Barcelona eats kid!

So I'm in Barcelona I walked everywhere. Of course after buying 3 day transit card. This is what I do.

Lots of photos. Below is a selection. 

In the evening we went to a restaurant. And of course there was a slight misunderstanding. I think you only get to chose the kid if you speak Spanish. Must be a lots of lefties around in Barca.

In the evening I eventually managed to meet up with my former couchsurfer Anna. She took me to a huge waterfall show they do at night. That was cool.

Valencia. It's not all about Oranges

Valencia has been a fantastic stop. What a life the residents here have. The beach area is massive and great. Even without waves.

 
The history is amazing.

And the food. I love it here. Tonight we found a music staged production with the historical centre as the backdrop. Just after having the customary paella at a small restaurant.

Keep your mouth closed at La Tomatina

So the 2014 running of the tomatoes is over. And a big squish it was in many ways.

Having not organised more than our tickets to the event we drove the 45 minutes to the outer edge of the town. Left Valencia at 8:15am as opposed to the tour bus groups at 5:30 through to 8:30am. After all no prizes for being late. 

From there we needed to hike to the other end to the ticket exchange. All good if the signage had of led us on the correct fork of the road... Whoops probably a 10 minute delay following the wrong sheep herd.

Anyway we got the tickets with an hour to spare. So we had time for a 10am beer. As you do when at festivals. At 10:30am I managed to convince the group we had to get inside the gated area where all the throwers were entering, and had been doing so for some time. Anyway we must of been like number 8000 of the 10000 as we didn't get to the point where we could see the ham drop. But still much fun to be had shouting 'water' to the balconies above who would dump laundry tubs of water on the crowd.

Then we here a bang and cheer down the street. The random tossing of a solitary 6 pack of tomatoes began. Someone must if snuck them in! Anyway we're all just a bit disappointed when finally a truck appears in the street. It seems their biggest issue issue pushing the crowd into the walls. Finally we get a smattering if tomatoes from the residents on the truck. Enough to get a taste for throwing. But barely a shard of tomato on the shirt. 

By the 2nd and 3rd truck it was clear we weren't quite in the thick of it. But we did get to experience a mighty crush when after the 4th truck some people down the road wanted out. Whereas our herd wanted in. Eventually we did find more tomatoes. Many already thrown half stomped varieties. Actually I found them with my feet as I stepped off a kerb into a 10cm deep tomato soup. Ah, ther goes the shoes I thought. Alas my plans to destroy some sandals had changed the day before when the ticket indicated no flip flops or sandals.

Then there was another bang. All done. Tomatoes down! I said tomatoes down! Awe heck, if you can still find one throw it was the new rule. Time to turn back. Out of the mayhem to truly see the carnage. Red spilt everywhere.

I had lost the group in the crush and made my way back after a bit. Many had returned to the bar to find a small hose on a dancefloor. That wasn't gonna cut it. Need more hoses here!

On the 20 minute walk back to the car there were many residents making the most of their one day a year. And also the seldom few offering the hose down service. Back at the car I ditched the shirt and socks. Managed to scrub down the shoes enough to thrown into the bag (in a bag).

The afternoon was spent at the beach washing off the remaining tomatoes. And the shoes of course. Tomatina done.

Preparations for La Tomatina are set

We have arrived into Valencia yesterday afternoon. Found there is a reason the festival tomorrow is not called the "Running of the Tomatoes". It's too f'king hot. Oh my, nothing like a balmy 40 degrees to cleanse the body of any liquid.

Of course first stop was the beach. Luckily we didn't arrive until after 3pm. Otherwise it would have been sun dried tomato for me today.

Last night we ventured out for some Tapas. And finished with a nice liquor. 

A hobby for driving to Spain

So I've noticed we're driving a long way to the town of Girona from Grenoble.

We just had a picnic lunch in Beziers. Very pretty.

Anyway now that we're back on the road I've noticed there are a few ladies on the side of the road waiting for their friends. Kinda weird time and place to be wearing their cocktail dresses in the afternoon. Just in random points too. Must all be going to the same party. And we can't offer a lift. Oh dear how will they get there... Sorry ladies Spain calls. Tomatoes to be thrown.

But now instead of playing a game of "I spy", I'm counting...

Less than 24 hours in Kuala Lumpur

This time around I had very little choice in terms of good flights to and from Lyon. So I got creative. Went with a Malaysian Airlines combination as it got me as close as I could to Lyon, and then allowed a London departure after. The connection home is awesome. 

The connection there is 17hrs no matter where in Europe you were planning. An instant cancel for many... But I thought of it as an unofficial Kuala Lumpur stopover. 

Worth it for the ability to get away from the airport. Booked a cheap hotel for few hours shower, nap, dinner, and then train back. And not an airport hotel stop. I walked around KL. Only failure, KL doesn't open up until 10am. I got into KL centre at 7am. Next time I'd search better for a "day rate" hotel. My hotel only allowed early check in at 12 noon.

You say Tomato... I say food fight! It's on... the next Trip is La Tomatina

I am going to my friend's wedding in September in London. I wanted to do something memorable for the trip.

So I've decided to go to La Tomatina.

Oh Yeah!

 http://latomatina.info/

This is going to be Awesome.

They filled the moat at Hampton Court just for my visit!

Sometimes people have something they do out of habit. For me it's visiting friends overseas.

So this trip I visited London again. So I visited my friend Daz, again. That's how it goes when I travel. If I visit Europe. I visit Daz. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Daz knows me. Knows what I like. So it's not hard for him to insert a plan in place for my visit. Usually a day trip of some sort. Nothing fancy. A bit of history, and a bit of food.

So this time around in London I arrived by the Eurostar. Might I just say what a pleasant trip that was. I left the comforts of waffles in Brugge just after lunch, and was in London for dinner. Even with a train strike crippling London.

 I cannot sing the praises of this method to London enough. By Eurostar you avoid the struggle to get to an airport. Airports are never in a city centre. Eurostar was in the Main Station. And you can check in 1/2 hour before boarding time. I probably saved 2 hours by train, and it cost less too. Might I just add that Eurostar includes your journey from any station on the day in Belguim if traveling from Brussels. So it even saves you a few dollars.

Once in London it was a great stay with Daz and Anna. Just one full day to myself in the centre of London in which I visited Shakespeare's Globe. And then a day of Hampton Court and visiting a long lost friend for dinner.

Of note we really did underestimate the time it takes to complete Hampton Court. Alas the headphones in Hampton court didn't help. You have to hear the whole spiel of every section. It's not so easy to skip a room or description.

We lasted as long as we could before we realised we had to make the maze before it rained. Luckily by the time I completed the maze it only started to rain. Alas it didn't save us though. The gale destroyed the umbrellas we held leaving us with a sprint to the pub.

Hmm more waffles....

A couple of years ago I visited Brugge for 1 night. It was a mistake to only visit 1 night. You can only eat so much chocolate in 1 night. Brugge had too much history, and was too pretty not to return. The fact that it has good waffles, chocolate, and beer only sped up the priority of the return.

So this time around I ate, and drank all I could in the allotted time. Even if lately I have resolved to treat my body better with healthier options more often. This was the less often days of my trip. Gluttony was in control and all hell broke loose.

Was Bonn...

During this trip I took the opportunity to schedule in a visit to Bonn.

In part because it was a return invite from a former couchsurfer. And well it just fitted in better to train from Strasbourg on my way towards Brugge to London.
 
It had been talked up as a potential visit city also because I had already been to Cologne. I'm always after somewhere new.

Bonn itself was good for the day visit. I really didn't realise before visiting it's importance in the life of Beethoven. But by the time I left I understood how he means everything to Bonn Tourism.

However the highlight for me was actually staying with my former couchsurfer and her family. I did learn how little German I have picked up over the time of my course, and how easily second language knowledge disappears when you don't have any practice. But still I found the experience enjoyable. Incidently this wasn't their place. It's just a historical building from their village. Yes the photo worked out perfectly.

Of note I also found a school near the university. It seems legitimate. Didn't meet any of the students.

Heidelberg has a history.

I did have an adventure getting to Heidelberg. But that wasn't why I was there. Heidelberg has a lot going for it when you're a tourist.

It perfectly situated. The river is a magnificent backdrop to photograph.

A Schloss. Or well castle to us basic tourist not understanding the difference.

And a story to tie it all in. In this case Perkeo. The drunk Italian who helped keep the alcohol flowing. What's not to like about a guy who was involved in the world's biggest wine Barrel. Perkeo apparently means "why not". His standard answer to would you like another drink?

I caught up with another former Couchsurfer in Heidelberg who was able to give me a walking tour of the city.

It was cold in Heidelberg. But what do you expect in January. I didn't mind. Walking kept me warm.

There's an the Old Alternative way to arrive in Heidelberg

Okay I admit it. I got a bit lost on arrival at Heidelberg. I had made the booking of a hostel months before departure after discovering there wasn't much in the way of affordable hotels in Heidelberg. Heck I even checked the Airbnb listings and for some reason people thought they were hotels.

What I was saying was I didn't really do a head check for the hostel location. I would normal make sure it was central to the train station but on arrival the phone GPS was telling me I had to walk 1.5km from the train station to the hostel to 50 Eppelheimer Strasse. A decent walk when you've got a 20kg backpack on.

So I walked. And I walked. And I walked. Yes it seemed a bit shalt we say industrial / commercial by the time I made it to the number 48. And there it was Bauhaus... a giant German version of Bunnings.... Definitely no Hostel.

And I walked past it.... number 60 something... hmmm problem.

So about then I pull out the phone and activate the emergency data plan. Data on an international SIM isn't cheap in Europe I had previously found. So I had reserved it for this type of situation. I find the hostel online and look at the booking address. 50 Alte Eppelheimer Strasse.

Damn it. I had just thought it was a reference to "old". The fact was these were 2 totally different streets. And it meant a return to near the train station. Do over! Another 1.5km walk back to square one.

Stupid Apple maps I blame you.

Not that the hostel even then was easy to find. The normal end of the street started at 48. But skipped 50. To find the hostel you needed to really read instructions. Look to the big carpark, before number 50, and see the big building in the carpark. There on the 3 floor would be the hostel. People have you ever heard of street signage! Get with it.

I had earned the beer that evening.

Too busy with Patisseries for Charcoulterie

My time in Strasbourg with side trip to Colmar was quite the walking festival. Every day I would be walking more and more in the wrong direction.

The improvement of GPS tracking via maps lets me know when I have been walking the wrong way. However what I have found is that this feature requires one to look at the phone more frequently. If you don't then maps can't fix stupid. I also tend to just keep going longer than before this functionality. So mistakes are bigger.

Arrival into Strasbourg was attacked with an immediate canal tour around the old town. Alas it was not until 4:15pm I completed the tour. By the end I felt like a ice cube. Strasbourg was definitely cooler once the sun disappeared.

Later that evening marked the opposite dinner for me. I caught up with a couch surfer I hosted in Brisbane. It's always good to meet others on the other side of the world. This dinner also ticked the box in my having a traditional Alsace meal.

The next day I spent taking a day trip out to Colmar. Highly recommended for the historical appeal.

Lyon must mean - must like stairs

So how did I recover from the previous day's stair climb in Grenoble. With another stair climb in Lyon.

This one I think was more insane. More walking to the start of the climb was involved. What is it with the French and putting things at the top of steep hills?

I also have heard that Bouchon is the dish of the region. Did my study before actually getting a meal. Learnt I wouldn't stomach it. I just struggled with the thought of what it consists. I settled for more crepes.

The Bastille of Grenoble. Never taken over for a reason

One of the major historical facts I've learnt on this trip has been the story that "The Bastille" has never been taken over by invading forces. Of course the main threat came from the Italians I'm told.

Well the is a reason for that. It's so far up a steep hill anyone would have just gone "screw that I'll go skiing instead".

OMG how many stairs and switchbacks there were. Alas visiting in winter also meant no restaurant after making it to the top. Only an empty coke machine which still takes donations, and will continue to do so until the summer.

And I did this walk on my first non skiing day. No rest for the weary. But for the patisserie after.