Santiago de Compostela to Barcelona – September, 2016

After spending a couple days in Santiago it was time to move on.  It’s a great old city and I hope to return someday…Caught the 10:06 a.m. train to San Sebastian which arrived at 9:00 p.m.  I had plenty of time to think about my trip so far and enjoy seeing more of Spain as it passed by my window.  Picked up my roller bag at Hotel Parma and walked to my airbnb on Francisco about 15 minutes away.  Met Ana who was delightful.  She showed me my room, gave me the keys and off I went to Casa Urola in old town for my 10 p.m. dinner reservation!!!

Tapas bar is downstairs and the more elegant restaurant is upstairs.  Restaurant was pretty full as the Spanish eat late.  Ordered tuna with red and green peppers with caramelized onions in a light broth which was delicious followed by a chocolate hazelnut coolant, warm with a soft center.  Got back to Ana’s about 11:30 p.m.

Got up rather late in the morning and had a delicious pastry and coffee at Arstigan bakery across the bridge.  Wandered around the market which is below ground and then around the old town, in and out of beautiful churches, along old streets and to Placa Buen Pastor to visit the famous church.  As it was a Monday most of the restaurants were closed so I had a cream tart and delicious coffee at a little outside café and later a chocolate gelato.  Saw where the San Telmo museum was and will visit it tomorrow.  It was raining on and off but wasn’t cold so later in the evening I walked along the beach as the night was lovely.  Delicious 3 course dinner at La Fabrica which included a glass as wine, i.e. mushroom ravioli with foie gras cream sauce, grilled tuna with green pepper puree and roasted tiny green peppers and chocolate three ways for dessert.

In the morning I left my roller bag in old town at Hotel Parma, had a pastry and coffee at Arstigan, sitting outside as the weather had cleared.  Went into the market downstairs to pick up some cheese/ham and fruit for the train ride to Barcelona later that day but actually was too full after lunch to eat!  Took a lovely walk along the water and then spent almost three hours in the San Telmo Museum which was very interesting.  It showed how the Basques lived, i.e. tools they used, houses they lived in and even videos of older people who had lived in a time before telephones, running water, etc. 

Walked into old town to Alejandro Bodegon where I had eaten 5 years ago and it was as wonderful as I remembered.  I had the tasting menu which took about 2 hours so I had plenty of time to enjoy it and still catch the 4:00 p.m. train to Barcelona.  Lunch was watermelon gazpacho, anchovy lasagna with vegetable ratatouille and gazpacho cream, soft egg with crisp mushrooms, potatoes and peppers in a light broth, tuna with roasted peppers and caramelized onions, steak with garlic cream which was so tender and delicious and chocolate lava cake with chocolate ice cream finishing with mango dice, mascarpone cream and strawberry sorbet.  Little wooden box filled with cookies and candies also appeared as I paid the check.  No wonder I wasn’t hungry later!! 

Caught the train which arrived in Barcelona about 10:30 p.m.  Took another quick train to Estacion Francia from which I walked a couple blocks to Casa Marcelo where I had stayed the last time I was in Barcelona…Great location near the old town and the metro.   I was greeted warmly and shown into my room and was happy to be back in Barcelona.

Took a walk in the morning and then had breakfast at 9:00 a.m. which was beautifully set out, i.e. whole grain bread, homemade jam, fresh figs and other fruit and strong coffee!  I booked a tour of the Hospital Sant Pau for 10:30 a.m.  It was a fully functioning hospital until June 2008 and is now a museum and cultural center.  Built between 1901 and 1930, it was designed by Lluis Domenech I Montaner who also designed the Palau del la Musica.  The buildings are covered with mosaics and the insides are beautifully crafted. 

Walked to the old town for lunch at Taller de Tapas and had grilled octopus with potatoes and arugula salad.  Took the funicular over the ocean to tibidado mountain and the mirador overlook.  Walked through Montiuic park to the jardins de laribal where I saw some beautiful fountains and then spent the rest of the afternoon at the National Museum of Art de Catalunya, an exceptional museum!!!  I especially enjoyed the modern art section and 2 hours was not enough to see everything.

Walked down to the placa de espanya and had dinner nearby at Petit Pau which was fabulous!!!  A very small little restaurant with only one very friendly server, it was relaxing to be there and the food was really good.  I had clams and cepe mushrooms in cream sauce, duck breast with orange sauce and plum crumble tart with mascarpone cream.  Took the metro back to Casa Marcelo.

My last morning in Barcelona I took a walk around the old quarter before having a leisurely breakfast.  Walked to the estacion francia where I caught the renfe to passig de gracia where I transferred easily to the train to the airport.  Took about an hour total.  Flight was delayed so my arrival in London was also late.  In my haste to catch my flight to LAX I left my roller bag on the conveyor belt after going through security!!!  Think I was so used to just having my little back pack while walking the camion for so long that I forgot that I had another bag.  By the time I realized I didn’t have my bag it was time to board my flight… I spoke with a very nice lady from British Airways who told me to go ahead and board and that she would find my bag and make sure I got it.  After many e-mails from lost property at the LHR airport, a fee of $200 and more e-mails to customs and DHL in LAX my roller bag was delivered to my door a little worse for wear and clearly very thoroughly searched.  I was happy to see it!

The highlight of my trip, of course, was walking the camino.  Perhaps I’ll walk another part of it someday…

Spain – September, 2016

This was the year of walking part of the camino de Santiago de compostela.  I have wanted to do this for awhile so I planned well and it was wonderful.  I started my trip in Barcelona, one of the most beautiful cities in Spain.  Stayed a couple nights at Barcelona BB, very centrally located near a lot of the Gaudi buildings, including la sagrada familia, the construction of which commenced in 1882 with Gaudi getting involved in 1883.  It is something that has to be seen in person as it is impossible to describe. 

My first stop was lunch at Cal Pep, a little tapas place in the old part of town I had remembered being wonderful.  I sat at the counter and had clams and some fried artichokes, which weren’t as fabulous as I remember so I stopped at Taberna de Tapas to have my favorite arugula salad with goat cheese, quince cubes and toasted almonds to make me feel better!  Walked around the old city, into the Cathedral and around the Church of St. Maria, along las ramblas and into the big market and up to the fountains of Catalunya.  Such a wonderful city.  Had dinner at Napa, owned by a cute little gal from Bakersfield!  Little place with very creative small plates.  I had tuna taco with sushi rice and guacamole topped with mango, breast of duck with caramelized shallots and a yummy lava cake served with ice cream.  A good start.

Toast, coffee and fruit, an unimaginative breakfast included at Barcelona BB and then walked to Casa Barllo, Gaudi’s 1904 – 06 renovation of a once-nondescript house.  Today it resembles a sea monster glittering with colorful tiles and is called house of bones.  Walked on down to the Palau de la Musica Catalana, built between 1905 and 1908 and designed by Luis Domenech i Montaner.  The design is typical of Catalan modernism in that curves predominate over straight lines and it is filled with beautiful mosaics, marble staircases, a grand concert hall, etc.  Breathtakingly beautiful.  Had another wonderful arugula salad for lunch and then spent the rest of the afternoon at Palau Guell, a Gaudi designed mansion where he got his start.  It is one of my favorite of Gaudi’s designs.  I stopped by to see the progress on la sagrada familia.  Years ago I had taken the lift up to the top for an overview but nowadays there are sooo many people visiting.  Dinner at Acces about a 20 minute walk away was shake fish with red pepper puree, eggplant caviar and roasted shallots and another delicious lava cake with ice cream.  Weather was quite warm even in the evening and the Spanish eat really late.  I made all my dinner reservations for 9 p.m. and that was almost too early…

In the morning I got to the Barcelona Sant train station only to discover that my ticket to San Sebasbian had left at 7:30 a.m. on AUGUST 8 instead of September 8 – I had bought the wrong ticket!!!  Train was full so had to buy another ticket for the 3:30 p.m. train which would arrive at 9:30 p.m.  Took the metro back to Barcelona BB, had a coffee and an orange, left my luggage and went to visit Pedrera (Casa Mila), a unique building designed by Gaudi.  One of the most significant parts is the roof, crowned with skylights and chimneys, all of which are coated with limestone, broken marble and glass.  In the attic is a museum about Gaudi’s life and design ideas which was fascinating as was he.

Took a walk to the Park Miro, had lunch at Palmero, i.e. arugula salad with tomatoes, olives and mozzarella and grilled fish.  Picked up some pastries for the evening and the morning and caught the 3:30 p.m. train to San Sebastian.  I arrived about 9:30 p.m. and took the bus to my airbnb, arriving about 10 p.m.  We talked a few minutes and I asked her if I could leave my roller bag there while I walked the camino (assuming she would say fine) and she said absolutely not!  So, I had to find another place to stay at 10 p.m. at night which would let me leave my luggage.  Luckily, Hotel Parma had a reasonable rate since it was so late and agreed to store my luggage while I was gone.  Took a taxi to hotel and they were veryyy nice!!!  Suggested I go around the corner on 31 agosto to Gandarias for tapas which I did.  Bustling, lively place with great food.  Had a brie/sundried tomato tapa with honey and pistachios, beef and green chili tapa and a shrimp tapa with bacon salsa.  Walked to the train station to see how long it would take me, packed the little pack I would carry on the camino and went to bed about 1:30 a.m….

Caught the 7:30 a.m. bus to Perdrafia Cebreiro to start to camino.