We arrived yesterday morning and even though we are only 30 hours into our trip it has already been quite the adventure! Our adventure began in Rome at 9pm Thursday night when we left our apartment for our 6am Friday flight! Our path: Trastevere Station, Termini Station...airport? Once we got to Termini we were trying to find a bus that would take us to the airport that was 45 min. away for only €4.50. But we didn´t know where the ticket stand was for the bus company and there were no helpful signs. So we broke down and took a taxi for €35.
We finally got to the aiport at midnight and we already knew that we would be sleeping in the airport. However we went to the doors to find this sign "Doors closed from 12am to 4:30am" Ya...so we slept outside under a portico because of the rain. I actually ran into a girl that I knew from one of my classes at AUR and she joined us as well. 30 min later another group of guys joined, Daniel and Jorge...they were cousins from Mexico and know perfect English. So we all hung out like bums outside the airport doors thinking that we were completely locked out. But of course, around 3am Daniel went to try to find a restroom and discovered doors on the other side of the building that were open! He came running back to us to tell us! So we all moved indoors to find around 30 other people already in there! Ha- go figure! So I at least got 3 intervals of 30-45 min of sleep throughout the night...oh my!
So we checked in at 4:30 and everything went fairly smoothly. Our flight was fine and Jorge was going to Barcelona as well so he sat with us. He was also a big help once we landed, since he is fluent in Spanish, so we all found the bus that we needed from the airport to the center of the city!
I don´t have much time to go into too much detail but we:
- Found our hostel: Mediterranian Youth Hostel
- Got a meal at an indoor market at a bar that served us 'diner' style
- Walked around in search of Gaudi´s architecture! We saw Casa Mila and La Pedrera!
- Tried to figure out the Metro system...ended up in the outskirts of Barcelona! Ha!
- Finally got back into the center and took a pit stop at a Tex-Mex taco pit...yummm!
- Tried to get ´back on track´and we headed towards Place Espayna for the Magic Fountain Show at 7pm
- Halloween! We treated ourselves to half a kilo of chocolate covered peanuts and a yummy pastry thing!
- After getting our treats we went back to Espayna and climbed hundreds of steps to watch the show
- It was a really awesome fountain with colored lights and they had the water coordinated to classical music :) It lasted for about an hour, so Sarah and I enjoyed our rainy Halloween under an umbrella eating chocolate looking out over the entire city of Barclona, watching a fountain show...not bad!
We did quite a lot during our first 12 hours in the city despite our complete lack of sleep! It was sort of a gross rainy day so we got back to our hostel last night soaked and tired! Pj´s and sleep! ya!
We are now heading out for the morning and I am sure another exciting day!
2 comments:
Wow Kristin - Dad says that you are crazy! I said you are adventerous and crazy!
I'm praying for you - I know it was the hand of God protecting you and bringing Jorge long to help you translate when you got off the plane - too bad he was not able to tag along for the rest of your trip in Barcelona - than you may not have gotten so lost. Enjoy PARIS!! I hope when you go up the tower that the view is clear. Dad and I went up at night - so we only got to see the lights around and the lights on the Seine river. Here is a clip of what you would see if you were to take a boat trip down the Seine and from the top of the Eiffel if it is not a clear day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i68YNciNRvQ
I now that you will make sure that you see the Arc de Triomphe - and the large ferris wheel - can't miss that.
I checked the weather for the next few days in the places that you'll be going - looks like temps of low to mid 50's with light rain here and there.
Hope your cold doesn't get worse.
Love Mom
Sounds like quite an adventure so far. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. Be sure to update me when you get to Paris. :)
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