Tag: barcelona

Ramblings

A Hike to Montserrat

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(Another overdue post. I am running behind on my blogging!)

A popular day trip from Barcelona is to Montserrat, a mountain range that’s about a 1-hour train ride from the city. The Benedictine monastery of Santa María also sits at the top of the mountain.

To get there from Barcelona, take the metro to Espanya station, then follow the FGC train signs for Montserrat. You’ll need to take the FGC train (line R5) and tickets can be purchased at the ticket machines. Roundtrip train tickets cost about $50 for the 4 of us.

Quick nap on the train.

We got off at Aeri Montserrat station. Once there, you take a cable car up the mountain but of course Baba chose the hardest route: hiking. The hike itself isn’t long (about 2.5 miles up) but it is strenuous, and made even more challenging with the heat.

Near the trailhead.

The path was unpaved so required lots of scrambling up rocks. Trail markers were spray-painted arrows on rocks, which were thankfully fairly easy to spot.

C and O have some experience with challenging hikes after going to Arches and Canyonlands earlier this year. Though they were drenched in sweat, the hike was relatively easy for them – even while carrying their backpacks! We did make sure to make many stops for snacks and water.

The last half of the hike was the most painful (for me). There were SO. MANY. STAIRS. Just when you thought you reached the top, you round a corner and there were more flights of stairs. 😭

With burning calves and tired feet, we finally made it to the top! The views were gorgeous. I’m so proud of the boys for making the hike look easy and keeping complaints to a minimum. 😂

Amusing story: After the hike, we went to eat at one of the restaurants at the top of the mountain. Within five minutes of walking into the restaurant, it started POURING RAIN. We didn’t think much of it, so we started to order food.

But then, all the restaurant staff rushed from the kitchen into a smaller room just outside the restaurant. They were gesturing towards the ceiling. We couldn’t understand what they were saying, but judging by their tones and expressions they seem worried. Firemen started arriving, and shortly after, the restaurant manager told all guests to leave immediately because of an emergency.

Apparently, the torrential rain had caused a rockslide! The restaurant is nestled against the mountain and the barrier that was used to catch any rockfall was breaking apart. The surrounding area was flooded as well.

We went home without eating lunch. Because of the rain, we were concerned about the trail being too slick so ended up taking the train back down the mountain. Another fun day in Spain!

Ramblings

La Boqueria

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(An overdue post)

Baba and I have reached an age where grocery shopping has become our hobby. 😅 We love to explore markets – supermarkets, wet markets, farmers markets – it’s our favorite type of shopping!

So naturally, we had to visit Mercado de La Boqueria, a huge public market in Barcelona. The market is a labyrinth of vendors selling fruits, seafood, jamón, and tapas. It’s crowded and touristy, but a definite must if you love food. You could spend hours getting lost in there. Just show up early! We showed up at around 9:30am and it was packed an hour later.

Jamón is a staple in Spain and found everywhere in La Boqueria. Many stalls even sell jamón in paper cones for easy handling! (Of course I had to get one.) O wasn’t a huge fan but C loved it.

The boys were drawn to the colorful fruits and fruit drinks at the market. We were surprised to see a few exotic fruits there, like mangosteen and passion fruit.

But the highlight of our visit to La Boqueria was eating at El Quim, a food stall with bar only seating. Their specialty is baby squid with eggs, and it did not disappoint! The squid was so savory and delicious – I just wish the eggs were more runny. Even O, who is a notoriously picky eater, loved the dish. We also ordered padrón green peppers but thought it was a bit too salty.

We had plans to eat at Bar Pinotxo too, but had so much trouble finding it. By the time we found the place, there was a wait and we realized we weren’t that hungry anymore. Bar Pinotxo is supposedly popular for their chickpeas and blood sausage and oxtail stew. If you ever go, let me know how it tastes!

Ramblings

We ❤ Barcelona

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Barcelona is really easy to fall in love with. It’s a vibrant city with lots to see and do, yet has a laid-back vibe. The streets are lined with trees, cute little shops and cafes, people walking their dogs, and conveniences like grocery stores every few blocks. We stayed in the Eixample district, a quieter, more residential area with many chic cafes and restaurants.

I visited Barcelona in 2009, but with a student’s budget and schedule, I saw (and remember) very little about it. This time, we’re lucky enough to be here for 10 days and get to experience so much more than the usual touristy spots. On most days, we’re just wandering around the city and trying to soak up the atmosphere around us.

What we love about Barcelona:

Weather. Spain gets over 300 days of sun a year, and that’s no joke. Even with all its glorious sunshine, it doesn’t get unbearably hot because of Barcelona’s proximity to the Mediterranean Sea.

Food. Spanish Mediterranean cuisine is rated one of the healthiest in the world and it’s easy to see why. We’ve been eating a ton of seafood – all SO good. Meals here are simply prepared (usually just olive oil, salt and garlic) but use fresh, high quality ingredients.

Convenience. It seems that regardless of which area you’re in, you are likely within a few minutes walk from grocery stores, restaurants and cafes. Every store, no matter how big or small, accepts Apple/Google Pay too so there was no need for us to exchange cash or even bring our credit cards!

Public transportation. As someone who hates to drive, having great public transportation is a huge plus. Our Airbnb is a 3 minute walk from the metro station. The metro comes every 2-4 minutes, and buses maybe every 5-10 minutes, that can take you all around the city. The boys loved taking the metro and bus.

Tip: If you’re traveling with kids, you can purchase a family (or “T-Familiar“) card for a discount. One single card can be used by up to 4 people (2 adults and 2 kids). You can buy a card for €10 for 8 rides over 30 days.

Vibe. Sometimes, you just get a good feeling from a city and Barcelona is one of those places. Casual, charming and cosmopolitan, you’ll never feel bored here.

Tomorrow, we leave Barcelona for Valencia. During our awesome time here, Baba and I had second thoughts about moving to Taiwan instead of Spain. But then I remembered the lackluster dim sum we had here, so maybe not. 😅 We need our Asian food!