Istanbul

We were all very excited to be back in Istanbul to be able to explore the city for a further few days.


On Tuesday we spent the entire day just wandering around getting lost in the backstreets. As it started to rain we took cover in the only place in all of Istanbul that served falafels. For some reason we had imagined before arriving in Turkey that falafel and hummus would be everywhere, but we were shocked to find this was not the case. What we did find was millions of kebabs, Turkish delight and freshly squeezed pomegranate juice.


We spent the evening chatting with Reece, another Australian who was heading to Kenya for a month to live with his mum, and the other hostel guests.


The second of November signalled a time for celebration as it was Neen's 19th birthday. As she was avoiding sugar I presented her with a healthy birthday cake (a pomegranate) and the promise of a moleskin for her present (which was requested by the woman herself).


For her birthday Nina decided we should all indulge in a day at the Turkish baths, and I was not going to protest. It was definitely a rewarding experience that required an open mind and no room for embarrassment.


For the next hour we sat in an old stone room naked whilst we were scrubbed by huge, naked Turkish women. One by one we each had to do the walk of shame to the centre table where the woman scrubbed us free of dead skin and we were left feeling like new women! After a quick wash of the hair we then spent some time in the sauna and after one final wash, we were ready to leave. Feeling very relaxed we returned to the hostel and cooked a soup from the fresh vegetables we bought from a little market we discovered on the way home.


That night we went to a restaurant close to our hostel and had a rather gourmet meal to celebrate the occasion.


Our final morning in Istanbul we went to the Basilica Cistern, (also known as Underground Palace), an amazing structure that is one of many hundreds of underground cathedrals in the city. There is an eerie feeling as one descends into beneath... the lighting is very dim and there is a dark layer of water a few metres below with fish in it.


We then went film camera hunting and found a great shop run by a Turkish man who spoke not a word of English. He had hundreds of great old cameras that we each tested for over two hours before Nina and I both bought one. I hoped it would be a project for me to improve my photography skills while I had a month in London.


That evening was spent packing and organising ourselves for an early flight the following morning. It would be a sad end to a terrific stay in Turkey, with a definite promise of returning to see more of the country.

Touring the Turkish Countryside

Cappadocia (meaning 'land of the beautiful horses) is the name given to an area frequented regularly by tourists due to it's collection of amazing 'fairy houses' and caves that are dotted all over the landscape.


We were relieved to arrive after a grueling twelve hour ride having been prevented from sleeping due to the regular stopping of the coach.


It was a spectacular entrance to Goreme as the bus wound down the hill, and as it was the morning, we watched the hot air balloons rising above the horizon with the sunrise in the background.


Having dropped our stuff at the Star Cave Hostel we then departed on our first tour. Over the following few hours we were shown various different sites in the area including the Uchisar Fortress, the Pasabaglari (Monk) Valley, the Derrent (Imagination) Valley and the Carusia Village to observe the unusual caves and fairy chimneys and hear about their history. We visited the Goreme Open Air Museum where we viewed churches that date back to the 7th century. The part I found most interesting was the fact that on the murals that lined the interior walls of the churches, all of the eyes of the Christian figures had been scratched out due to the hostility between the two religions.


The last few hours of the day were spent observing local men and women making pottery at the Aranos Handicraft Centre and tasting a few local wines produced in the region.


For dinner we sought out a warm spot to escape the freezing cold wind that had worsened as the evening wore on and the sun had long disappeared. Amazingly, we stumbled upon a place that was serving sausage rolls, meat pies and most shockingly, VEGEMITE on toast! This is in a village of about 200 permanent residents in the middle of Turkey! Curious as to how they sourced the Vegemite, we questioned the waiter who explained he has a friend that goes to Australia annually and brings him back five jars each time. I can only imagine it the restaurant would be a welcoming shock by many other Australian tourists passing through the village.


Pigeon Valley was the first stop on the tour the next day. We drove to a lookout with a panoramic view of the valley where we saw the creative little houses built into the caves for the pigeons. Unlike everywhere else in the world where pigeons are despised, they are held in high esteem by the locals of Cappadoccia. They were often used as messengers, their droppings make for a perfect fertiliser and they can also be eaten if food is scarce and the people desperate.


We then had a very beautiful walk along the bottom of the Ilhara Valley where we followed the winding river and observed the cliffs that stood on either side of the path. After 8km we arrived at a local restaurant serving some delicious vegetables and amazing Turkish bread (of which I could only imagine Tom's jealousy) for lunch.


After a quick visit to an old monastery in the afternoon we were then back on an overnight bus to Pamukkale.


Pamukkale defines the World Heritage site that contains the spectacular water travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals.


The very picturesque travertines are on the side of a mountain on the edge of the town. From a distance they can be mistaken for a snowy mountain due to their stark white colour. Overflowing with warm water these pools were once used for bathing, however sadly many have dried up and now there is a big effort to protect those that remain.


After wandering bare foot through the water to the top of the pools, we had a look through the ruins of the city that was once situated behind the travertines. Nina then spotted a little turtle which seemed rather out of place and that I endeavoured to save, only to have it wee on me.


We then went back to the hostel and had a delicious lunch made up of all different foods we had taken from the buffet breakfast. As the tour cost more than we had budgeted for Turkey, we made up for it by living on a mandarin and bread diet for the five days we were away.


That afternoon we had a beautiful drive through the country where we were able to observe the people going about their farming without the disturbance of tourists. We arrived that evening in Selcuk, the town closest to Ephesus where we would spend the following day exploring.


Ephesus is a 2300-year-old ancient city that was once Roman and was apparently visited by both Mary and St John. We had a little tour through the city and saw the very much intact remains of ancient buildings such as the library and ampitheatre which has since been used to host concerts of U2, Pavarotti and many other famous musicians.


After a few hours in the city we were then taken to a restaurant for a huge buffet lunch filled with different Turkish delicacies. As we had been living off next to nothing over the past few days, we definitely made the most of the fact that it was a buffet and second and third rounds were welcome!


We had a hilarious half hour after lunch where we were unexpectedly taken to a leather warehouse and forced to watch it's very own runway show. The whole group was taken to the gift shop, however after no one showed any signs of wanting to purchase anything, we were soon rushed out again.


We had a quick visit to the supposed 'House of Mary' where she apparently lived for part of her life and then got back in the bus and drove to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven (and one of two in Turkey) Ancient Wonders of the World.


Despite it being labelled a Temple, these days it is a rather sad site as it appears more like a rectangular piece of grass with a few big pieces of stone on it. There is one column that stands on the grass, however it is not an original and was reconstructed to be almost the height of those that once comprised those of the Temple. Almost all parts of the temple were stolen and taken to Istanbul to build the Aya Sofya and to the British Museum where they remain to this day.


The last stop for the day was at a local Turkish carpet factory. It was the most fascinating stop of the whole day as we were able to watch two women use incredible skill to weave the wool and silk into carpets. They continue to use ancient techniques that take them about 4 months to produce just one carpet.
The silk is extracted from the silkworms and the dead worms are then sold to major factories and used in the production of facial moisturisers.


We had a few hours to kill in Selcuk before we were to get on a bus back to Istanbul and so we visited a local fruit stall and stocked up on delicious fresh produce. This put an end to our five day tour and we were off to Istanbul to enjoy another three days in the city.

Istanbul

With a population of over 13 million people, Istanbul is by far Turkey's biggest city. Immediately upon arriving in Istanbul, Simone, Nina and I were overwhelmed at both the sheer size of the city and the masses of people within it.


After finding Simone at the airport we hailed a cab to take us to the hostel. We were then lucky enough to be introduced to the Turkish way of driving: the sort of ride that makes one hold on for dear life and even consider the possibility of making an escape out of the moving vehicle.


After checking in to our hostel which was located in the heart of Saltanahmet, we headed in to the cold evening in search of something to eat.
We came across a great place where we enjoyed some soup and a mezze platter with seats perfectly positioned by the fire. It was during this meal that I realised two things: Firstly, Turkey was a lot colder than the forecast had predicted and that I had subsequently expected, and also that the Turkish people were perhaps some of the friendliest I'd met on my entire journey across the world.


The following morning we were introduced to the typical Turkish breakfast consisting of a hard-boiled egg, tomato, cucumber, dried olives, feta cheese and bread. Initially I found the flavours a bit strong for so early in the day, however after leaving Turkey I found myself missing the strong salty taste of the olives and the uniqueness of the meal.


After breakfast we headed to one of Istanbul's most iconic destinations, the Grand Bazaar. It was an enormous complex filled with rows upon rows of stalls selling everything from leather goods to jewelry and carpets. For the entire duration of our visit to the market we were not only repetitively hassled about buying these things, but were also subject to many offers to become the girlfriends of the different shop owners.


As we were in Turkey we felt it necessary to taste some real Turkish delight, so we found a cute little cafe where we were greeted with 'Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi' and got a variety of sweets to share. Accompanied by a cup of apple tea, we had some delicious Turkish delicacies including some authentic baklava. On our way out of the shop the owner convinced us to go behind the counter and have photos taken with the staff, arming us with different kitchen utensils. Once the moment was captured on all three cameras we headed to the spice bazaar.




Spices, nuts, dried fruits, fresh tea varieties and Turkish sweets are displayed in every shop inside the Spice Bazaar. Upon entering one is met with an aroma of different spices and teas mixing together to create a strong scent that dominates the air.


Excited by the range of fresh teas available we each purchased a few varieties, I settled on some real Turkish apple tea, some 'love' tea, green tea and tea designed to boost the immune system. During the half hour we were inside we experienced a number of unusual incidents including a blackout, leaving the entire hall in total darkness, and further claims that we were a certain gentleman's wives.


For the afternoon we had a look inside the New and the Old Mosques, both located on the edge of the river and frequented daily by many Muslims. One thing I learnt (that I guess is not overly unusual considering it is a Muslim country) was that inside the Mosque women are separated from the men and are confined to smaller sections located in the back.


After a small dinner we made some final plans for our five-day trip which was to begin the following day and which was designed to explore some of the Turkish countryside.


Taksim is a district of Istanbul with it's famous 'Independence Avenue'. Considered to be the most European street in the whole city, it is a long stretch of the typical clothing chains and fast food restaurants. It was the smaller lanes off the main drag that were most fascinating...authentic Turkish restaurants and great little stalls selling pomegranate juice. Perhaps the reason this part of the city has developed into being more European is the fact that it is on the other side of the river that divides Istanbul and is much higher with great views of the city below.


We wandered down from Taksim through a great old part of the city with old record shops and men selling fresh tobacco in big bags. Crossing the bridge it was a great day to observe the hundreds of fisherman lined along the bridge, all seemingly lucky with securing a catch.




That afternoon we got on an overnight bus which would take us to Goreme, a very small village located in Cappadocia.

A Little Taste of the Spanish Countryside

My second week in Barcelona I would describe as being more touristy than the first, as we decided to visit the famous sites around the city.


After a nice first evening with Betta and the rest of the family, we woke up the following morning and took the train to the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's most famous building.


As we were forced to wait in the line for the good part of an hour, it gave us a good chance to admire all angles of the exterior of this unusual building. As Gaudi died before he was able to finish his masterpiece, even today construction is underway to finish the remainder of the structure.


The iconic design of this cathedral is also evident on the inside. The most fascinating parts of the internal structure are the staircases that stretch from the floor to the roof and have an incredible, uneven, spiral shape.


Over the following few days we also visited Park Guell, the monstrous park with great views over the whole of Barcelona, and The Fundacion Joan Miro, a great museum filled with hundreds of Miro's works from his early painting to his most recent works.


Having had a great few days being a tourist in Barcelona, we were again ready to explore another side of Spain. Hans proposed to us a fabulous idea to head to the Spanish coast for an overnight road trip in his little camper van, to which we excitedly accepted.


Early on Saturday morning we all jumped in the van and together the three of us drove to Figueres. After a few hours driving and an interesting encounter with a hitchhiker who spoke a language somewhere between French, Italian and Spanish, we arrived in the traditional Spanish town. After a coffee and boccadillo at a local cafe we went to the Salvador Dali museum. For a few hours we admired the unusual and, in some cases, rather strange works produced by this interesting man.


From Figueres we drove another hour or so to a little coastal town called Cadaques. From the top of the hill there was an unobstructed view of the town and it's iconic houses all painted white with fabulous blue doors... it gave me the feeling I was somewhere in The Greek Islands.


We had a brisk walk around the bay (as by this stage of the afternoon it was freezing) which was quite deserted due to the fact that summer had ended months ago and as a result it was only the locals who remained in the village. We had some tapas and a drink at one of the cafes nested on the edge of the town with spectacular views across the bay before we got back in the car and drove to L'Escala.


That evening we had a fantastic long walk from L'Escala to a few nearby seaside towns as the sun disappeared and Nina and Hans reminisced about their many holidays at this part of the Spanish coast. After Hans picked up some of 'Spain's best anchovies' from a little old lady in her shop in one of the back lanes, we headed back to L'Escala to have some dinner. On the way we observed kids making a bonfire and together we then shared a little bundle of roasted chestnuts that a local man was cooking on a fire on the beach.


When I felt like I was almost going to burst from the amount of food we'd had, we parked the van next to the fantastic Hotel Empuries and 'set up camp'.


It was a magical way to wake up the following morning... With a view of the sun rising over the ocean which was only about 20 steps away from the door of the van. Hans went for a swim and we then had a croissant and coffee on the balcony of the hotel.


Satisfied with breakfast we got back in the van and drove to the Far de San Sebastian... A beautiful old lighthouse positioned on the corner of a cliff with fantastic views of the entire coastline. Hans pointed out to us where he had been sailing only a week or so prior to that moment when he was undertaking his sailing course. We had our second coffee at the cafe that was part of an old hotel that sat on the top of the hill.


Having been invited to lunch by Hans' friend and his daughter, we bought some wine and biscuits but before arriving at their house had a quick stopover in La Fosca. Nina was very excited to see the beach where she had spent so many long summers and how it hadn't changed since.


We had a delicious lunch in the garden of Nani's house before we headed back to Barcelona as Hans needed to be back at the boat to continue working. Nina and I were also due back as we were leaving in two days and still had to pack our bags and organise everything.


We left Hans and it was a sad departure for the two of them as it would be at least eight months until they would meet again.


Later that night we met up with Simone and Bevan and went out for some drinks at a cosy little bar that was promoting '2 for 1' for girls all evening. After a few cocktails we then migrated to one of the clubs nearby and had a great few hours dancing before leaving to sit outside with the two boys we had befriended. At about 6am as the rain had decided to ruin the beautiful morning we went back to Betta's and subsequently to bed.


Monday morning was set aside for preparations for Turkey and organising my packages to send home, however after that we were free to enjoy the final few hours in the city. We met Simone and Riley at a local vegan joint where we ate a delicious vegan burger and shared some delightful cakes- one carrot, one pistachio and raspberry and the last chocolate and coffee.


Simone then took us on a shopping adventure as she was hunting down a coat so she could cope with the cold temperatures we were about to face in Turkey. Funnily enough we returned to the burger place for dinner where I had a delicious seitan burger.


As we were not tired, and since Nina and I had long ago decided to have an 'all- nighter' at least once on a trip, we felt that our final evening in Barcelona presented the perfect opportunity. As we had to leave for the airport at 5am and had got into bed at 7am the previous morning, it didn't seem like such a big deal. In fact the hours passed very quickly as we did much the same as the previous night, and as we said goodbye to Simone knowing we would meet up in Istanbul later that day we got the bus to the airport.


It was a strange feeling leaving Spain as it really felt like a big chunk of our trip had ended, however I couldn't wait to see what adventures we would now have in Turkey.

A Home Away From Home

There was a chilling wind blowing as we walked the half hour from the train station to our hostel in the Spanish coastal town of San Sebastian. I was overwhelmed with happiness as we neared closer to the town centre and was able to take in the strong, salty smell of the ocean. Despite the chill outside we were welcomed with immediate warmth when we arrived on the doorstep of Urban House, and both Nina and I took an instant liking to the place.

Initially we had thought that two days would be sufficient in San Sebastian for our much anticipated ocean swim and to explore the city, however each day we pushed back our departure date leaving only when our eurail pass was to expire. It wasn't only the place itself that seemed attractive, but also the coincidental appearance of Riley, who we knew from primary school, and Simone, who we recognized from our drama days together. 


Our first day in San Seb the clouds had clearly set in for the day and consequently the beach didn't seem overly appealing so instead we explored all four corners of the surrounding town. In the afternoon we had a peaceful few hours on the beach with our iPod and books. As Simone and Riley had already been in San Seb for two weeks, they knew the great places to go out in the evenings. Atari, an atmospheric little bar in the heart of the old town was where we we taken the first evening and, not surprisingly, each one after that. It didn't matter what time of the day or which day of the week, Atari was famous for being busy and maintaining a very traditional Basque feel.

We stood at the bar and had our first taste of the iconic Basque cider and pintxos (similar to tapas but generally with a bread base). It was also our first taste of the most amazing patatas bravas, which we then found out were only temporarily available as they are apparently very un-Basque. A truly devastating discovery for all of us.

From Atari we made our way to Zabibo, the local club similar to Atari in that it never ceases to have a crowd. After some drinks and dancing in the club we made our way home in the early evening and drifted into a deep sleep to the sound of Marcus playing his guitar.

The following few days we passed with similar movements... Simone, Riley, Nina, Bevan and whoever else we had befriended the night before made our way to the beach to lie in the sun and watch the surfers in the waves. We were often confronted by some fairly graphic scenes as the Spanish locals proudly strutted around the beach stark naked. Ryan, Pete, Kez and the rest of us then went to the edge of the pier to the sunset spot. It was a place frequented by all of the locals who discovered that it was the perfect place to watch the sun set over the ocean without the obstruction of the mountain.

After some communication via the old facey, I was shocked to discover that I was also staying in the same hostel as Bel, another good friend from home. I couldn't hold back the excitement to see another familiar face, and one whom I hadn't seen for almost a year. As she had arrived late the previous evening we made plans to meet for some dinner that night at Atari. We had an exciting few hours together where Nina and I heard all about their relaxing time on the coast of Portugal and we likewise shared our travels to date. As they were leaving the following day for the amazing coastal town of Biarritz, we said goodbye, however it would be not long before I would be meeting up again with Bel in the UK.

The next night we went on a pub crawl organized by Bevan and Kez (and therefore very low key), however as it was a Tuesday many of the pubs we visited were empty apart from the ten or so hostel guests.

Glad to mix up our nightly routine, the next night we took a taxi to the Cider House fifteen minutes from town where for €28 euros one can have a four course meal and unlimited cider. It was quite an interesting place with over twenty vats of different cider varieties, however to be honest I struggled to taste the difference between many of them. To finish the night, Marcus, Simone, Riley, Bevan, Eloise and I sat in the cute little park just below the hostel and made plans for Simone to join us on our trip to Turkey. The following day we were on the bus to Bilbao to check out the Guggenheim. An edifice of architectural wonder, it has an incredibly unique design as well as an impressive selection of art in the collection.  I was fascinated not so much by the temporary exhibitions on display at the Museum but by some of the permanent installations on the ground floor.

The hours passed quickly in the Guggenheim and as the afternoon continued we caught the tram into the old district to hunt down some food. We settled for a salad and some patatas bravas, and were predictably disappointed by the quality compared to those at Atari that melt in the mouth.

A brilliant plan was devised the next afternoon to embark on a pintxos crawl through the streets of San Sebastian. At 9pm we set out to out first destination, Bardi Berri. We were all smiling as we indulged in their house special, the mushroom risotto, however it was the cheese risotto that we sampled after that was the most tasteful.Our next stop was aesthetically a rather sad looking bar. However by this stage of our trip Nina and I had learnt not to judge a place by it's exterior, and not surprisingly it was in this rundown place that we had some exquisite garlic mushrooms and patatas bravas. 


Having overestimated the capacity of our stomachs, by this stage we were feeling rather full and so made a joint decision to head to Atari for some cider to aid with digestion and some more pintxos for anyone who still had an appetite. Christine, our new friend from America tried the beef cheek, a specialty of Atari that Nina and I had tried on our first night. 
The night ended much the same, everyone migrated to Zabibo before returning to the hostel.


Our second last day in San Sebastian was spent on the beach, and to treat ourselves further we had lunch out at a local vegan restaurant which Simone (being the vegan) had discovered. We arrived at 2:30pm to be told that they were booked out for the entire afternoon (well until 3:30 which was when the kitchen closed).Overcome with devastation we sat silently for a moment... After a minute or so we devised a great plan; to sit out on the front step in the hope that at some stage over the next hour or so a table would become available.

For the next hour we sat nervously waiting, analysing each group that entered or exited from the tiny cafe.

At 3:20 after each taking turns lingering in front of the door making sure we were seen by the waitresses we were finally given a table. The food was well worth the wait, I was treated to a delicious pumpkin and pistachio soup followed by an interesting vegan lasagna. Feeling rather full we then returned to the beach in Spanish style for a little siesta.That evening a big group of Danish hitchhikers arrived. After meeting them we learnt that they had just finished a hitchhiking race from their home (in Denmark) to San Sebastian, an incredible 1500km.We were both feeling rather glum in the morning as our fate was sealed and we had to leave, however we did enjoy a beautiful swim in the rough ocean and a few hours of sunbaking as a farewell. We also took the funicular up to the top of the hill for a great view of the two iconic bays and the wider ocean. For the lucky people who can afford it, there is a hotel that sits on the highest point of the mountain on the edge of a childrens theme park that must have some pretty special views.From the train window I watched the sun set over the Basque country of which we had so quickly warmed to, all the while accepting I'd have to return on my next trip to Spain.

Twenty Four Hours in Torino

We could not help but let out a huge sigh of relief when we stepped off the train in Torino after a disastrous train ride from Budapest.

Every hour for the entire length of the journey we were shaken awake by different border security guards and customs officials who scrutinized our passports and interrogated us with questions.

On the other hand I was glad as the train did not travel directly to Torino and we had to change trains in Venice, allowing me to have a quick glimpse of floating city and have a wander through the all too familiar streets beside the Grand Canal, and to five Nina a quick five minute tour.

Moments after arriving at the station we were met by Martina whom I had come to visit. We accompanied her to the familiar apartment where I enjoyed a lovely reunion with the rest of the Pistis'... Matteo, Rosella, Stefano, Nonna and the other relatives.

That evening Nina was able to finally experience the beautiful Italian cooking which I had spoken about so often. Rosella prepared a delicious range of dishes including salads, vegetables and a number of meats and cheeses.

The following day we slept into the late hours of the morning due to the lack of sleep the previous night. After organising our train to Barcelona we shared lunch with the family and then had a little outing to pick up Martina from school and have a delicious gelato.

Unfortunately my stay in Torino was short lived due to restrictive train timetables. However it was enough time to catch up with the latest happenings of the family and to share my travel experiences which they were very interested to know about. 

Later that evening we were farewelled with another gourmet dinner followed by some pastries from a local patisserie. We made our way to the station and I said goodbye to Martina, both promising each other to meet again somewhere in the near future.

Barcelona

Barcelona is a very 'happening' and energy-filled city. It professes a very cool and welcoming atmosphere, but at the same time has an interesting grunge feel to it.

I loved my first week in Barcelona as I was able to live as more of a local rather than a tourist with Nina, Maria and Hans, ex-residents of the city. 


For months Nina had been talking about the 'musts' in Barcelona, however for this first week we took things rather slowly and enjoyed exploring El Born, the groovy little area in which her apartment is situated. On Sunday morning the sun was shining and we headed down to the Port for a stroll alongside the ocean. Nina was having a great time recalling memories of when she once roller-skated along the area as we watched hundreds of others do the same, making the most of the flat surface. We then wandered through Barcelonetta, a grunge area just next to the sea where the streets are tiny, graffiti is sprayed like wallpaper on every garage door and above the road hangs the washing.

After the two weeks on the Mediterranean with deserted beaches and clean water, the sight of the beach in Barcelona was horrible. As it is shaped like a bay, the water doesn't circulate with the wider ocean and is dirty and littered with rubbish, as well as being filled with masses of people. I remember Nina telling me that she had only swum once in the beach in the seven years she lived in the city as they preferred to go elsewhere in Summer to avoid the tourists.

After watching a set of French fighter jets perform tricks over the bay we made our way to a little restaurant nearby where we enjoyed a nice Sunday lunch. The late afternoon had already approached and so we headed back to Nina's great little apartment in the heart of El Born in typical Spanish style for a little siesta. That evening after farewelling Hans who was returning to the boat, I could not contain my excitement as Nina and I went to meet Maddy who was coming to stay for a few nights. It was an emotional reunion as we hadn't seen each other for eight months. Back at the apartment Maria prepared a delicious carrot soup and some salad and for the remainder of the evening we sat on the great little balcony and shared our stories of our travelling so far. 


The next morning Maddy and I went for a stroll through the city, continuing to catch up on the past six months of travel. I listened as she told me about her great few months in London, her many couch-surfing adventures and most recently of her hilarious time on the chestnut farm in the French countryside. At 2pm that same day we went to Accademia, a delicious Spanish restaurant in Barcelona that is a favourite of Maria's. Mum had been taken to the restaurant with Maria and had enjoyed it so much that she generously offered to shout us all a lunch. We had a delicious meal of cauliflower with a white sauce as an entree, and for the main course lamb with a pear and mushroom sauce. 


Over a nice glass of red wine we heard the history of Maria's family in the small square outside the restaurant, all the while soaking up the great Spanish feel of the place. That evening after a nice meal again prepared by Maria, Nina Maddy and I went out for a cocktail in an old Spanish bar just off La Rambla. We woke early the next morning and headed to the Picasso Museum, hoping to beat the crowds. Maddy and I had a great look through the gallery for a few hours. My favorite work was a fantastic etching of a typical Spanish couple looking very serious. The detail was incredible and the expressions of the man and woman were captured perfectly. It was a sad farewell as we saw Maddy off that evening, however knowing we had lasted eight months apart meant we could easily last three. She was almost at the end of her travels and was excited to get home and start her new life in Sydney, where I am excited to join her in a few months time. 


The following day we had a nice mother-daughter shopping outing as we tried to hunt down some winter woolies for Maria who was heading to Switzerland for a few months. We were without success in that department, however we did hunt down some other bargains as Nina bought some nice clothes and a gorgeous pair of Spanish shoes. We almost had a heart attack when we realised it was 4:30pm and we hadn't eaten anything except for some fruit in the morning, however lunch at 5pm would not seem unusual to Spaniards. A few hours later Maria was off to a friend's dinner and so Nina and I went to Kasparo, the Spanish tapas bar which has been in the Triado family for many years. We had a huge jug of Sangria to share as well as some delicious tapas. Nina reminisced on the many memories she had of herself as a little girl running into the bar kitchen in the afternoons demanding food and being treated like the little blonde princess 'm sure she was!

We left Barcelona the following day and boarded the train to San Sebastian. As we rode away from the city I was already looking forward to the next time I would be back in Barcelona in a few weeks time.