Awesome week in Barcelona

Frumusetea, si mai ales valoarea culturala a acestui oras sunt inestimabile. Cu toate acestea,  saptamana petrecuta in bijuteria Cataloniei nu a fost doar despre istorie si arta, ci si despre distractie, shopping si momente frumoase. Le veti descoperi cu cat intrati mai mult in povestea acestei calatorii.

[EN] The beauty and especially the culture of this city are priceless. However, the week in this jewel of Catalonia was not just about history and art, but also about entertainment, shopping and beautiful moments. You will discover as you enter more in the story of this journey.

Sagrada Familia

Am pornit intr-o zi de ianurie, inceput de saptamana, la Aeroportul Henri Coanda. In toata Romania se anuntasera ger si temperaturi ce ingrozeau toti locuitorii. Era ora patru dimineata, iar eu aveam doar un palton, mai degraba de toamna, pe mine, pregatita sa ajung intr-un loc cu mult mai cald. Am avut parte de un zbor mai lung, deoarece am facut escala in Munchen, unde am petrecut doua ore in aeroport. In aceste doua ore m-am plimbat prin magazine, uitandu-ma mai mult la preturi decat la produsele in sine:)). Pe la ora pranzului, am aterizat si am dat de ploaie, multa umezeala si 10 grade Celsius, fata de -15 grade C in Bucuresti. Calatorind cu tatal meu si colegii sai de munca, am ajuns la hotel cu mai multe masini. Acesta se afla in cartierul Lesseps, de unde puteai ajunge oriunde cu metroul. Pot sa admit ca nicioadata nu m-am simtit mai bine intr-un mijloc de transport decat in metroul din Barcelona. Desi de nu stiu cate ori mai scump decat cel din capitala, o saptamana calatorind in stilul acesta m-a ajutat sa invat orasul (so next trip nu o sa am probleme;)). Cand am ajuns la metrou, am dat de un automat de bilete de unde se puteau opta diferite preturi pentru numarul de calatorii, insa pe tot sejurul am ales sa dam 10 euro pentru 10 calatorii. Dupa cazare, am pornit in gasca la o plimbare, in faza initiala dupa un restaurant( caci foamea era mare). Dupa ce am mancat bine (zic eu), am explorat cateva strazi din cartier, Barcelona fiind un oras imens dupa parerea mea. Localizat intre mare si munte, multe cartiere se afla la o altitudine mai inalta fata de nivelulul marii, astfel ca se pot gasi multe scari rulante care sa ajute turistii si localnicii sa ajunga in alte parti ale orasului.

[EN]I started the week in January at Henri Coanda Airport. Throughout Romania the authorities announced frost and temperatures that  terrified residents. It was four in the morning, and I was only wearing a coat, ready to go somewhere a lot warmer. I had a longer flight, because I did stop in Munich, where I spent two hours at the airport. In these two hours I walked around the stores, looking more at the prices than at the product itself :)). At lunchtime, I landed and it was raining heavily, but much warmer than in Bucharest (10 degrees Celsius compared to -15 degrees Celsius in Bucharest). Traveling with my father and his work colleagues, we arrived at the hotel with several cars.The hotel lies in the district of Lesseps, where you could get anywhere by subway(in fact, that's why we booked this hotel). I can admit that I have never really felt better in a means of transport than the Barcelona Metro. And a week traveling this way helped me to learn more about the city (so next trip Iwill not have problems;)). You can pay your ticket at a ticket automat(as we did) where you could choose different prices for the number of trips, but we chose to give 10 euros for 10 trips all the journey. A few minutes after the arrival, we started walking in the initial phase after a restaurant (because hunger was big). After we ate well (I say), I explored several streets in the neighborhood, and my first impression was that Barcelona is a huge city. Located between sea and mountains, many neighborhoods are at a higher altitude above the sea level so people can find many escalators to help tourists and locals reach other parts of the city.

Ziua de marti pot spune ca a fost cu mult mai plina. Dupa un mic dejun consistent, am pornit cu cateva colege de ale tatalui meu( cu care ma inteleg foarte bine) prin cartierul nostru ca o plimbare de dimineata, inainte sa luam la pas si cele mai importante locuri sau obiective turistice. Chiar am si descoperit un magazin de unde mi-am luat cercei (mereu iau cercei ca suveniruri, exceptand magnetii si vederile)

[EN]On Tuesday I can say it was much busier. After a breakfast for soul, we started a walk (me and some colleagues of my father-with whom I get along very well) in our neighborhood in the morning before we visit the city by foot and the most important places and tourist attractions. I found a store where I got a pair of earrings (earrings are always some kind of souvenir to me, except magnets and views)

Dupa o plimbare revigoranta cu fetele, am luat metroul pana la baza dealului Montjuic, de unde am urcat cu funicularul pana la castelul cu acelasi nume pentru a-l vizita. Desi am prins un inceput de calatorie ploios, nu am ezitat sa nu pozez panorama ce o aveam in fata ochilor nostri.

[EN]After a refreshing walk with the girls, we took the subway to the base of Montjuic, where we got the funicular to the castle with the same name in order to visit. Although the beginning of our journey was rainy, I did not hesitate to pose the landscape that we had before our eyes.

Poza in funicular | Pic taken in the funicular

 Langa acest castel in fruntea dealului, se afla portul naval, iar acesta este frumos de observat aproape de intrarea in castel.

[EN] Near the castle hill is the naval harbour, and it is nice to wonder next tp the entrance of the castle.

Aceasta vizita a durat destul incat sa ni se faca foame, astfel ca am coborat de unde am plecat si am pornit cu metroul pana la statia La Barceloneta, unde prin apropiere se afla portul de iahturi, cel olimpic si frumoasa plaja a orasului. Am oprit la un restaurant cu specific spaniol si aproape toti ne-am comandat faimoasa paella, fiecare alegandu-si un fel diferit. Eu am comandat paella vegetariana( va voi arata ulterior cum se serveste acest fel de mancare). Dupa o masa copioasa si un vin bun, spaniol:)) , am luat-o spre acvariu care este localizat in capatul portului de iahturi, astfel ca am putut admira fel de fel de vaporase, iahturi si barci electrice.

[EN]The visit lasted long enough to make us hungry, so we went down and we reached by subway the station La Barceloneta, where nearby is the yacht harbor, the Olympic one and the beautiful beach of the city. We stopped at a Spanish restaurant and we ordered almost all famous kinds of paella. I ordered the vegetarian paella (I will show you later how this dish is served). After a good meal and delicious Spanish white wine, we made it to the aquarium which is located at the end of the yacht harbour so that we could admire all kinds of boats, yachts and power boats.

Acvariul, un punct turistic important al orasului | The Aquarium, one of the most important tourist attraction in Barcelona

Seara, dupa doua ore petrecute alaturi de pesti, am ajuns in cartierul nostru, Lesseps, cu o pofta de alune si vin. Ne-am oprit la un magazin, am luat cele necesare si am mai petrecut putin in gasca pana cand somnul a ajuns la toata lumea. Dimineata, dupa un somn bun, am planificat sa vizitam celebra Sagrada Familia pana la ora pranzului, cand toti trebuiau sa ajunga la treaba( in afara de mine). Cu metroul am coborat la statia cu acelasi nume si am ramas uimiti inca de la inceput de arhitectura si atitudinea impunatoare a acestei catedrale. Desi lucrarile au inceput in anul 1882, nici in ziua de astazi nu a ajuns sa fie terminate, astfel ca macaralele erau vizibile. Totusi, acestea nu luau nici macar putin din farmecul creat de valoarea cea mai mare a lui Antoni Gaudi, renumitul arhitect ce i-a oferit Barcelonei un aer unic in lume.

[EN] In the evening, after two hours spent with fish, we arrived in our neighborhood Lesseps, with a craving for nuts and wine. We stopped at a store,  took the necessary and spent some time together until sleep came to everyone. In the morning after a good sleep, we planned to visit the famous Sagrada Familia until lunch time when everyone had to get to work (except me). We reached the right subway station and I was amazed from the beginning of the architecture and the imposing attitude of this cathedral. Although construction began in 1882, nor today this is completed so cranes were visible everywhere we looked. However, they did not take even a bit of the charm created by the statement of Antoni Gaudi, the famous architect who gave Barcelona a unique air in the world.

Se putea vedea statia de metrou

(The subway station behind me)

In interiorul Sagradei Familia | Sagrada Familia's interior

  

Dupa ce am vizitat, ne-am oprit sa cumparam magneti si vederi, insa pe tata l-a atras un selfie stick, pe care chiar l-a luat. Am coborat la metrou si am luat-o spre centrul orasului. Am calatorit pana la statia de metrou Passeig de Gracia, de unde ne-am plimbat pe bulevardul cu acelasi nume si am ajuns in piata Catalunya. Din Catalunya incepe strada numita La Rambla, care este un fel de Lipscani in Bucuresti, plina de magazine, terase si tot ce vrei si ce nu vrei. Am avut timp de o cafea si un fresh pana cand a trebuit sa ajungem in locul unde aveam treaba.

[EN]After visiting Sagrada Familia, we stopped to buy magnets and postcards, but my dad came across with somenselfie sticks and he bought one. I went down to the subway station and took it to the city center. We stopped at tPasseig de Gracia metro station, where we walked the avenue with the same name and went to Plaza Catalunya. From Catalunya square starts a street called La Rambla, which is a kind of Lipscani in Bucharest, full of shops, terraces and everything you want and do not want. We had time for a coffee and an orange fresh.

Casa Battlo pe bulevardul Passeig de Gracia, in stil art Nouveau, construita de Antoni Gaudi | Battlo house on Passeig de Gracia, an Art Nouveau building by Antoni Gaudi

Pe La Rambla | On La Rambla

I-am insotit pe tata si pe colegii lui intr-o zona periferica, unde au avut o vizita de studiu, iar apoi am cautat o terasa unde sa mancam. Am comandat salata, iar meniul avea o forma interesanta

[EN] I accompanied my father and his colleagues in a peripheral area, where they had a study visit, and after work we looked for a terrace where to eat. I ordered salad and the menu had an interesting shape

Dupa ce ne-am odihnit putin, am pornit cu metroul catre Ministerul Muncii din Catalonia( pentru ca tata lucreaza pentru Ministerul Muncii din Romania), insa eu si sora unei colege, foarte tanara de altfel, am intrat in mall-ul din apropiere. Am prins reduceri de necrezut la ZARA si Mango, care sunt firme spaniole, am probat, ne-am distrat si ne-am sfatuit reciproc. Am ajuns sa imi iau o bluza, pe care si acum o indragesc, cu 6 euro si o pereche de blugi cu 13 euro. Cand ceilalti si-au terminat vizita si au auzit de reducerile masive, nu au ezitat sa dea o raita prin mall sa le vada cu ochii lor si chiar sa cumpere. Desi epuizata, i-am ajutat si pe ei sa isi gaseasca cate ceva. Pot sa admit ca am un tata cool care isi cumpara destule. Chiar si-a luat mai multe decat mine:))). Seara am cazut rupti, incercand sa ne gandim cu ce sa ne umplem ziua urmatoare. Am sa inchei prima postare, dar am sa continui cu un alt articol cat de curand pentru a povesti si restul excursiei. Celelalte zile abia asteapta sa fie bagate in seama:))

[EN]After we rested a little bit, I entered the mall nearby. I got unbelievable discounts at Zara and Mango, which are Spanish companies, I tested and had fun. I got to spend for a blouse 6 euros and 13 euros for jeans.  That evening we fell broken and were trying to think how to fill up the next days. I am going to finish this first post, but I will continue with another article soon to show you the rest of the trip. Kisses and see you soon!!