As my title may suggest I have never been to Spain ever in my life. But I booked up a weekend in Barcelona with a mate and headed over for a holiday.
Many people I know in Scotland have been to Spain and some people I know will only travel to the same resort every year for a holiday. The UK has a great TV show called Benidorm. It is a sit com set in and around a holiday resort in Benidorm. For me the show is at times very truthful in its portrayal of the UK holiday maker going abroad for sun. Basically many British when going abroad don’t research where they are going, so when they get to the resort they want it to be like the UK. Benidorm is full of McDonald's and chip shops as the majority of the travelers are from the UK. This is something I always hated about a holiday to a resort and I have never done it and never will. The stigma of the Benidorm package holiday has lasted my whole life and even goes out with Spain, Greece, Portugal, Egypt and many more countries I have had a mental block on going to due to the British holiday maker demanding UK food and customs.
I as many people know love to travel and when I do I want to get away from anything I have when at home. That includes computers (much of my working time is at a PC), TV, eating much of the UK diet and the most important one the BRITISH PEOPLE.
I have went to Barcelona mainly as the architecture is so well documented and as an Cad Tech(Computer Aided Designer) I have a big interest in architecture. My first visual occurrence was the airport itself, a big grey building with electric doors. That is the same here but a 75 minute bus ride and I am right in the centre of Barcelona, just out of the bus station is the Arc de triomphe a stunning piece of architecture that gives your eyes a real great start to the trip. Walking about the streets trying to find our hostel was a bit tricky due to the map only detailing one street out of four but the sights of the old Gothic Quarter are stunning. I am carrying a very heavy bag containing my belongings for the weekend and the sun is very hot but I find myself walking around the gothic structures in a circle as they are so stunning.
We make it to the hostel and the two people who own and run the place greet us. I sent an e mail to the place a few days previous about the ash cloud possibly delaying or even stopping the trip. The person who serves us Catalina is very helpful and provides us with a great map and then goes on to give us hints and tips on where to go and how to get to the sights. She leads us to our room and shows the hostels facilities. We have a shower room and a balcony in this hostel, a real bonus and something I have never had. The place is a bit noisy at night but I was expecting that as we are seconds away from La Ramblas. The street is the only let down of the trip as it is nothing but a tourist market with beggars and people offering drugs, sex and well just about anything you want. We quickly nip to a pub and decide to stay away from the street and head out to more pubs frequented by more locals. We do this and find the locals very friendly and polite, few more beers and we head back to an Irish bar near the hostel to end the night with a few pints.
Next morning we get up and first thing we need is food, hostel recommends the place at the end of the road as they are quick and cheap and they are showing the Rugby for me to get a quick update. We plan to head up to the Nou Camp via the train. A ten trip ticket is only 9 Euros and excellent value, even more so after we use the service. The metro service is so clean and tidy, very little graffiti and quick service. The station has no timetable as the run every five minutes 24 hour a day. The train is clean and safe to use, plenty of cameras and also well lit. As the transport is so good the city seems to have more room for people to walk; now it does have many cars but it just feels like many few than I am used to.
Why in Glasgow we can't open up all the old underground tunnels and extend the Underground service is beyond me. It would give Glasgow so much more in the future and I am sure people would love it.
We get off at the appropriate station to see the football stadium and make our way up to it on foot. Temperature is over 30 degrees but we make it and pay the money to get in. I have no huge desire to see the stadium but Madman is really into seeing it so I go along with it. But standing on the pitch side right behind the goal is a fun experience as is sitting in the commentary booths. The area we are in has not got much to see more a living space for people so we head back to the hostel for a rest.
Out for some food and a nice we place that does tapas is our destination. I ask for more seafood tapas as we are right on the coast. We are served some nice food and a few beers before we check out a couple of bars, again mixing with more Spanish to avoid the bulldog crew
Madman is adamant about watching the football, I really couldn't care less. A pointless tournament that is only about money and nothing else, I decide to go along with it and try and enjoy myself. Again in an Irish bar but the place is packed with German women, who do look very good, so at least a small change from pubs in Glasgow where they are frequented by men. Two hours later the game is over and we head out of the pub.
I then start talking to some American guy in a bar, he speaks Spanish due to his family coming from Mexico so is known in the bar well. He asks why I am not in an Irish bar, I say due to them not having any Irish in them. He does seem kind of confused by my reply so I invite him to the one we were in last night. He instantly gets what we mean as the place is crammed with stag and hen nights and men in football tops shouting and being very drunken. Madman wanders off as he hates Americans (Much like he hates everyone else). We finish the night by smoking a joint on the La Ramblas and chatting to some local students about music.
Sunday is more a day for me and I have decided to do what I want to do today. As I have said I love architecture and I will devote almost all of the day to his. First up is the Sagrada Família as you come out of the train station it is right there in front of you and on first look is not that amazing. But as you walk around it the detail and craftsmanship is amazing. Many people believe the church is still built on the plans made by Gaudí but that is not true, many of the plans and drawings are lost and even what was built was damaged during the civil war. You can see a patchwork style of building in the project. Also as a Cadtech I can see the areas designed with computers, computer designed buildings do look unique and it does seem to blend in. Gaudí was far more ahead than he will ever know.
More walking about and then to Park Güell again designed by Gaudí, it is a hard task to reach the park up a very steep hill in the sun but I make my target and so much worthwhile. The view is stunning and really takes your breath away. The park is a real surprise to me design wise as it has a feel of Britain about its design, and much like many parks in the UK it follows a similar set up. But I read the park was going to be a development site for houses but was scrapped due to lack of interest by purchasers. This is something really good as the park is so much better than some buildings and homes only the rich could buy. You get a great park for use and see the city with for free. I really do recommend the view over Barcelona, a sight that tells you every building has a story.
Now time for a quick read of me book to rest my feet and then onto the gig. Jason and the Scorchers are playing the last date of the European tour tonight. I had booked the holiday and paid for everything but when checking the bands website noticed a few extra dates. He last one was in Spain, and yes it ties in when I am over and why not go to see em again three weeks after seeing them in Glasgow. No ticket may be a problem but I will pop down and see what I can do. I get to the venue where I am told that it has sold out. Fuck. I was looking forward to the gig big style as the band really are amazing and they may not tour or make a new album for 14 years again. I explain that I am Scottish (Hey it has worked before) and travelled over for the gig. Ok a wee lie but it works she says 22 Euros and I happily pay, I am given a ticket that looks more like a jacket ticket stub. I hand it to the door man who looks says something in Spanish. The woman at the counter shouts over at him and he then shakes his head and lets me in. Great I am in, I am now up for a drink. I notice no people are really drinking at the gig only a few people have a glass. I order a beer and am given what I would say is under half a pint of beer for 7 Euros. Fuckin heck! Right I see why nobody is drinking, I only have one more during the show. The sound is fucking great in here and very loud as well. In the UK the sound levels have to be under a certain amount to curb people damaging their hearing. It is a load of bollocks as a few hours a week won't do anything to your hearing. The band play a stormer and I leave to meet Madman for a few beers before going to bed.
I was really taken back by my trip as I did expect the whole tourist city aspect to have been more so. But once you get out the main streets and into the little pubs with the locals they are very friendly and welcoming. A great few days away and I would have happily have stayed longer but due to low wages and much less sleep than is healthy for you I come home. I would happily go to Spain again but never to a resort with the tourists.
