20 December 2007
I think I get to know Barcelona when it hold the 1992 Olympic Games. It’s a legend city in my mind. I like reading the guide book on the train. I take naps when I am tired. Also I like using the toilet on the train. I bought the ticket from the office and asked them the time and the platform for the train. This is good for tourist, because staff there always can speak English and can offer you the most correct information. As I have been taking the wrong train in England, I always double check the train with different people. It might be fun to end up in another city, but I have never tried yet. It took one hour from Girona to Barcelona. I found it’s difficult to move around at Saint Station. The staff suggested me taking the metro to the hotel, but I didn’t dare to trust myself to change the line twice with the luggage. It didn’t look far from here. I went out of the station and found the GPS signal. It showed 10 minutes drive. I pop into a taxi and tried to take the easy way. It seemed that my GPS didn’t work well. It showed totally different direction to me in the taxi. Nevertheless, I safely got to the hotel for 10 euro. The hotel didn’t find my booking and I had to pay the full price to check in. It’s a bit surprise but I can talk to the manager tomorrow to sort it out.
I took the bus tour later in Barcelona to get a general idea about the city. There are three lines – red, blue and green offered by the open bus tour. It’s a convenient way to discover the city – the landmarks and attractions. I didn’t get off the bus for the red line and blue line first and get a general idea about which attractions I am interested in. Then I took the red line again and get off at the Park Guell and Tramvia Blau – Tibidabo.
The Park Guell is a sucessful Gaudi’s work into nature – his main source of inspiration. It is named after Gaudi’s great patron, Count Eusebi Guell. Guell donated the park to the Municipal Council in 1923 and since then its has belonged to the municipality and been a unique public park enjoying a prime location. In Tramvia Blau, I climbed a bit and went to see the science museum CosmoCaixa, one of the most modern of its kind in Europe. Its innovative range of scientific and educational attractions includes a Planetarium and a Flooded Forest. Simply fascinating.
Tourist information – 938 853 834; www.barcelonaturisme.cat
