Spain
Madrid, Barcelona
25 June - 1 July 2017
Game PLan
We'll be departing from Rome by plane and will visit Madrid and then Barcelona. We are not familiar with Spain, so we will be visiting two of its cities only.
FlightRyan Air
Rome Ciampino - Madrid T1 FR 9673 25 June, 0930hrs Iberia Air Madrid - Barcelona IB 2708 28 June, 1100hrs Ryan Air Barcelona - London Stansted FR 9015 1 July, 1400hrs |
AccommodationMadrid Agoda.com Far Home Guesthouse Barcelona Airbnb - hosted by Oriol Well Connected, Super Comfy |
The train between the 2 cities are quite expensive, so we have decided to travel by plane from Madrid to Barcelona. Hence, our transportation plan was Rome > Madrid by plane, Madrid > Barcelona by plane, and finally Barcelona > London by plane.
Expenditure before leaving:
Ryan Air (Rome > Madrid + 60kg luggage in total) MYR 1556.42 (EUR 330.45)
Madrid Accommodation (Hotel) MYR 913.86
Iberia Air (Madrid > Barcelona + 60kg luggage in total) MYR 762.60 (EUR 161.91)
Barcelona Accommodation (Airbnb) MYR 957
Ryan Air (Barcelona > London + 60kg luggage in total) MYR 1426.71 (EUR 302.91)
WIFI Router (7 days) MYR 182
TOTAL MYR 5798.17
All these prices are for 3 adults.
Hence each person spent MYR 1932.72 before leaving for Spain.
Some prices have EUR amounts stated in brackets behind. That's because we paid for those transactions with that particular currency shown to us. I converted that amount to MYR using xe.com
Ryan Air (Rome > Madrid + 60kg luggage in total) MYR 1556.42 (EUR 330.45)
Madrid Accommodation (Hotel) MYR 913.86
Iberia Air (Madrid > Barcelona + 60kg luggage in total) MYR 762.60 (EUR 161.91)
Barcelona Accommodation (Airbnb) MYR 957
Ryan Air (Barcelona > London + 60kg luggage in total) MYR 1426.71 (EUR 302.91)
WIFI Router (7 days) MYR 182
TOTAL MYR 5798.17
All these prices are for 3 adults.
Hence each person spent MYR 1932.72 before leaving for Spain.
Some prices have EUR amounts stated in brackets behind. That's because we paid for those transactions with that particular currency shown to us. I converted that amount to MYR using xe.com
Homework
I'll definitely learn some basic Spanish, and also do more research on the local cuisine and culture, cause I know nothing about Spain.
Spain Time Zone : GMT +2 (6 hours slower than Malaysia)
Spain Temperature during trip : 26-30°C
Spain's tap water is safe to drink.
When we were there, their day was much longer than their night. The sky only started getting dark around 10pm.
Just in case you guys are wondering whether to get a plan with unlimited data or if a certain data limit is enough for your travel needs, I've included a record of our data usage beneath the dates. That is based on the amount of data we used on our WiFi Router per day.
Spanish citizens are not as accommodating to English speakers as compared to Italians. Most places that we visited does not have staffs that speak English. But they are very polite and friendly.
Spain Time Zone : GMT +2 (6 hours slower than Malaysia)
Spain Temperature during trip : 26-30°C
Spain's tap water is safe to drink.
When we were there, their day was much longer than their night. The sky only started getting dark around 10pm.
Just in case you guys are wondering whether to get a plan with unlimited data or if a certain data limit is enough for your travel needs, I've included a record of our data usage beneath the dates. That is based on the amount of data we used on our WiFi Router per day.
Spanish citizens are not as accommodating to English speakers as compared to Italians. Most places that we visited does not have staffs that speak English. But they are very polite and friendly.
25th June, Sunday
Rome - Madrid (Gran Via, Plaza de Colon, Puerta de Alcala, Parque de el Retiro, Palacio de Cristal, Museo Nacional del Prado)
Data Usage : 1015.93MB (3 persons - Google Maps, Google Search/Translate, Social Media, Youtube)
We arrived Madrid Airport Terminal 1 at 12pm, and we waited quite long for our luggage. The metro station was a 10-minutes-walk away from the arrival hall, so we were exhausted by the time we boarded the train at 1pm.
There's a Customer Information Office right before we take the escalator down towards the metro station. So we stopped by the office and bought their 2-Days Zone A Tourist Tickets for public transportation at €14.20 per ticket. Basically it's a small rectangular ticket that you have to carry around and validate it every time you board the public transportation.
Data Usage : 1015.93MB (3 persons - Google Maps, Google Search/Translate, Social Media, Youtube)
We arrived Madrid Airport Terminal 1 at 12pm, and we waited quite long for our luggage. The metro station was a 10-minutes-walk away from the arrival hall, so we were exhausted by the time we boarded the train at 1pm.
There's a Customer Information Office right before we take the escalator down towards the metro station. So we stopped by the office and bought their 2-Days Zone A Tourist Tickets for public transportation at €14.20 per ticket. Basically it's a small rectangular ticket that you have to carry around and validate it every time you board the public transportation.
The metro train doors need to be opened manually. There's a lever/handle by the door and you'd have to pull on it for the door to slide open. Hence, if no one wants to get in/out of that train cabin, the door will stay shut.
We had to change trains twice in order to get to Gran Via, which is the nearest metro station to our accommodation. Our hostel is only 3 minutes walk from Gran Via metro station. Once we're at the building, we pressed the door pager for Far Home and they buzzed the front door open for us. We then took the elevator up to the 1st floor.
Fortunately, our room was ready even though we were there before the actual check-in time. Our room has 3 single beds, which was squeaky and lightweight but sturdy enough. The air conditioner coughed out black clouds of dust when we tried to crank it up to make it cooler. But other than that, the room was decent.
Fortunately, our room was ready even though we were there before the actual check-in time. Our room has 3 single beds, which was squeaky and lightweight but sturdy enough. The air conditioner coughed out black clouds of dust when we tried to crank it up to make it cooler. But other than that, the room was decent.
We were starving, so we head towards a restaurant called dNorte, which is located right outside our hostel. Their reviews were great, and we were lucky to get a table immediately during the peak lunch hour.
The servers doesn't really speak English, but we were still able to communicate by hand gestures and simple English. We ordered Spanish Omelette, Mushroom Risotto, Lamb Skewers and Bacalao fish (cod fish). The meal was satisfying, and it costs €52.40. They also serve a small plate of appetizer of chorizos, cheese and biscuits.
After that, we walked towards Puerta de Alcala.
We visited a park right by Puerta de Alcala which is called Parque de el Retiro, and there were so many things to see there!
There's this super cool playground ride that combines a see-saw and a swing! Looking at those kids bouncing up and down that ride...gosh I hope Penang has that too. If there's one in Penang, I'd be reporting to that playground everyday.
There's a lake and a boat rental service that allows you to row your own boat for 40 minutes at €8 with a maximum of 4 persons per boat.
We also walked deeper into the park to visit the Palacio de Cristal.
The interior of the Crystal Palace is very warm and humid. It started to drizzle when we were inside, so it wasn't a comfortable environment to be in.
After the drizzle stopped, we exited the Palace and also the park. The Museo Nacional del Prado was just 5 minutes away, so we decided to stop by as well. The museum has free admission for the following time period:
6pm - 8pm Monday to Saturday
5pm - 7pm Sundays and holidays
We were there just in time for the free admission. The queue was LONG, but it moved very fast. We just followed the queue into the ticketing counter and collected the free ticket from the counter. After that, we followed the crowd to enter the museum. Pictures were not allowed in the museum, but I had fun hunting down every painting that has Greek Mythology influence to it.
After the drizzle stopped, we exited the Palace and also the park. The Museo Nacional del Prado was just 5 minutes away, so we decided to stop by as well. The museum has free admission for the following time period:
6pm - 8pm Monday to Saturday
5pm - 7pm Sundays and holidays
We were there just in time for the free admission. The queue was LONG, but it moved very fast. We just followed the queue into the ticketing counter and collected the free ticket from the counter. After that, we followed the crowd to enter the museum. Pictures were not allowed in the museum, but I had fun hunting down every painting that has Greek Mythology influence to it.
After that, we took a bus to go back to the hostel. We rested and searched for dinner choices. We found this restaurant nearby Sol station that has great reviews called Rosi La Loca Taberna. My brother made a reservation at 9pm through a website.
We departed around 8:30pm and took the Gran Via metro to Sol. We then followed Google Maps and found the restaurant along Calle de Cadiz. We had to wait awhile for the previous customers to finish up their meal before getting our table.
We departed around 8:30pm and took the Gran Via metro to Sol. We then followed Google Maps and found the restaurant along Calle de Cadiz. We had to wait awhile for the previous customers to finish up their meal before getting our table.
Our meal costs €44. The croquettes were decent with Iberian ham and creamy cheese inside.
The eggplant fritters were stated to be coated with honey, but it tastes more like brown sugar. It's still good, but not a 'must try'. We also had the Seafood Paella, with shrimps, mussels, and baby squids. It was flavorful, but the rice was a bit more than al dente. So it was a lil hard on the tooth, but not too bad. We didn't try their desserts, but you TOTALLY should! We saw the other tables ordered some, and they looked stunning and creative! Take a look at the menu above, there's liquid deconstructed cheesecake! And we saw a dish with a transparent dome lid that has smoke in it together with the food. But I don't know the name of that dish. And all their dishes wasn't that expensive as well. |
After dinner, we took the metro back to Gran Via, and the sky was still not entirely dark yet at 10pm!
26th June, Monday
Madrid (Temple of Debod, Plaza de Espana, Jardines de Sabatini, Royal Palace of Madrid, Catedral de la Almudena, Plaza Mayor, San Miguel Market, Sol - El Oso Y El Madrono)
Data Usage : 937.33MB (3 persons - Google Maps, Google Search/Translate, Social Media excl Youtube)
We woke up at 10am, and headed out for some sightseeing around 11am. We took a bus from Gran Via towards Temple of Debod. There's a really cool stone architecture that looked stunning in pictures!
Data Usage : 937.33MB (3 persons - Google Maps, Google Search/Translate, Social Media excl Youtube)
We woke up at 10am, and headed out for some sightseeing around 11am. We took a bus from Gran Via towards Temple of Debod. There's a really cool stone architecture that looked stunning in pictures!
There's also a small park that overlooks the city and it's beautiful!
After this, we walked to Plaza de Espana, which is located diagonally from the Temple of Debod.
We then looked for a place for lunch cause we haven't had anything to eat. We walked around and ended up in Gran Via. We saw a pizza place and decided to try it out!
It's called Papizza, and the pizzas were good! They displayed their pizzas on the counter and you just have to choose which one you want and they'll heat it up for you.
It's called Papizza, and the pizzas were good! They displayed their pizzas on the counter and you just have to choose which one you want and they'll heat it up for you.
After lunch, we walked to Jardines de Sabatini.
We also visited the Palace of Madrid, which is right next to the Jardines de Sabatini. We queued for the security check and our backpacks were given a tag which means we can't bring our backpacks into the area. There are lockers that are chargeable for tourists to store their bags.
After the security check, we stepped into the ticketing area that sells tickets at €11. And I only realized later, that we don't need to purchase the tickets if we just wanna visit the palace. The ticket was for the special exhibition that they had. So if you just want to look at the open square and the interior of the palace, you DON'T have to purchase any tickets.
After the security check, we stepped into the ticketing area that sells tickets at €11. And I only realized later, that we don't need to purchase the tickets if we just wanna visit the palace. The ticket was for the special exhibition that they had. So if you just want to look at the open square and the interior of the palace, you DON'T have to purchase any tickets.
After the ticketing counter and locker area, we came out to the open square in front of the palace.
The special exhibition at that time was called 'Carlos III, Majestad y ORNATO'. So I went in and looked around, and there are loads of Greek Mythology influenced paintings and sculptures.
After the exhibition, I followed the crowd to look at the interior of the palace. We were not allowed to take pictures inside, so I only had photos of the staircase leading to the rooms.
The Catedral de la Almudena is right opposite the palace square.
After the palace, we walked to the Dalieda de San Francisco but it was closed until evening. So we took a bus and dropped off at Plaza Mayor for the San Miguel Market.
My brother bought a fresh oyster and also a pack of cured meat. The meat costs €15 and it's salty and chewy, in a good way.
We continued walking while munching on the cured meat, and we came across llao llao. Okay I know llao llao is popular and it's available everywhere, but I never had it before! My uncle told us to try it while we're in Spain and it's cheaper than everywhere else too.
And so we went in for a medium cup of frozen yoghurt at €3.40 with 3 toppings! They had a promotion at that time where if you show them the flyer that they're distributing outside, you'll get one free topping!
llao llao is GOOD!
And so we went in for a medium cup of frozen yoghurt at €3.40 with 3 toppings! They had a promotion at that time where if you show them the flyer that they're distributing outside, you'll get one free topping!
llao llao is GOOD!
The area around the store was beautiful as well.
At the end of our walk, we found ourselves in Sol. So we went to look at the El Oso Y El Madrono, which is also known as The Bear and the Strawberry Tree.
We walked around for awhile, but decided to take the bus back to the hostel.
I've always wanted to try Taco Bells, so we headed to a Taco Bell nearby our hostel. I was so excited to finally get to try Taco Bell!!!
I had a HARD time deciding what to order! At the end I settled for the basic meal set with two hard shell tacos with fries and refillable soft drink. The meal set costs €6.55.
My brother disliked the tacos, but I LOVED them! There's tomatoes, shredded cheese, meat, lettuce, and SOUR CREAM! It has ingredients that I love! And sour cream! Hallelujah! I hoped I had bought more of it!
We went back to the hostel after the meal until evening. At 7:30pm, mum and I went to Zara for shopping while my brother stayed in the hostel searching for a place for dinner. After shopping, we dropped our shopping bags off at the hostel and went for dinner.
My brother found this place called Taberna El Sur nearby Anton Matin metro station. It's located right at the junction of Calle de la Torrecila del Leal and Calle San Simon.
We went back to the hostel after the meal until evening. At 7:30pm, mum and I went to Zara for shopping while my brother stayed in the hostel searching for a place for dinner. After shopping, we dropped our shopping bags off at the hostel and went for dinner.
My brother found this place called Taberna El Sur nearby Anton Matin metro station. It's located right at the junction of Calle de la Torrecila del Leal and Calle San Simon.
There were a lot of people waiting outside for seats. I asked my brother to go inside and tell them we're in queue, and the server asked my brother if we have reservations, and my brother said no. Well the server gave us seats straightaway, which was weird, cause there were so many people waiting out there too. But why would we want to make our lives difficult? So we sat our fat ass down and started ordering.
The meal was great, and the environment was cozy. It costs €66.10.
After the fulfilling meal, we took the metro and went back home.
The meal was great, and the environment was cozy. It costs €66.10.
After the fulfilling meal, we took the metro and went back home.
Oh I forgot to mention this, but I accidentally made a crease on my 2-days Travel Pass, so I couldn't pass the ticket validating machine on buses and metro stations. I showed my ticket to the bus drivers and they let me through. As for the metro station, I referred my issue to the employee and they issued me a new pass that will expire in the exact moment as my previous one.
|
27th June, Tuesday
Madrid (Gran Via shopping - Sfera, Mango, Lefties, Bershka)
Data Usage : 606.64MB (3 persons - Google Maps, Google Search/Translate, Social Media excl Youtube)
It's SHOPPING DAY!!!
We slept in and went out for lunch at McDonald's. I LOVE using their self order kiosk!
Data Usage : 606.64MB (3 persons - Google Maps, Google Search/Translate, Social Media excl Youtube)
It's SHOPPING DAY!!!
We slept in and went out for lunch at McDonald's. I LOVE using their self order kiosk!
They gave us an extra beverage though...heh!
After the satisfying lunch, we started our shopping spree!! I never knew Bershka has clothing that I liked! We spent a lot of time going from store to store, looking through every shelves and corners for more pieces that attract our attention.
We went back to the hostel for a while to drop off our loots and rest. And then we went back out and continued shopping. We only visited Spanish brands. I mean, we ARE in Spain.
Oh and we also arranged shuttle service with the front desk from our hostel to the airport for the next day. It costs €22 for 3 persons.
After the satisfying lunch, we started our shopping spree!! I never knew Bershka has clothing that I liked! We spent a lot of time going from store to store, looking through every shelves and corners for more pieces that attract our attention.
We went back to the hostel for a while to drop off our loots and rest. And then we went back out and continued shopping. We only visited Spanish brands. I mean, we ARE in Spain.
Oh and we also arranged shuttle service with the front desk from our hostel to the airport for the next day. It costs €22 for 3 persons.
For dinner, we went for halal Arabian cuisine two stores away from our hostel. We had some pita bread with hummus, lamb skewers, chicken briyani rice, and chicken schwarma with fries.
It's the most satisfying and filling meal we've had in Europe! It's RICE and Asian food! The meal costs €41.50.
We ended our day there and packed our bags for early departure the next day.
We ended our day there and packed our bags for early departure the next day.
28th June, Wednesday
Madrid - Barcelona
Data Usage : forgotten to record
We woke up early to prepare for departure. Our shuttle service will arrive at 8:30am, so we checked out around 8:20am. The receptionists helped us to contact the driver and told us that the driver is already waiting downstairs.
We went down and met the driver with an 8-seater car. He helped us load our luggage into the trunk and proceeded towards another hotel to pick-up 2 more passengers. We arrived the airport at 9:15am.
Data Usage : forgotten to record
We woke up early to prepare for departure. Our shuttle service will arrive at 8:30am, so we checked out around 8:20am. The receptionists helped us to contact the driver and told us that the driver is already waiting downstairs.
We went down and met the driver with an 8-seater car. He helped us load our luggage into the trunk and proceeded towards another hotel to pick-up 2 more passengers. We arrived the airport at 9:15am.
We went straight to the Iberia self service kiosk to print our luggage tags. But a system error occurred and two of us were tagged with no check-in luggage. I checked twice before leaving Malaysia, and I was sure that we bought this flight with 3 check-in luggage. So I whipped out my Iberia booking confirmation and showed the attendant that we should have 1 check-in luggage per person.
She brought our passports to their service counter and printed out our luggage tags. Phew!
She brought our passports to their service counter and printed out our luggage tags. Phew!
We passed through the security check and went to hunt for breakfast.
We finally settled for pastries at Paul.
Once our departure gate was announced at J50, we walked over and waited in line according to our group arrangement. We belonged in Group 1.
The plane took off at 11:25am and landed in Barcelona at 12:15pm.
We waited for our luggage and we were surprised to find one of our luggage damaged with a hole on top. Luckily the luggage can still be used, so we continued our journey by following the signage towards the inter-terminal shuttle bus station. We have to go to Terminal 2B in order to get on the Renfe railway station towards the city center.
The shuttle bus took 4-5 minutes to arrive in Terminal 2B, and another 5-minutes walk towards the Renfe railway station. Just follow the signage towards Renfe R2 will do.
We decided to purchase the T-10 ticket which costs €9.95.
We waited for our luggage and we were surprised to find one of our luggage damaged with a hole on top. Luckily the luggage can still be used, so we continued our journey by following the signage towards the inter-terminal shuttle bus station. We have to go to Terminal 2B in order to get on the Renfe railway station towards the city center.
The shuttle bus took 4-5 minutes to arrive in Terminal 2B, and another 5-minutes walk towards the Renfe railway station. Just follow the signage towards Renfe R2 will do.
We decided to purchase the T-10 ticket which costs €9.95.
The T10 ticket CAN be used for Renfe airport routes but CANNOT be used for the Metro airport route.
Plus the T10 ticket can be shared amongst the members of your group, meaning you can use 1 single T10 ticket for up to 10 persons at the same time. Just get one person to stand at the ticket validating barrier and repeatedly insert the same ticket until everyone in your group passes through.
We weren't sure if we will use the public transportation often, so we didn't get the tourist travel cards which was more expensive.
Plus the T10 ticket can be shared amongst the members of your group, meaning you can use 1 single T10 ticket for up to 10 persons at the same time. Just get one person to stand at the ticket validating barrier and repeatedly insert the same ticket until everyone in your group passes through.
We weren't sure if we will use the public transportation often, so we didn't get the tourist travel cards which was more expensive.
Once you have validated your T10 ticket, you will see printed numbers behind the ticket which states the exact time you validate the ticket, and also the number of entries left on your ticket.
Oh and 1 entry is valid for 1 hour 15 minutes. Which means you can transit on any mode of transport within 1 hour 15 minutes, and it will be counted as 1 entry only. But if you exit and re-enter the same metro station. That will be counted as 2 separate entries. |
For a clearer explanation, please refer to the link I attached above.
The Renfe train arrived at 1:30pm. There were no assigned seats, so you need to...fight for it. The train departed at 1:39pm. We need to alight at El-Clot Arago station. But we had a problem: there wasn't any announcement or screen display that announces the next station. We had to look at Google Maps to track our location!
Anyway we finally arrived at El Clot Arago around 2:15pm and we followed the signage towards the metro station. We transited towards Bac de Roda.
The Renfe train arrived at 1:30pm. There were no assigned seats, so you need to...fight for it. The train departed at 1:39pm. We need to alight at El-Clot Arago station. But we had a problem: there wasn't any announcement or screen display that announces the next station. We had to look at Google Maps to track our location!
Anyway we finally arrived at El Clot Arago around 2:15pm and we followed the signage towards the metro station. We transited towards Bac de Roda.
Our Airbnb apartment was just 3 minutes walk from Bac de Roda metro station. The owner, Oriol was at the apartment waiting for us, so we just rang the bell and he buzzed the door open for us.
The apartment was very cozy. My mum and I had a room together with a queen sized bed, my brother had his own single bed room, and the owner has his own room. We share the same bathroom, whilst the owner has his own bathroom.
There's no air-conditioner, but the air was breezy enough with the windows opened. The living room TV + Netflix and the kitchen was free for us to use.
The apartment was very cozy. My mum and I had a room together with a queen sized bed, my brother had his own single bed room, and the owner has his own room. We share the same bathroom, whilst the owner has his own bathroom.
There's no air-conditioner, but the air was breezy enough with the windows opened. The living room TV + Netflix and the kitchen was free for us to use.
Below shows the review I wrote for Oriol.
After we rested for awhile and freshen up, we went downstairs and scoured the area for something to eat. There wasn't much nearby, so we had pastries for lunch at Forn de Pa Cafeteria.
We wanted to go to the beach, but it started to drizzle when we're on the way back to the apartment to refrigerate our Swiss roll cake. So we cancelled the beach plan, and went back to the apartment to rest.
I wasn't feeling well, so I slept until the evening while my brother and mum went to the supermarket downstairs to purchase groceries to cook dinner.
They bought a box of pre-packed paella ingredients, but didn't realize there was no rice in it. So my brother made soup with it instead. He also baked a whole chicken! Yummy.
I wasn't feeling well, so I slept until the evening while my brother and mum went to the supermarket downstairs to purchase groceries to cook dinner.
They bought a box of pre-packed paella ingredients, but didn't realize there was no rice in it. So my brother made soup with it instead. He also baked a whole chicken! Yummy.
29th June, Thursday
Barcelona (La Rambla, Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi, Barelona Cathedral, Placa de Catalunya, Casa Batllo, Centre Maremagnum)
Data Usage : 1.66GB (3 persons - Google Maps, Google Search/Translate, Social Media, Youtube)
We departed for La Rambla at 11am. We took the metro from Bac de Roda to Paral-lel, and then transit to Liceu. The metro doors in Barcelona have to be manually activated by pressing on the green button for it to slide open.
Data Usage : 1.66GB (3 persons - Google Maps, Google Search/Translate, Social Media, Youtube)
We departed for La Rambla at 11am. We took the metro from Bac de Roda to Paral-lel, and then transit to Liceu. The metro doors in Barcelona have to be manually activated by pressing on the green button for it to slide open.
As we were hunting for food around La Rambla, we came across the Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi.
We didn't enter the Basilica, cause we were hungry! So we found a restaurant nearby and went in for lunch at 11:40am. It's called E'Nou Pi Antie Restaurant.
We made sure that they do serve paella before we went in for seats. We ordered some side dishes - Iberian Ham, chorizo sausages, bruschetta and spanish omelette. For main dishes, we had spaghetti bolognaise and seafood paella. The meal costs €53.
As we paid for the meal, the owner brought out chocolates for us to try! So nice of him.
After lunch, we followed Google Maps towards the Barcelona Cathedral. It has a €7 admission, and there's a dress code where shorts and sleeveless shirts are not allowed in. Luckily I've always carried my scarf around, so I just used it to wrap around my shorts.
After the cathedral, we wandered around without a fixed destination.
We ended up back at La Rambla eventually. So we shopped for awhile at Nike and Mango, cause we don't know where to go next.
We found a food market along La Rambla and went in for a look and bought some snacks.
My mum and bro were tired, so they went to McDonald's to rest and to have some ice cream, while I wandered off to look at some other spots nearby.
I walked to Plaza de Catalunya and there were SO MANY pigeons! I was afraid that they would poop on me, so I brisk walked across the square.
I walked to Plaza de Catalunya and there were SO MANY pigeons! I was afraid that they would poop on me, so I brisk walked across the square.
I also walked further down the road towards Casa Batllo which costs €24.5 for admission, but I didn't enter cause I don't want to spend that money plus I wasn't interested in the interior of the building.
After that, I walked back to McDonald's and met up with my mum and bro. We then walked to the other end of La Rambla towards the port/shore.
There's a shopping mall at the end of the port, so we went to check it out. It's called Maremagnum.
We were looking around Lefties and upon exiting the store, the store detector rang. I was surprised because I did not buy anything from Lefties. So I went into the store again and tried walking out. The detector rang again. The shop personnel did not approach me so I just exited the store.
I suspected some of our loots from the previous outlets still had their tags on, so I rummaged through our shopping bags and found one of the blouses that we bought from Mango still tagged.
We went to the Mango outlet in Maremagnum and asked if they could remove the tag for us. But they're using a different style of tags, hence their tag remover was unable to remove it. So we had no choice but to head back to the Mango outlet along La Rambla.
I suspected some of our loots from the previous outlets still had their tags on, so I rummaged through our shopping bags and found one of the blouses that we bought from Mango still tagged.
We went to the Mango outlet in Maremagnum and asked if they could remove the tag for us. But they're using a different style of tags, hence their tag remover was unable to remove it. So we had no choice but to head back to the Mango outlet along La Rambla.
But we decided to stop for dinner first. We found a restaurant along La Rambla with a fixed menu that has 3 tapas + paella/pizza/pasta for only €9.95! The food was decent for that price. We ordered three different mains, namely carbonara spaghetti, seafood paella and chicken paella. We paid €29.85.
Their service was very minimal. They didn't allow us to sit outside because we weren't ordering drinks with our meal. Whatever, the meal was cheap, that's most important heh.
Their service was very minimal. They didn't allow us to sit outside because we weren't ordering drinks with our meal. Whatever, the meal was cheap, that's most important heh.
So we went to remove the clothing tag at Mango after dinner. We then took the metro back to our Airbnb around 6:50pm. We got on the Catalunya metro station and transited at Passeig de Gracia in order to go back to Bac de Roda.
30th June, Friday
Barcelona (Sagrada Familia, Arc de Triomf, La Rambla, Basilica Santa Maria del Mar)
Data Usage : 744.5MB (3 persons - Google Maps, Google Search/Translate, Social Media excl Youtube)
We left our apartment at 11:40am and took the metro to Sagrada Familia. The admission tickets were sold out so we just scurried around the place and took pictures.
Data Usage : 744.5MB (3 persons - Google Maps, Google Search/Translate, Social Media excl Youtube)
We left our apartment at 11:40am and took the metro to Sagrada Familia. The admission tickets were sold out so we just scurried around the place and took pictures.
After that, we took Bus 19 towards Arc de Triomf at 12:25pm.
There's a park opposite of the Arc de Triomf's compound, so we went in for a stroll.
At 12:56pm, we took bus H14 to Portal de la Pau, which is at one end of La Rambla. We wanted to buy a new luggage because one of ours was damaged at the airport. We walked towards Maremagnum shopping mall again to search for one.
We didn't find one that suits our price range, so we settled in a noodle bar for lunch instead. Their dishes were creative and tasty. Worth a try! Our meal costs €44.75.
We didn't find one that suits our price range, so we settled in a noodle bar for lunch instead. Their dishes were creative and tasty. Worth a try! Our meal costs €44.75.
- After lunch, we walked towards La Rambla and bought a luggage at €30. We also stopped by McDonald's for ice cream and rested for awhile. I had Kit Kat Mcflurry for €2.90.
At 4:40pm, we took bus 59 towards Basilica Santa Maria del Mar. The Basilica will reopen at 5pm, so we waited for awhile before they open the door to public. It's free admission, but if you want to join the tour to go up the upper levels of the Basilica, that'll be chargeable.
We were in there for 15 minutes before we headed back home. We took the metro from Jaume I to Passeig de Gracia and then transited to Bac de Roda.
We went to the supermarket and bought groceries for another round of home cooked meal. This time, we had baked ribs, pork sausages and carbonara pasta. We also bought a pack of tortilla to make some burritos.
We went to the supermarket and bought groceries for another round of home cooked meal. This time, we had baked ribs, pork sausages and carbonara pasta. We also bought a pack of tortilla to make some burritos.
The rib was sold pre-seasoned, so I just needed to cut it into smaller portions and put it into the oven. I also made some burrito from the leftovers for tomorrow's breakfast.
1st July, Saturday
Barcelona - London
We decided to take the metro and Renfe train to the airport. We woke up at 9:30am and had yesterday's burritos for breakfast. I loved it so much!
We decided to take the metro and Renfe train to the airport. We woke up at 9:30am and had yesterday's burritos for breakfast. I loved it so much!
We left the apartment by 10:50am and took the metro from Bac de Roda to Clot, and then followed the signage towards El Clot Arago station.
We reached the El Clot Arago at 11:10am, and waited for the Renfe train that was scheduled to depart at 11:26am.
We reached the El Clot Arago at 11:10am, and waited for the Renfe train that was scheduled to depart at 11:26am.
We arrived the airport station at 12:10pm and walked straight towards Terminal 2. We dropped our luggage at the Ryan Air counter, and was told to go through a Visa check at the Ryan Air customer service counter. You MUST go through the Visa check if the attendant asked you to do so, or else you won't be allowed to board the plane.
After getting our Visa checked, we went upstairs to go through security control and walked towards Gates W. We then went through passport check and waited for the gate announcement. It was Gate W43.
We were allowed to board the plane at 1:45pm but it only took off at 2:45pm due to some delays.
And that ends our trip in Spain!
We were allowed to board the plane at 1:45pm but it only took off at 2:45pm due to some delays.
And that ends our trip in Spain!