Moving to Berlin

I went to Berlin to visit a friend and things just started happening and now I'm moving there. I've already got a great room lined up for only 200 per month in Prenzlauer Berg with two filmmakers... I really cannot wait to try something new.

Girona, Aug 2007

I spent this past weekend in Girona with friends and had a fabulous time as always. We went to the Rostisseria Can Padrés in Pals and ordered 1/4 roasted chickens with fried potatoes for 4,90 euros each. It was incredible. We got there about 14.15 on Saturday and we got the last seat on the patio. I've heard stories of people waiting more than 1 hour... then afterward with huge guts we went to walk around Begur, a stunning location. The rostisseria hasn't got coffee so plan your lunch wisely ;) Sunday we went to L'Estany de Banyoles for lunch. It is a lake filled from underground reservoirs from volcanic origins. It is incredible as well but they only let you swim in 1-2 areas that are strictly controlled.

Summer storm

It's fantastic! It has been raining for a number of hours already and is still going strong. With thunder and lightening. It can rain for another 30 mins before I need to go to work... :)

Un pis de 2 habitacions

Doncs això, aniré ara per veure un pis de 2 habitacions per Les Corts a Barcelona per 900 euros al mes. M'ha dit una amiga que una amiga seva té un pis per lloguer i està molt bo

Happy May day

So, today we've got dark clouds and lots of beautiful big rain drops. I woke up with rhinitis and have taken and inhaler to reduce swelling in my nasal passages but I still feel shitty. I wouldn't doubt a bit of a hangover... ;) Well, let's see what we can dig up for lunch! Tonight we've definitely got Don Bratwurst planned, of course, phoning in advance to see if open!!!! ;)

Whew! I'll have to take it easy the rest of this month as I've already spent my quota in the four days of this fabulously, greatly needed bank holiday weekend. I really pushed it this weekend and lived way outside my financial restraints but thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Yesterday, a bit of a tourist

I relaxed most of the day and after lunch I decided to go have a look around the upper part of Barcelona. I told one of my flatmates (the German, because there are more! A Barcelonian, a Tarragonian and a Colombian) about the idea and he agreed to accompany me. Because of Diane, I took my camera as well. I wanted to see where Line 7 of the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya www.fgc.cat/ So we walked a few streets up to Provença station and caught line 7 to the end, Avinguda de Tibidabo. As you are reaching street level you see a bit of fabulous, albeit deteriorated, building which is the Sant no sé que Hospital... I took out my camera, switched it on and clicked but nothing happened... I had forgotten the card, in fact I still need to look for it as I've got no idea where it could be... Well, there's really nothing there but streets leading up and down, the German needed cigarettes so we went to the Tabaco shop and decided not to follow the group of tourists that just passed by us... So we walked to the side to Bonanova and started our decent. It soon turned in to Carrer de Muntaner which is super posh and we looked for a bar where we could sit and have a beer. Nothing. We saw a number of super posh bakeries that looked worth having a look at but we both resisted. We carried on. As we got lower and lower I suggested that we should move over to a side street as Muntaner wasn't doing anything for quenching our thirst. It wasn't hot yesterday but sunny and nice. So we came across Carrer de Santaló. We started descending and came across a number of bars. We passed about 3 as they just weren't what we were looking for. Then we came across a place that seemed like it was the locals as the prices were much more reasonable and just felt right. I was also looking for something to snack on as it was time, 19:30h The bar filled up with super fashionable people all taking their afternoon delights... I forgot to mention that the German suggested we look for Don Bratwurst (a famous sausage joint, German, of course). So, we did a Google search and got the address, Passeig de Fabra i Puig, 374. I said to myself well, that's the other side of the city but neither of us has got plans and it's a holiday!!! so let's go. So back to the fashionable bar... I ordered a caña and an ensaladilla Rusa. The waiter came back and said there wasn't any salad left... and listed a number of things I just wasn't interested in. So I asked to see the menu. I decided on patatas bravas, as you do... :) They came and I, immediately, knew I was in for a treat, they weren't typical patatas bravas. The potatoes were cooked to perfection and only came with a huge serving of all i oli (Catalan mayo, literally, garlic and oil) and at the first try, spicy!!! Normally, patatas bravas comes with a spicy tomato sauce but in Catalunya they add mayo as well. So, these came only with all i oli (deluxe) and then we saw the oil at the bottom of the dish mixed with pimentón picante (spicy paprika)... needless to say, a fabulous bravas experience! We then left and started walking in the general direction of Don Bratwurst... Already with at 2 beers each in us, we were ready to go... We started heading down Carrer de Diagonal and I realized we had no idea at what point of Fabra i Puig we needed. We arrived at Verdaguer station and I suggested we take the metro as we had no idea where we needed to go. We caught line 5 to Sagrera and changed to line 1 to Fabra i Puig station. We immediately saw on arrival and looking at the map of the area in the station that we were still a little far away from it! So we started walking, and walking, and walking. We started climbing the hill in front of us and had a mini-tour of Sant Andreu area of Barna. Not really but just what we saw on the street on the way to the super German. By this time it was already 21:30h or later and still had not arrived at our destination. We finally found the place, in the middle of nowhere, and they were shut!!! We both had to pee and had no idea what to do, so we went to the bar opposite and ordered more beers and peed. Super cheap beer! 2 bottles were 2,40 euros! So, we discussed our options and the German said, we should go to Balthezar. They had always had good food and typically open when no one else was... We hopped on the metro at Vilapicina on line 5 to Hospital Clinic. Walked over 4 streets and got a table. We noticed the prices had increased quite a lot but ordered anyway, at this point it was already past 23:00h and had to just eat. The food was horrible! We had both been there numerous times before and were very disappointed this time. The waiter was very apologetic but didn't help. I suggested we go to I Sapori d'Italia for dessert (pizzería where the pastry chef's got a certificate from Cordon Bleu). They wouldn't let us in, so we thought, German bar and had Franziskaners (about 3 each) and then on the way home had a Paulaner an English bar on Carrer d'Enric Granados. I don't have the details of the last two bars. That was my afternoon yesterday, without photos but nice!

Cerveseria Catalana

Hoy, por fin, he conseguido una plaza en la Cerveseria Catalana a la barra. Fui temprano -porque siempre está a tope- ya que ya estuve fuera de casa comprando un poco de ropa, o sea, mucha ropa!!!! :D Llegué sobre la 13:30h pedí mesa y me dijo que tendría que esperar media hora y justo después alguien se levantó de su silla y la cogí!!! Qué bien! Pues, comí muy muy bien hoy y después he ido al cine para ver "Adiós Bafana". Es muy fuerte pero muy buena también.