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Where better to start the blog of my holiday than in the middle and Valencia. I’m starting here because I have some time to kill. The next available train to Madrid is still 2 hours away and we’ve been sat here for 2 already. It would be cruel to say Valencia has been a let down, we’ve not seen much of the sit but there’s been nothing that’s jumped out at us to see. The majority of our time here we’ve spent with a bottle of vino tinto in Plaza de la Reina, described accurately in the Lonely Planet guide as ’souless’. Though this shouldn’t take anything away from the lovely little cafe which supplied us with the red wine and the look on the waitresses face when we came back on the second day.
So why this negativity towards Spain’s 3rd city? Possibly because of the time spent in it’s second and the trip south since.
The trip started in Girona, a small town north of Barcelona and refuge following our flight. The only hotel booked before getting on a plane was that in Girona. Chosen for price not location, the long walk into town and required bus ride back was testament to this. In hindsight perhaps a hotel close to town would have been a better idea but…
Girona is a lovely little town and well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in this part of the world but this blog isn’t the lonely planet guide so I won’t bore you with talk of it’s history and Cathedral.
The following morning we headed for Barcelona, those that laughed at the plan to travel around spain on the train would have loved to see me stand for the hour it took to get to the city but it was easy enough and got us where we wanted to be on time.
Toony had picked out a hostel, hotel prices were slightly off putting, so all we had to do was get there and hope we could get a twin room. We got there but not before first discovering that it doesn’t take very long before a 12 kilo backpack becomes heavy. If you’re ever in Barcelona check out where you’re going and the easiest way on the Metro to get there, Barcelona-Sants station is a fair way from the city’s heart.
With the trek completed came the bad news, no double rooms. They did have a 4 though and at the moment it was empty. With the choice between take the room or walk on, there was no choice to make and we made ourselves at home. Actually we stuck the bags in the lockers and headed into town.
First port of call had to be La Rambla, we’d lost count of the number of people who had told us to watch out for pick-pockets in this popular area of the city. This is something that confused me, Is it just me who is always wary of such things? Even when walking around Leeds I don’t flash my wallet about encouraging the enterprising thiefs amongst us. As it turned out my belongings were safe, of course they were I look after them. And the walk down La Rambla was a pleasant one. The aim was to get to Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia eventually and hopefully by the time the sun went down.