While staying in Barcelona, we took a day trip to hike Montserrat, a mountain north of Barcelona. For many visitors, this trip is a pilgrimage to the monastery that sits atop the mountain, but we were solely going for the hike and the vistas.
The train to Montserrat was so crowded that we were standing during the entire one-hour ride. To reach the trailhead, we walked through a narrow residential street lined by balconied apartments. In front of us was a couple walking their dog, and that set off "alarms". Meaning, every dog living on that street rushed to their balcony and barked at the intruder below. It was actually really funny, and we could still hear the “alarm system” even after reaching the trailhead.
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Dale had a one-week break in his teaching schedule so we decided to visit Madrid. We rode the Renfe high-speed train, traveling between Barcelona and Madrid in less than 3 hours, enjoying free wifi and a silent car. (As a side note, we really wish US cities would offer more rail transport. Fewer cars, less traffic, less stress--life without the expense and pain of owning a car has been maravillosa!) We took a taxi from the train station to our Aloft hotel on Gran Via, in the heart of the city.
Even knowing that Madrid is the largest (capital) city in Spain, we were still surprised to see the streets absolutely packed with people and traffic. Unbeknownst to us, we had arrived on a weekend that encompassed Halloween, the All Saints Holiday, and a festival of lights, so the crowds were intense. The Covid-wary introvert in Darcie was no feliz.
Antoni Gaudi was a famous architect whose works appear throughout Barcelona. His style is very modern and we think, whimsical. Two of his projects, La Sagrada Familia, a church, and Casa Batllo (once a residence) were close to our hotel. We also visited Parc Guell, a park designed by Gaudi in the early 1900's.
We headed to Barcelona for the remainder of our Europe stay. We had visited Barcelona years ago, but only for a few days, and loved the vibe: great weather; friendly people; big, walkable city, and beach access. On this trip, Dale taught his on-line classes from the hotel room while Darcie attended immersion Spanish classes within walking distance of the hotel.
Polite guests should never tease their hosts. And yet, we couldn't resist sharing sightings that made us laugh...
As we neared the end of our stay in London, we still had a long list of landmarks to visit, not the least of which was Big Ben. Unfortunately, he was undergoing a facelift. Or rather, body work, since the clock face was the only visible part not under restoration. Because it was nearby, we visited the London Eye, the Ferris wheel with supposedly amazing views of the city. Tickets were sold out the day of our visit, so we settled for a picture of just the ride itself.
One day, whilst Dale taught class, Darcie walked to the Tate Modern, a gallery of modern art. She was excited to learn about Andy Warhol, Matisse, Picasso as well as lesser known artists. However, there were also exhibits that reminded her why modern art is considered pretentious.
We toured the iconic Tower Bridge which is still in operation as a drawbridge today. London is an incredibly walkable city, so we made a day of it, meandering along the Thames and visiting several other landmarks.
Today we walked to the National Gallery (https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk). Like many of the museums in London, entrance is free. Neither of us is religious nor an art connoisseur, so we sped through about two-thirds of the exhibition. We did recognize and admire some works by Rembrandt; Manet, Monet and other impressionists; Da Vinci and Van Gogh.
We took a train ride to Exmouth, on the southwest coast of England (at the mouth of the River Exe), to visit Darcie’s side of the family. Exmouth is a charming coastal town offering water sports, walking and biking paths, and a small downtown shopping area. Besides a fun opportunity to connect with family, we tried some local food. |
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