Pamplona: Day 1 - Camino re-unions continued

Travel Date: Friday, May 30 2014

I got up in the morning, and had to check out by 11 AM. Decided that I was going to go to the Gaudi house: Casa Batlló. After breakfast I headed out the door, and after reaching Casa Batlló, I decided to skip it because 1. I didnt have a ticket and 2. the line was around the block.

So I decided to walk around Barcelona and enjoy the city with the limited time I have.

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At around 2:10 PM I headed to the bus station and caught my bus around 3 PM. The bus was later from its scheduled time of 2:40 PM.

I pretty much slept on the bus ride. The arrival time was around 9:40 PM so I was excited to see the sunset from the bus.

Sunset from windmills.

When I arrive my friend Rebeca greeted me at the bus station. I was soo happy and excited to see her.

Her boyfriend Josean was in the car and I jumped at the opportunity to embrace him.

Group selfie!

We dropped my bag and other stuff at the house and caught the bus downtown to a new bar.

 We get some drinks.

We also order some pinchos.

Apparently this pincho comes with this wine.

I ask the person beside me to take a picture.

Moments later, I meet Teresa (who took the picture), Natalia and Santiago and we have a good conversation about us and the Camino and they are all wonderful people.

Natalia has three tickets to a Jazz show and she gives them to us and we head over there.

 

 After enjoying a little bit of the Jazz concert we decide to go get some pinchos

 

And bounce off to another too.

I love walking in Pamplona.

I love the streets of Pamplona in the night time. And I love these two people.

Barcelona: Day 4 - My last full day and night in Barca

Travel Date: Thursday, May 29 2014

I got up in the morning and took my time waking up. It was drizzling early in the morning so going anywhere touristy was pointless. However after I awoke the rain subsided and the clouds would clear by 4 PM so I decided that I would first visit Camp Nou - the Barcelona Futbol Club stadium and then head over to Tibidabo (which is on the top of a hill) to see the entire city of Barcelona.

After breakfast I walked around Barcelona with my friends Haydn and Rachel (Australia) since it was their last day in Barcelona. We went to a nice coffee shop and enjoyed some coffee and conversation together.

After coffee I headed alone to the Barcelona Football Club to get the full Camp Nou experience.

Along the way I noticed the parking situation in Barcelona and thought it was interesting. Motorcycles and bicycles parked on the sidewalk beside cars parked beside the curb.

Small things like this amuse me.

After Camp Nou I looked at the time and realize it was close past 4 PM so I definitely wanted to get to Tibidabo and see the entire city of Barcelona from a distance. My experience at Tibidabo was awesome. Such a beautiful view.

I headed back to the hostel and met up with my hostel friends. Gerson from Brazil who cooked dinner for us the previous night wanted to cook for a three cheese pasta so I definitely didn't want to skip out on that. Once he worked his magic in the kitchen we (Jez from England, another person from London and I) all enjoyed a wonderful dinner.

We hung around for a bit and then were joined later by Ollie and his friend (both from London).

We all decided to hit the bars together. It was my last night out and Jez, Gerson and I definitely wanted to hang out for a bit. Trent (from Australia) knows the bar scene in Barcelona a little better than all of us so he lead the way and took us to an old Irish pub.

After a few drinks I run into three law schoolers from Miami. Crazy how I get away from Lexington, but cannot seem to shake of being surrounded by lawyers or aspiring ones. They are everywhere :-P

Shaun and Katie from Miami Law are extremely friendly and we have a wonderful conversation.

Later, I introduce them to my group of friends and we all hang out for a bit.

Later that night I end up meeting one of Shaun's friends Ricardo also from Miami Law.

Ricardo and I hang out for a bit and go around to check out some other venues with a group of his friends.

Finally, my age catches up with me and I call it a night, and head back to the hostel. And I enjoy walking the night city lights of Barcelona.

Barcelona: Day 4 - Climbing to the top of the hill Tibidabo

Travel Date: Thursday, May 29 2014

My friends Cinta and Roberto who have lived in Barcelona told me that I should check out the view from Tibidabo. And if I do I absolutely must go to absolute the top of hill.

Daphne from the Hostel 360 Arts and Culture staff was so wonderful to give me great directions to get to Tibidabo. Seriously, if you ever need to stay at a hostel in Barcelona, 360 Arts and Culture is the place to be. And get suggestions from Daphne as well. She is very HELPFUL and AWESOME!

So I take a bunch of trains from Camp Nou to Peu del Funicular and then catch a tram up the hill to Vailvidrera.

And as I go up I begin to see what the view will looks like.

I get to the final tram stop and there is a Bus stop to catch a bus to the top of the hill at Tibidabo.

However, the next bus is coming in 20 mins. It will take me 15 minutes to get to top.. so in the Camino spirit I decide to walk up hill. It has been a while since I have walked up some hills.

The views along the way

And finally I get to the top of the hill and there is a large church, a small amusement park, and a deck that overlooks Barcelona.

The view is brilliant. Just amazing!!

There are two levels of the church. I walk up the stairs into the first one and it is beautiful.

I exit the church and run up the next flight of stairs and see the second part.

 

Not as glamorous as the section below, but still beautiful in its own way. 

I walk out of the Church and head back the hill to the tram station and make my way slowly back to the hostel.