advised that a 15% discount is available for direct bookings. The accommodation is a touch more basic than we have had, but quite acceptable. The view from the balcony, and particularly from the upper deck was very good.
Walked down the hill, where there are three little supermarkets (each of which had a different and limited stock – one mostly meat!). Dia was the best of the three (and I later found another across the main drag). We ended up with callos for dinner (tripe in sauce – was nice actually), and the essential flan for desert). A cheap red was pretty good too.
Thursday 7 July
A busy day. After breakfast, got the #150 bus to the Catalan Museum of Art, high on the slopes of Montjuic Hill, overlooking the Montjuic Fountain. It was already warm and sunny as we took in the view down to Plaza Espana, waiting for opening time at 10am.
Highlights, the mural frescoes form Romanesque churches in Catralonia, with their stylised and cartoon like saints and saviours. A fine collection of modern art, and artifacts of Catalan modernisme, plus polychrome wooden altar screens.
I took a short detour to view the Mies van der Rohe ‘Pavillion’, built for the 1929 World Fair, and preserved here. Afterward, watched a group of jolly police in high-vis gear being photographed un the steps below the Art Museum
Lunch of pizza at a kiosk opposite the fountain. Not terrible. Thence by bus #15 up past the Olympic Stadium of 1992, to the Fondacion Jean Miro, celebrating the artist’s distinctive style.
Bus home with a detour to the supermarket for food. After dinner I packed, then walked to the metro to make my way to the Palau Real, seven stops up the line for the Patti Smith concert at the Festival de Pedrables. Enjoyed a beer in front of the support band before it was time to make ones way into the open air venue if front of the palace. My seat is excellent, and the show is dynamic, opening with the words of Alan Ginsberg, and closing with a rousing ‘People Have the Power’
Setlist: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/patti-smith/2016/jardins-del-palau-reial-de-pedralbes-barcelona-spain-43ffd313.html
Concert finished in time to catch the metro home, and I was back at the apartment just after midnight.
Friday 8 July
Up early to finish packing, breakfast, then off to the airport by taxi. Cost a bit over 30 euro this time. Flight uneventful, and on time. Watched movies including ‘Zootopia’ and ‘Hail Caesar’. The flight arrived on time.
At Singapore a long walk to the Transit Hotel. We checked in an hour early at 7am, and both managed some sleep in our comfortable, if windowless room.
Saturday 9 July
Checked out at 4pm, ate at the ‘Singapore Food Street’ (Masala Dosa for me, Kuew Teow for minuk, washed down with a young coconut. Then it was time to brave the security theatre and board our flight.
A roaring tailwind saw us home an hour early as we rode the jetstream into Melbourne. Home by 7am on Sunday morning.