Backpacking Spain hostel reviews, recent tales about Barcellona and Tarragona.

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your tales : ROAMING EUROPE - SPAIN

Kerith Stovell spent 6 weeks in Europe in the latter part of 2003. This is her Spanish sojourn featuring Barcelona, Tarragona, siesta's and other experiences of Spanish culture. To see some of her other tales follow the links below.

Day 1: England - Barcelona
Well here I am in Spain. And the old saying ´the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain´ is proving to be untrue as so far the rain in Spain has fallen mainly on the beach hwere we are! Today is still overcast and quite windy but it is better than the last few. We left London about 10am to drive to the Chunnel. We stopped there for lunch and then you drive into these carriage things. They can fit 2 buses in each carriage. It takes about 35 mins for the train to go through under the channel. You can get out of the bus and a girl and I walked the whole length of the train during the journey, past all the other cars. A really surreal experience. Then we got off at Calais and started the LONG drive to Spain. We arrived about 8am the following morning. In typical Kerith style Istill managed to sleep for most of the night. We couldn't get into our hotel rooms till 12 noon so we had brekky in the hotel and then went for a walk then it was siesta time.

BARRI GOTIC CATEDRAL, BARCELONA

SPANISH COASTLINE

Day 2-3: Barcelona - Costa Brava - Blanes - Calella
On Friday we went into Barcelona. I didn't really feel like looking at much so just wandered and did some shopping. I found Barcelona quite touristy and really busy. The pickpockets were unreal. A couple of people got stuff nicked. Where we are staying (Santa Susanna) is part of the Costa Brava. It is a long beachside strip that is sort of like the Gold or Sunshine Coasts (in Australia). Yesterday we went on a tour excursion to Blanes and Calella. Tonight in the bar it is flamenco dancing so I´d better go and practice...

Eating in Spain
Each day begins with a massive buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room around 9am. Everything happens very late in Spain. If I eat enough at brekky I really don't need lunch, which was my excuse for having an icecream or waffle with icecream (different to home waffles, more like cakes really) in the afternoons. A lot of places close for siesta between about 1.30-4pm.

Spanish Paella: rice, chicken and prawns.

Day 4-5-6: Tarragona and Medes Islands
Monday: We had a planned excursion to Tarragona which was about 2.5 hrs away on the bus. Some people elected to go to a theme park for the day but as I am so incredibly cultured I chose Tarragona... and I was glad I did! There were these really great ancient roman ruins of an ampitheatre and forum area that we explored. The weather was beautiful and sunny (finally). We also visited the catherdral (unreal) and explored round the city following the Roman walls. I just loved this place, more than Barcelona. It was so Spanish, with beautiful architecture. Tarragona has a large harbour and marina (bit like home really) which I also explored.
Tuesday: We were back at Santa Susana today and we didn't get up till 11.30 and we then investigated the street markets outside the hotel. In the afternoon we hired bikes and went exploring in the hills behind the towns. I hadn't been on a bike in years and had a great time. I even took a photo so I could prove I did some exercise!
Wednesday: We went on an excursion to L'estar'tit where we had a glass bottomed boat ride around the Medes Islands. It was a real pirate country and they took you into the coves where the pirate camps used to be. I felt like I was in 'The pirates of the Carribbean' except of course it was the Mediterranean. Then we went to this absolutely gorgeous town called Pals. Thank goodness we were only there for 1 hr because I spent so much money! It is a totally preserved Spanish village.

SPANISH FLAMENCO DANCE

GAUDI CREATION AT PARC GUELL, BARCELONA

Day 7-8: Return to England
Thursday and Friday: We had to check out by 10am but were not leaving until 8pm so the hotel put our bags in this room where we could still access them through the day. I went and sat on the beach for a while, then wandered down to a cafe for lunch, then back to the hotel to sit by the pool before we boarded the bus. We ad a stop at 11pm then drove through the night and stopped for brekky about 8am. We had lunch at Calais before boarding the Chunnel thing again and then returning to England. I really loved this Spanish trip. I made some great friends, and saw lots of a country I didn't know much about and liked most of what I saw.
So now I am looking forward to flying to Austria tomorrow for the last part of my trip and to seeing my friend Babsi. All we have planned so far is that we are visiting paris from 4-9 nov. The rest we will just have to see!

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