Day 1/Thur.- Getting there
My flight was supposed to take off at like 5:30 p.m. and I was supposed to arrive in Barcelona Airport by like 7:15 p.m. I planned to take public transportation to my hotel, which ended up being about 1 hour away from the Barcelona city center (that's what happens when I buy an airplane ticket and book a hotel room through the "bundle" package thru cheaptickets.com and forget to google map the hotel, anyways...). So, getting to the hotel I knew would take a while and I was prepared for that. BUT I was not prepared for Swiss Air to act a fool! This is what happens:
We board the plan and sit there for about 15 minutes then the captain comes on and is like, "well folks I hear a strange noise from the cockpit so I've called a technician and he is on the phone with me right now to double check everything." The captain says this is German. This is a flight to Spain. Switzerland also has four official languages. So, that means I get to hear the same announcements three times: German, Spanish, and English (the flight attendant asked if anyone wanted a French translation, no hands went up). Okay, fine...we don't want to hear any "strange noises" before we fly. Then, we're cleared to leave the gate and taxi (is that the right spelling?) to the runway. But the troubleshooting takes so long that now there's too much air traffic in the air. And we have to wait 20 minutes before we can take off. Okay, fine, we don't want to get in an accident with a landing plane while we're taking off. BUT then, the captain comes on again and he's like, "well, we've waited so long to take off that now we have run out of enough gas to get us all the way to Barcelona."
WTF!?
"so we will have to go back to the gate and wait for more gas to arrive." Okay, we don't want to run out of gas while we're 30,000 miles over France! So we get back to the gate and the gas man comes and fuels the plane, meanwhile a real technician came out to the plane and looked over the plan (not just over the phone). And the captain and flight attendant comes back!: "Well, we have decided that this plan is not good enough to fly to Barcelona so we are going to de-board the plane. The next flight to Barcelona will leave at around 10:30 p.m." Remember, first this announcement comes from the captain who's speaking in German, so all the German speakers let out this horrible sound like, "You've gotta be kidding me!" But I don't know what the hell the captain just said so I have to a wait for the flight attendant to translate, but all the other people are pissed and making noises and I CAN'T HEAR THE TRANSLATION!!! (Shut up people!!!) Mind you, it's now 7:30 p.m. we should have been in Barcelona by this time! The flight attendants are "nice." They pass out Swiss Air chocolates and some dry butt sandwiches with fake smiles.
We de-board the plane and we are supposed to get meal vouchers. This part is completely unorganized. There are no clear lines so people start crowding around the desk wanting their voucher. One lady at the desk with an equally rude attitude as the customer says, "You don't have to wait here for your voucher! The next plane isn't until 10:30 p.m. you can go for a walk and then come back after it has cleared some." In my head I'm like, "Oh hell no...I'm gettin' my voucher now!" So, I wait in line for about 15 minutes for my voucher and then sit right across from the gate so I can call the hotel and tell them that I'll be checking in very late and not to give my room away (although, I realized midway through the call that I didn't have to do that [just wasted my cell phone minutes] because it's a HOTEL not a hostel. When I went to Paris the hostel had given our beds away because we were late. Anyways...)
I end my call and then I look at my voucher, 20 stupid Swiss Franks...I can get like a cube of sugar with this voucher (over exaggerating but still not enough to pay for the pain and agony I went through by sitting on a plane that never left the ground!). And the sad part is is that I'm not even hungry and don't want to use the voucher. I look it over and try to find the fine print, anything that might say something about "expires in 5 hours" or something like that. I don't find anything, but I have trust issues, so I go back to the desk and I ask, "Does this voucher have an expiration date?"
The lady obviously doesn't know but still says, "Well you need to use it today."
I say, "Ya, but there's no expiration date on here...there's nothing that says it expires."
Then she gets a little annoyed cuz, frankly I'd be getting annoyed too. In my mind I'd say: "B!tch why are you asking me about some expiration date on a stupid voucher...go get a drink and leave me alone!"
So, I explain to her that I just don't want to use it now. Meanwhile a male attendant is walking by and she says something to him in German and they go back an forth and I'm like, "Um...my voucher? Hello!?" And then she asks me, "Do you have checked luggage?"
"No, what does that have to do with my voucher?"
"Please go with him, he will help you."
He says, "Yes! Yes! Please come with me but we must go quickly...we must run!"
In my mind, "Boy bye! I'm on vacation. I don't do running through the airport!" So I briskly walk behind him to the next gate where there are a lot of people lined up and I look up at the board and what do I read!?: "BARCELONA, now boarding!!!" The man hands me a new boarding pass and tells me to get in line (it's not even close to 10:30 p.m. more like 8:30 p.m.!) I'm like, okay great! but still my primary question is even more important because now I really have no time to use my voucher!!! And so I ask him again, "This is good, thank you! But does the voucher expire?" He says, "Well yes, you only have like five minutes to use it because this is your plane. I will just take it for you now."
"Oh no, thank you! It doesn't say anything about expiring so I'll hold on to it, thank you!!" And then I board my plane to Barcelona.
I'm very happy that I decided to wait for my voucher and then go back to see about its expiration date because if I hadn't then I wouldn't have gotten on an earlier flight to Barcelona. I only saw like 5 other people from my original flight that were able to make my same flight. I think other people got their voucher and left the gate area and thus missed their opportunity to get the earlier flight. Not me! Everything happens for a reason and I'm happy for that!
I finally land in Barcelona and honestly I don't know what time it is. I just get off the plane and get a taxi and that's when I'm so happy I speak Spanish! I speak to the taxi helper people and then to the taxi driver and first ask him how much it would cost for me to get to my hotel (not like I had any other choice but to take the taxi), and then we're off! and I'm happy! I'm in Barcelona...by myself...on my way to my own hotel room...that I booked myself! For me, myself, and I!
When I get to my room I do what I did when I was in 8th grade and first arrived in Paris with my friend: I jumped on the bed!
Day 2/Fri.- Chocolate!
I woke up when my body woke me up which was about 8:30 a.m. (I thought I was on vacation, but I guess my body was really excited to be in Barcelona too). I got ready and went down to the front desk to the ask the very important question: "How do I get to Barcelona? The tourist office?" The front desk dude gave me sh!t directions. He was like "Line 3, Line 3! Bus!" He took out a map and wrote "L-3" on it and then that was it. So, I walked out the hotel and asked some cab drivers where the bus stop was. I found the bus stop but there was no schedule for Line 3. I asked a woman with a baby carriage and she gave me much better directions (in Spanish!). I had to take the tram to the metro (Line 3) and then get off at the main square, Catalunya.
If you go to Barcelona get the Barcelona Card! It was very nice and convenient and for me worth the money (and you know I don't like to spend money!) I got my Card from the Tourist Office and then sat at Cafe Zurich (not my intention while in Barcelona but I had to eat something and figure out what I was going to do with my life while in Barcelona). I went through my Barcelona card tourist booklet and turned down pages of places I wanted to go: the Chocolate Museum, the Erotica Museum, the Picasso Museum, other museums, some nice restaurants, etc.
Of course the first place I went to was the Chocolate Museum because it was free with my Barcelona card and I like chocolate! It was an okay museum. The cool thing about it was that the ticket was a bar of chocolate! Oh so clever museum people!
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| How they ground chocolate beans back in the day. |
After that museum I decided to walk around a little bit more...I had no real plan I just was walking and taking the metro and I ended up at the beach! I wasn't dressed for the beach but I still got my feet wet and had a drink (mojito for 5 euros!). It was then that I discovered the true fun you can have people watching, especially at a beach. OMG, it was so much fun with just me, my mojito, my feet up on the chair, and 100s of people walking, biking, rollerblading, and skate boarding by. I saw so many people, so many couples (happy and unhappy [in my opinion]) good kids, bad kids, cute kids, everyone! I really had to stop myself from LOLing at my own thoughts about the people I was seeing! It was fun!
I had made a reservation for 9 p.m. for dinner and a live Flamenco show with a 15% discount with my Barcelona Card. Here are pictures of the show! Absolutely wonderful and worth every penny!
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| The two men, singer and guitarist, were great! |
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| This woman was killing it! |
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| She got the FAN! |
After the show I went back to my hotel and went to sleep one happy Barcelona tourist (by myself!)!!!
Day 3/Sat.- Now, Boats I Do DO!
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| View of Barcelona Port from the boat. |
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| Random picture of the architecture |
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| Mediterranean Sea! |
After the beautiful and relaxing boat trip I went to one the most crowded beaches I've ever been to in my life! I mean Barceloneta beach was PACKED!!! But I didn't mind too much as long as I could hear the waves and shield my eyes from the 1/2 naked women. I mean everywhere I looked I saw breasts...I don't think I will ever get used to this "European aspect." I just think some things should be left for the bedroom. Nevertheless, the beach was wonderful and calming and just want I needed. I sat under an umbrella (for 5 euros, a rip off I think) the entire day and just read using my Kindle.
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| Hot man! He was doing some great flips! |
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| Drums! |
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| 1, 2, 3!!! Can I take you home with me!? |
But my ankle was starting to hurt me so I decided to find a bathroom and then a place where I could sit and relax. After the restroom I was walking down some side street when someone called out, "Excuse me! Miss!?" and I turned around.. there really weren't that many other people on the street. I turned and saw another black woman with a TWA walking towards me. I said, "Um, are you talking to me?"
Apparently, she had noticed me at the African Festival earlier in the day and thought to herself, "That girl must be here alone." We both laughed and shared in the fact that we were both two young black women, traveling alone in Barcelona and loving it! Come to find out she is from London and had been to Barcelona a lot of times (because she loves it). She gave me a couple of pointers on where to stay next time I come and which neighborhoods to check out. She was very nice and I am very happy to have met her. Maybe I'll run into her again next summer!
After meeting her I went walking through a wonderful, cool, small, cramped neighborhood of Barcelona called Bari Gothic (Gothic Neighborhood). The streets are soooo narrow and small, but there are some really cool stores and restaurants along the way. I found a cute little restaurant/bar called "Vinda." I stayed there for like 3 hours, sipping a mojito, resting my ankle, having some okay quesadillas and a strawberry daiquiri. Ask me how much everything was!!!! 19 euros! I had TWO full drinks and a meal for under 20 euros! Can you believe it!?
After dinner and drinks, I went back to the African Festival to listen to some good live music. It was a great day!
Day 4/Sun.-Can't Forget the Sex Museum!
On my last full day in Barcelona, I took it very easy (like all the other days). I got up this time at around 10:30 and just took my time getting to the center. I woke up and almost forgot that I had wanted to go to the Erotica Museum! How could I!? So, that was stop #1. I paid 7 euros (used my Barcelona Card discount) to basically see sex throughout history and, honestly, nothing has changed. The positions suggested in Kama Sutra were the same ones found on ancient Greek pottery were the same ones on Japanese porcelain. Still it was nice.
After that museum I was on the hunt for some good seafood. Again, using my Barcelona Card for a good discount I was able to get a salad, pot fulla muscles and a margharita all for 23 Euros!!! I went shopping in the mall and bought some nice work clothes on sale. I managed to buy only two bags on this trip! I'm very proud of myself!
Next, I thought I should do something more touristy so I went to go see the Familia Sagrada. Which, not I can see why it's such an attraction. It really is nice and awesome. After that I was still full from my muscle lunch but knew that I should find something to munch on because it was getting late.
I meant to go back to Drassanes and find another little restaurant in Bari Gothic but ended up going the wrong way on the Metro and ended up getting off at Diagonal. I was so tired and my ankle was starting to act up so I just got off and started walking and looking for something. I found a nice little restaurant and bought just one tuna fish empanada tapa and a strawberry mojito. I people-watched some more and this time saw cute families walking down the street. Of course, in love couples and some other ones who looked like they were just putting up with each other. Then I was really feigning for some chocolate. I found this cafe called "Jamaica" and I believe they're a chain cafe, kinda like Starbucks, because I saw them again at the Barcelona Airport. Anyways...they had the BEST SWISS CHOCOLATE AND CREAM DRINK EVER!!! I almost died when the waiter brought it to me. It was soooo good! I was smiling to myself, I was shimmying in my seat! I was doing the happy dance and I didn't care who saw me! That ish was good!
Day 5/Mon.-Zug Bound
I made sure to wake up at a reasonable time because I had to catch my 2 p.m. flight back to Zurich. I didn't know how long it would take me to get the airport using public transport so I needed to give myself enough time. I rather be waiting for the plane than have the plane wait for me. I made it safe and sound to Zug and was welcomed with open paws by Teacake!
Overall, I loved my time in Barcelona and will be returning in the future.
I'm very happy and proud of myself because this was my first trip of traveling alone. I found my way around, I did things I wanted to do, I ate and drank by myself and not once did I feel lonely. I really, really enjoyed every moment. I'll do the same thing on Monday when I go to Paris. However, it won't be a pleasure trip. I'm going to write my novel that I will publish.
All of my pictures can be found here (in my facebook photo album).
I'm also trying to upload videos of the Flamenco Dancer...I think you'll have to check fb for that too!
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