After the extreme bike riding tour of Barcelona. Tim and I headed to the beach to wade in the water. It was surprisingly cold. We took in some sun, saw some very large people hard core making out, and headed back to the hostel.
When we got back we all showered up in the tiny showers and heard the hostel was having a karaoke tour. We played some drinking games and headed to the Karaoke bar with about 8 people from the Hostel. When we finally got to the bar it was packed with tourists but we luckily found a table. The beers were really cheap which is always good. Overall it was a great time and with the social lubricant heavily flowing Joe and Ryan sang a song in front of the whole bar! The deut was beautiful!! We hung out there for quite some time and headed back where we all passed out.
Today (Monday) we all woke up around 11 and headed out at Noon with a friend from Brazil. I had a lost wallet scare before we left but found it... in my shoe? After yet another Jamon et Queso we rode our bikes to the biggest attraction in Barcelona the La Sagrada Familia. Tim and I did the full audio tour and really took in the Cathedral. It was huge and so detailed that it made sense why its taking over 130 years to build. I went up to the top of one of the towers and almost dropped my camera while holding over the edge to get a pic.
Tim and I headed back to the hostel to meet the rest of our group and we got some food then decided on going to the Picaso Mueseum. Unfortuently we got seperated and never made it. Now were back in the Hostel excited to get some Topless tonight. Oh wait I mean Tapas....(inside joke)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Biking Barcelona
Another excellent day in Barcelona. Like we had planed we decided to rent some bicycles and see the city on bike. We rented them from a place near the hostel, for 19E for two days, not too bad considering we save on the metro and taxis.
We started by visiting Park Guell, which is the park Gaudi designed. Getting there was easy enough, except it was entirely uphill, and so hot. The park itself was really pretty, like all the other Gaudi architecture we saw. It was made to look like natural things, so everything reminded me of giant seashells, and columns designed to look like pineapples. I'm am kind of getting enough of Gaudi, it reminds me of when I was in Kyoto, and we saw like 15 temples, but they were all pretty similar. Still have to see the Cathedral though.
From Guell park we rode to the coast, which was nice and completely downhill. We saw where they had some of the Olympics, and the famous "Golden Fish". We then rode the boardwalk next to the beach, and just kept going until it ended. All and all we probably biked around 10 miles!
Went back to the Hostel, and showered up. Which is an experience in this hostel because the showers are in like the middle, and you have to walk about 40 feet from the shower to your room, Of course as I was walking back, dripping wet, a group of four Asian girls were checking in, so I had to be like excuse meee. Probably made their night though!
Pictures to come soon, these computers are so old!
We started by visiting Park Guell, which is the park Gaudi designed. Getting there was easy enough, except it was entirely uphill, and so hot. The park itself was really pretty, like all the other Gaudi architecture we saw. It was made to look like natural things, so everything reminded me of giant seashells, and columns designed to look like pineapples. I'm am kind of getting enough of Gaudi, it reminds me of when I was in Kyoto, and we saw like 15 temples, but they were all pretty similar. Still have to see the Cathedral though.
From Guell park we rode to the coast, which was nice and completely downhill. We saw where they had some of the Olympics, and the famous "Golden Fish". We then rode the boardwalk next to the beach, and just kept going until it ended. All and all we probably biked around 10 miles!
Went back to the Hostel, and showered up. Which is an experience in this hostel because the showers are in like the middle, and you have to walk about 40 feet from the shower to your room, Of course as I was walking back, dripping wet, a group of four Asian girls were checking in, so I had to be like excuse meee. Probably made their night though!
Pictures to come soon, these computers are so old!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
The Beach!
Once we got back to the Hostel we met up with our two friends from breakfast, and went out to dinner. It was a blast, and we got to eat right on the street, and do some people watching. Everyone sitting around us wanted to practice their english, so we helped them out. When I told people I was from Boston, they asked me if I knew any celtics, and I of course told them, I knew all of them.
From the resturant we went to the Super Marcado to pick up some much needed beer and headed back to the Hostel where we met up with even more people and started playing some drinking games. We taught them our version of Kings, but they taught us one I really liked called Horse Racing. Needless to say we finished all of our beer, in near record time, and head out for the night.
We went to this area of Barcelona called, The Beach, which is right on the beach. It's basiclly like a strip mall, but instead of stores, it's full of bars, and clubs. We went to at least 6 of them, and everyone was different. The music was decent, way too much regaton, but we're in Spain so what can you expcect. Many beers were drunk, and lots of fun was had. We stayed out until 530, and then crashed at the Hostel. Thankfully we were with all of the people staying in our dorm, so no one was woken up.
We're all up now, planning out the day. It's looking like a biking tour of Barcelona to the Gaudi park!
From the resturant we went to the Super Marcado to pick up some much needed beer and headed back to the Hostel where we met up with even more people and started playing some drinking games. We taught them our version of Kings, but they taught us one I really liked called Horse Racing. Needless to say we finished all of our beer, in near record time, and head out for the night.
We went to this area of Barcelona called, The Beach, which is right on the beach. It's basiclly like a strip mall, but instead of stores, it's full of bars, and clubs. We went to at least 6 of them, and everyone was different. The music was decent, way too much regaton, but we're in Spain so what can you expcect. Many beers were drunk, and lots of fun was had. We stayed out until 530, and then crashed at the Hostel. Thankfully we were with all of the people staying in our dorm, so no one was woken up.
We're all up now, planning out the day. It's looking like a biking tour of Barcelona to the Gaudi park!
It's pronounced BarTHlona
Saturday was another awesome day, but when your in Barcelona how can it not be. After getting Jed and Ryan up, we all started to get ready, while Tim went for a run around the city. He says that there are no runners in Barcelona, and people were looking at him like he was crazy!
Once we were ready to start the day, we went out to breakfast with two of our bunk mates. I think everyone got a Ham and Cheese sandwich. It's reminds me of Paris so much, how everyone is always eating ham and cheese baguettes. It was pretty delicous, and after lunch we started doing some tourist things!
We first walked to La Rambla, which is one of the main streets. All along it our street performers, and "human statues". It was funny because they're were so many human statues, but only like 3 of them were popular. So there would be huge crowds around some and none around others, and whats a human statue without a crowd! We also visted a really cool produce market, where Ryan decided he needed to purchase a kilo of cherrys.
At the end of La Rambla we connected with Port Ver. It's really pretty, but not much to do. Apprently they built tons of real estate on Port Ver right before the real estate bubble, and now they have a vacancy rate of 75%, crazy I know. From Port Ver we walked up to "Old City" which is like it sounds, the original part of Barcelona from when the Romans first founded the city. It was really cool, the streets were so windy, and narrow. We even saw some of the orginal city walls. I think it's awesome to walk around a part of the city with so much history, because it's definetly not something you can see in the States!
Once we were ready to start the day, we went out to breakfast with two of our bunk mates. I think everyone got a Ham and Cheese sandwich. It's reminds me of Paris so much, how everyone is always eating ham and cheese baguettes. It was pretty delicous, and after lunch we started doing some tourist things!
We first walked to La Rambla, which is one of the main streets. All along it our street performers, and "human statues". It was funny because they're were so many human statues, but only like 3 of them were popular. So there would be huge crowds around some and none around others, and whats a human statue without a crowd! We also visted a really cool produce market, where Ryan decided he needed to purchase a kilo of cherrys.
At the end of La Rambla we connected with Port Ver. It's really pretty, but not much to do. Apprently they built tons of real estate on Port Ver right before the real estate bubble, and now they have a vacancy rate of 75%, crazy I know. From Port Ver we walked up to "Old City" which is like it sounds, the original part of Barcelona from when the Romans first founded the city. It was really cool, the streets were so windy, and narrow. We even saw some of the orginal city walls. I think it's awesome to walk around a part of the city with so much history, because it's definetly not something you can see in the States!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Day Uno
The Lost Breeds made it to Spain!
We flew over on Iberia Airlines, which I had never heard of. Flight was decent enough, though it was on an airbus, and not a boeing so that means no tv at our seats. They only played one movie, "Tooth Fairy", which I did not watch. I also got stuck next to a really chatty girl for the entire ride. All I wanted to do was put on my ear buds and go to sleep, but everytime I tried, she started to strike up a conversation. Some people just don't get the hint!
I love how on transatlantic flights, they litteraly hit cruising altitude, serve dinner, turn off the lights for 2 hours, turn them on again, serve breakfast, and land. My body was not convinced it was morning.
We met up with Tim and Ryan in Barcelona with no problems, and from there we took a taxi to the Hostel. The Hostel is pretty nice, it's in a very central location on Av Diagaonl. Everyone staying here is friendly, though some are a bit socially awkward. We are staying in an 8 person dorm, all of us except Jed have the top bunk...he kind of lucked out. But the hostel has plenty of computers, free coffee and tea, and an acuoustic guitar playing manager. He played Jack Johnson for Ryan for like 20 minutes while Ryan sat awkwardly on a bean bag and listned.
But enough about our Hostel.
Barcelona is breaktaking! The archetechture is so cool, and Gaudi's inspiration is everywhere. The city is also a giant grid so it is really easy to navigate! We have only explored a litte so far, but it's seems every block or two we see something famous. The people seem really frendly, and everyone we have met speaks some English. Not that we need it too bad, Ryan and Tim are doing a pretty good job translating for us.
We got breakfast at a cafe and all of us got coffee, except Jed, who in typical Jed fashion, got a coke and a ham and cheese sandwich. From there we explored some more than went back to the hostel for a little bit of a siesta. When we woke up we talked to some other travelers who said everyone was going to the Primavera Sound festival. So after some discussion we decided to check it out too!
The ticket for the festival was about 90 Euros, but we decided to go for it anyway. The concert was held right on the coast, and we go to see some of favorite indie bands like The New Pornograhpers, Beach House, The Pixies, Wilco, Cold Cave, and Major Lazer. It was an awesome crowd, probably like 25,000 people, all enjoying the music. We all had a lot of fun, but I think it was defeinitly overpriced. The only thing that makes it okay was that I was at a major music festival in Barcelona, which is a once in a lifetime experience.
The concert ended at 6, but we left around 3, and got back around 4. We finally got some the sleep we all needed. The sleep was actually really good, though some of our dorm mates got in really late, and were kind of loud. But nothing that kept me awkae for too long! Well Tim and I woke up around 1, Jed and Ryan are still asleep.
I think I'll go wake them up!
Monday, May 24, 2010
The Lost Breeds Set Off Again
Hello Friends, and random visitors!
It's been over 10 months since the last time either of us updated this blog. And that can only mean that we are setting off again, on another adventure to an exotic destination.
The Breed Brothers are heading for an 11 day stay in Spain! We are leaving on the 26th, and coming back on the 7th. We will be visiting Barcelona, Granada, and Seville. With a small layover in Madrid. Also two of our best friends, Ryan, and Tim will be coming along with us.
So hopefully you will follow along, as we update this daily. Questions will be answered (what exactly is Tapas?), hearts will be broken (mostly ours), rooms will be shared (by up to 12 strangers in army barrack style hostels), and bulls will be fought (by professional matadors).
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