InterRail Soap Series part 16: Barcelone, dancing in the rain

15) Barcelona part VI: Sagrada Familia
After visiting Parc Guëll, we went to the Sagrada Familia, of course, one of the hotspots in Barcelona. And of course: it isn’t still quite finished, but the working on it ;)

We walked around, we walked through, took pictures and decided to go up in one of the towers, so again, we queued. But then, the lovely blue sky of that day turned into. It was getting cold in just seconds. We could hear thunder far away and I started to rain. But not just a little bit, it was heavy rain. Suddenly there was thunder and lightning every minute and we were sopping wet in seconds. Streets were in minutes flowed over.   

                              

The line in which we were waiting, wasn’t covered, so we get got wet. The lady at the entrance screamed that due of the heavy rain, it was impossible to enter the tower, because of the safety. Everyone in front of us in line, managed to shelter nearby the entrance of the tower in front of the line, which was covered, so they didn’t get wet, or at least a little bit. (see picture). Dirk and I didn’t managed to get a dry spot where everybody was standing, because it was just too crowded. So we ran to the souvenir shop and as we came in, everybody was looking at us, because we were so sopping wet.

Dirk Jan and I decided to go to the subway and go back to the hotel because we were wet and cold. The sky just didn’t clear up and after minutes of waiting it was still dark grey and raining outside. The street changed into a river… Dirk and I decided to ran to the next subway station, which was around the corner. We ran… we ran hard… took the stairs down into the subway station, where everybody was sheltering. Even water flooded from the street into the station.

                                 

If you once traveled by subway in Barcelona, you probably remember how warm it is in the underground subway stations. Even in summer, underground is warmer than on the streets. But now, on this summer day, Dirk Jan and I were so cold, that we didn’t mind the heat now. In fact, we went to the platform and took a seat. We thought it was nicely warm there so that we could dry up for a little bit. So instead taking the first train, we sat there for one hour, starring at trains, arriving and departing. Security agents noticed us, probably through the security camera’s on the platform. After 45 minutes, a security agent (with dog!) came by to take a closer look at us. They probably were afraid that we were some terrorists or so…          

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW...

InterRail Soap Series part 15: Barcelone: DJ, spin those records!

13) Barcelona part IV: DJ is giving a concert
If you ever been to Barcelona, you probably know this huge Spanish shop El Corte Inglès near the Ramblas. Back at home, Dirk Jan plays the piano and because of this trip, he hasn’t touched a piano since we started our tour.

El Corte Inglès sells pianos and as we arrived on the sixth floor (where the cd’s and DVDs are) Dirk noticed that on this same floor, they were selling pianos for 3000 or 4000 euros. His hands were getting itchy; he hasn’t seen or touched a piano for two weeks. Back at home he plays the piano every day.

Dirk was asking me: “Should I, or not play on one piano?” He was scared that if he would take place behind a piano, that salesmen would ask him to leave because it’s allowed to play a piano. I told him “So what? Go take a seat and play a song. And if they ask you to leave, so be it.” And so he did, took place at the most expensive piano and started to play a the “Everybody is changing” from Keane. Within seconds a salesmen indeed came, but, not to ask him to leave. He stayed and listened. And as he recognized which song Dirk was playing, he sang along. More and more salesmen and people came around us and the piano and listened to Dirk. He got an applause played 2 or 3 more songs from Keane. So he was Dirk, playing the piano for the first time in two weeks, in a shop in Barcelona where people listened to him… A breakthrough?   
   
14) Barcelona part V: “slow fast food at Burger King”
If you are in Barcelona, don’t go to the Burger King at the end of the Ramblas/Plaça del Catalunya!

After the mini concert Dirk gave, we were hungry and we thought we grab a burger and continue. And of course, as queuing is now part of out trip everywhere, we also waited here for a very long time. Not very good promotion for a fast food restaurant. As it finally was our turn, we just didn’t get it why it took so long: as we could see from our site of the counter, everything, including every burger which we ordered was in store. So the cashier could grab everything what we ordered, but he didn’t! Although everything what I ordered was ready, he let me wait for another 10 minutes or so, with a huge queue behind me! After I got my order, it was Dirk Jan’s turn. I told Dirk that I was going to look for a table. The cashier let Dirk also wait for a long time. In fact, once Dirk found me at the table, I was already finished eating…

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW... 

InterRail Soap Series part 14: More Barcelone

12) Barcelona part III: Mont Juïc

Our first sight what I wanted to show Dirk, was Mont Juïc and its castle. From here you have an amazing view over the city, harbor and sea. I remembered from my other visits that there is a cable car going from somewhere in the middle of the hill, up to the highest point (the castle) of Mont Juïc. So… we took the subway, changed on a mountain train somewhere, which brought us to the cable car station. As we arrived there, the cable car service was closed for a few months for maintenance. Hmz… what to do now. We wanted to go to that ‘highest point’. So we started to walk. The hill and path were steep and it took us about 30 minutes as we reached the castle. And of course, as we arrived at the entrance of the castle, we saw a free shuttle bus, which replaces the cable car service during the maintenance… A bus journey was taking only 5 minutes…

                                      

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW...    

InterRail Soap Series part 13: Barcelone continued

11) Barcelone part II: JACKPOT!
After we checked-in, we went to our room. It was huge! A two-room apartment with a long nice bath, kitchen, mini bar and a king-size bed! Wow… and this for just only 27 euros a night per person…

On the next day, of course we planned to get into town. We took the tramway to the next subway station and from there we took the subway into the centre.

We like ticket machines somehow. Or they love us… We read all the rules about traveling with public transport in Barcelona as the possibilities of buying “a more day card”, discounts and penalties, before we bought a ticket. Yes, we learned our lesson in Brussels.

Okay, we decided to buy a single ticket to the main station were we can buy a Barcelona Card for 72 hours including free use of public transport. We liked these ticket machines in Barcelona because these machines also accepts, besides coins and cards, 5, 10, 20 and 50 Euro notes.

This is the situation: I bought my ticket and walked away. Dirk-Jan was next. As I walk away, I suddenly heard a yell: “Ow no!” continued with a sound of a falling coins (ching-ching-ching-ching-ching) as if you are in a casino and won money in a fruit machine. I looked around and saw Dirk-Jan on his knees in front of the ticket machine; he bought a 0,90 cent ticket and paid with a 50 Euro note! He got his change back in coins! And also not 24x 2 Euro coins… no… 2 euros,  1 euros, 0,50 cents… everything came out of the machine! Unfortunately, Dirk had the photo camera, so I couldn’t make a picture of this situation… It was so hilarious. The money he got back didn’t fit in his wallet and even his pockets of his shorts were full of coins.

InterRail Soap Series part 12: Jay and Dirk in Barcelone

10) The things that went wrong in Barcelona: part I

After two days in Salou, we continued our tour and headed to Barcelona. We thanked our guest family, say goodbye to them and of course to our girlfriends. Barcelona, here we come. Ow, and I left my tent behind, because at time we already new, we are only going to stay in hostels or budgethotels.

Barcelona, a lovely, popular city. First time visit for Dirk-Jan, for me my fourth or fifth… We arrived at the main station of Barcelona (Sants) after a short train journey (1 hour from Salou). We already reserved an accommodation on beforehand, because Barcelona was a ‘checkpoint’ for us in our route. Here we could reschedule things, in case of delays or have a goodnight sleep after 2 two weeks of traveling. We booked a 4* hotel (Hesperia San Juan Suites) for just 27 euros per person per night! But how do we get to our 4* hotel, where was it situated?

With the conformation in my hand, we went to the tourist information desk in the station and of course again: a huge queue! After waiting several minutes, I asked the lovely ‘cute’ Spanish lady if she new the address on my confirmation. She was helpful, but she could find the right address on the map… She gave us a map, and marked a street which looked liked the address of our hotel. This address was somewhere in the suburbs of Barcelona, north of the city… Our hotel was actually situated in a business district of Barcelona, close to the airport, south of the city….

After a long walk, taking undergrounds and trams, we arrived 4 hours after we left Salou. The train journey from Salou to Barcelona was only just over 1 hour. Our hotel was only only 30 minutes by public transport from Sants station, but we managed to do the journey in 4 hours… Flashback to Seville…

We checked-in, in this very luxury hotel, with only business people as guests and here we are; two, smelly young travelers, age 19, checking in with a backpack, wearing a t-shirt, short pens and slippers…

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW...

InterRail Soap series part 11: Jay loves to eat

What did we eat?

                                                  

InterRail Soap Series part 10 : “Dutch inflation”

After two days Madrid (go there, It’s a lovely city!), we continued to the Spanish east coast. Out next stop was Salou to visit my “future family in law”, who were there for holiday. Of all places in the world, I never thought I would go to Salou. I’ve never been there before, but I already hated it. Salou is a famous holiday spot for Dutch people, who only go there for sun, sea, crowded beaches and party, just like Malgrat and Lloret del Mar. At least, that’s what I imagined when somebody talked about Salou. But during this Tour, I faced the real life of Salou; it was exactly what I had in my mind. Everywhere, in every shop, on the boulevard, on every corner, you hear Dutch people everywhere! Just terrible…

We planned a three day stop in Salou to visit Port Aventura, together with my future family in law. They had a huge surprise, when DJ and I arrived on the campsite: my girlfriend Maudy flew a day before to Salou to see me! She’s got a few days off from her internship and she booked directly a flight from Amsterdam to Reus. I had no idea, that she would be there! DJ knew about it since Malaga, about six days before. Maudy told him on MSN that she would fly down, once we go to Salou. Thinking of it, now I know why he was acting a little bit strange on a particular day in Malaga, when we were in an internet café checking our e-mail and why he wouldn’t let me watch on his screen…

Port Aventura is a huge amusement park! I always wanted to go there. It has Europe’s biggest rollercoaster: the Dragon Kahn. It has 8 loopings, so we all were a little bit dizzy after that ride. But of course, there are also traditional water tractions, where you get extremely wet! But what the heck, the sun is shining. We spent a hole day in the park, from 9AM till midnight!

Oeh, I almost forgot, Dirk fell in love, with this lovely girl he met in the park (see picture). As we left Salou, they just couldn’t say goodbye to each other. Deeply in love…

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW...

InterRail Soap Series part 9: Jay loves waiting in line

248 people before us…
Somewhere in the second week. After Seville and Malaga, we arrived in Madrid. We found a nice place to stay close to Attocha train station. It’s a few days before August, before the holiday starts in Spain. In Spain, traveling by train is very popular. For the long distance express trains, a seat reservation with Interrail is compulsory. It’s impossible to get on a express train with Interrail, without a seat reservation. Our next leg will be from Madrid to Tarragona. So therefore we went on our first evening in Madrid to the station to reserve seats, for two days later. We thought, it wouldn’t take long getting a ticket. But of course, we were wrong again; we waited for 3 hours at the ticket- and information center of the Spanish Railways. As we came in, we had to take a number. The computer gave us the number 864. At the time that we took our number, the counter was only at number 616! So there were 248 people in before us, to get a ticket…   

                                  

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW...

InterRail Soap Series part 8: Jay seeks toilet

"7) No toilet on a long-distance bus!
The next situation was so embarrassing at the time it happened. On the same Sunday where we were traveling to Seville, we took the bus from Ayamonte to Seville. There is no train service between the Algarve and Seville. After our train ride in Portugal, which only was 20 minutes till the end of the line (so we waited 3 hours for a 20 minute train ride!), we had to change on a ferry which would bring us from Portugal to Spain (Ayamonte). In Ayamonte we had to walk again about 3 kilometers to the bus station. It was an extremely hot day!

After we arrived at the bus station, we bought a bottle of water of 1,5 liters out of a machine. I remembered that my bottle was already empty after less than 10 minutes; I just needed something to drink because it was hot. At that time it was already 3 o’clock in the afternoon (Spanish time) and we were only 30 kilometers away from where we left, Tavira (we ‘traveled’ already for 5 hours!). The bus to Seville was suppose to leave at 4 pm. I actually had to go to the toilet but there wasn’t one at the bus station. So I thought, there would be one in the bus, so I can hold it up. Finally, we boarded the bus and inside the bus, it was cold because of the air-conditioning. We left Ayamonte and I wanted to go to the toilet. But where was it? Imagine, this was a long distance bus/travel coach. There was no toilet on the bus and it was a three hour drive till Seville! Oh my got, what should I do now, I thought… I had 1,5 liter water inside me which had to got out! DJ was reading and I saw that he had a little bit water left in his bottle. I remember, I almost asked him if he would drink his bottle empty, so I could pee in it! And with the air-conditioning on, I just couldn’t hold it any longer.

And then, after 15 minutes of driving we stopped, somewhere in the middle of nowhere on the highway, to let a passenger on board. This was my change. As the bus driver closed his front door, I ran through the bus and with almost tears in my eyes I asked the bus driver to wait, so I could pee outside. At first, I wouldn’t let me, because you can get a fine for it in Spain. But I almost cried, so he let me go. I ran into the bushes and relieved myself from this situation; Now I was peeing in front of bus with Spanish people looking at me. When I was peeing, I saw a second passenger running through the bus to get out. He came next to me, and do you know who it was: right, from all the people in the bus, it was my travel buddy Dirk Jan! So now the Spanish passengers looked at two Dutch passengers, peeing in the bushes. Could you imagine what the reaction was as we got back on the bus again… Yup… we moved to the last row…

After 9 hours we finally arrived at Seville at 7 pm! What a day… 200 kilometers in 9 hours, and an very embarrassing situation… Today, Dirk Jan and I can laugh about it, in fact, I had trouble writing this now, because I had to laugh again about this day!"

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW... 

InterRail Soap Series part 7: The bloopers continue even further

"6) Sunday Schedule
On our second Sunday of our trip, we were in the Algarve, on the Isle Ilha da Tavira. A lovely Isle, you just have to go there. We stayed at a big campsite next to the beach. On Saturday we spent the whole day on the beach, sleeping from 10am till around 3pm.

I remember, as we went to the beach we had a nice spot on the sand, somewhere in the middle between people. After 4 hours sleeping, I woke up in the front row, almost in the water… It was high tide…

We stayed two nights on a campsite. On the Sunday, we wanted to continue our travel to Seville, only 200 kilometers away. We wanted to take an early train from Tavira to the Spanish border, to get early in the afternoon in Seville. So, we get up at 7.30am, made ourselves ready and then strike our tent. We hoped to catch the 10.45 train, but to get to the station, we had to take a ferry to get off the Isle and walk a kilometer of 2 through the village of Tavira. We arrived at the station around 10, so it was only 45 minutes till departure of the train.

10.45am. No train, and just 2 other travelers at the station. No announcement of delays or whatever. Suddenly a Belgium man came to us; he came to the station to see a train in Portugal. He also didn’t know what was going on. But then he noticed a remark on the timetable with the 10.45 train; this train doesn’t run on Sundays! The next train leaves at 12.45pm! So we had to wait for another 2 hours on a small, quiet station with no facilities. Of course, we were a little disappointed.

After 3 hours waiting (the 12.45 train was delayed for 20 minutes), the train showed up! And after a ‘hectic morning’ we finally left Tavira."

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW...