Euro Travel & More

Shopping in Barcelona was never a disappointment.  After the first trip to Barcelona for work – I understand why my boss’s wife was always so well dressed.  The quality and selection – has gotta be one of the best – you can buy almost anything in Barcelona – from acne scar cream to fashionable clothings or jewelry and if you so prefer food like I did – specialty food was also awesome.

Besides all the big brand names like Gucci and Channel – one can also check out Passeig de Gracia  – a shopping areas with a mixed of high end or affordable brands.  There you can find the lastest fashion of Europe and maybe get a replica jewelry worn by Sophie Loran – whom I’ve heard shopped here too.  Lots of cafes and restaurants to eat and drink when you are tired from shopping.

Besides Louis Vuitton, don’t forget to shop at David Valls and Adolfo Dominguez or bring home some jams and biscuits from Caelum.  Going to visit a friend?  don’t forget to get some flowers at Las Ramblas.

Before making my first trip to Barcelona – Spain – my boss had told me how many wonderful buildings and statues there were all over Barcelona.  But he failed to tell me how awesome the architectural part of Barcelona was.  When I arrived in Barcelona – my mouth was wide opened and I was in awe – when I saw the many beautiful buildings.  There is no words to describe how magnificent and detailed these building were and one such building was Casa Mila  – also known as the Le Pedrera.

A bit dreaming – a bit like in fairy tales – that we so often read about.  Designed by Catalan architect – Antoni Gaudi – this building was completed in 1912 – located at 92 Passeig de Gracia.  Inside the Casa Mila – houses apartments.

The courtyard of Casa Mila – beautifully restored after being abandoned for many years.  By the 1980s – the building was in such bad shape – but after the restoration – it was said that even the colors were revived.

The balcony area of each apartment of Casa Mila – kinda make you feel like some movie star or some elite model will open its window and show her face eh – so that we can gawk at them – hahah!

Magnificent artwork – that must have taken a lot of patience to paint on the ceiling.

More artwork up on the walls going into the ceiling – and more on Casa Mila in my next post. Stay tuned.

Famous cured ham that my ex-boss, Mr Tsingos  loved so much..!  I remember one year, he even got his wife to fly it with her..when she visited him in Asia.  That was too funny..!!! if she was stopped by custom.  Traveling to the heart of the city .. every time i am in Barcelona to visit Barcelona’s most famous out door market is now a routine . .and a must do for me.  For those who knows me, you will know that i lived for these outdoor market. La Boqueria is an awesome place to be in . .even if you do not love food. So vibrant . .and so colorful..!

Awesome fruits of all kinds.. and one can find the usual produce, seafood and candied in color.  Like most open market, this one has cured hams for you to try and snack on while you are checking out the market. Lots of local fruits too. .as you can see here.

Seafood anyone..??  Prices are great too..!  i didn’t buy any.. because I was staying in a hotel and we didn’t have a kitchenette in the hotel.  But a co-worker of mine did get some .. for BBQing the next day. and it was the best BBQ i have had in Barcelona.

All sorts of chillies as you can see here.. ! so yes.. food can get spicy. .a wee bit like mexican food if you asked me.

For those who are not aware of this or those who live in the tropics and have never experienced winter, like me when I lived in Singapore, then I should highlight that I now live in the West and winter is about 6 months long.  Many a times I have been asked by friends, customers and relatives about the all inclusive vacation. What it includes and how can one find some discount holidays since most of us here bring the entire family to warmer places during our coldest month in the Winter.

The folks from the UK are darn lucky because of the many cheap holidays they can find departing from UK.  That is why overseas students in UK would definitely plan to tour Europe at least once before going home.  Many of these places includes Spain (my favorite since I ended up working in Madrid/Barcelona), Greece (where my ex-boss was from), Cyprus (the third largest Mediterranean Island), Turkey (more than just Turkish delights and of course the Canaries (very much Greek & Roman influence). One can find not only results online but the ever popular all inclusive holidays.

So you ask “What’s the benefit of going for an all inclusive holiday?”  First of all, an all inclusive holiday usually means airfare, accommodation and the main 3 meals are included in the package.  With breakfast, lunch and dinner provided for, you now only need spending money for gifts and the little extras.  Did I mention that drinks are also included? Yes, drinks, which to many is the best part of the vacation.  Whether it is juice for the kids, cocktails for yourself and beer for the spouse, it’s there for you for free.  Finding cheap holidays is a must, especially when you are bringing the entire family along.  If you have teens who are still growing you will understand why I recommend it since they do eat non-stop.  So besides the relaxation time spent on wonderful beaches, the sun and the sea and some sightseeing, it’s actually also a great time for bonding, for bringing back that love.   If you chose Cuba then don’t forget to check out their vintage cars, they are all over the streets.

Landing at Madrid International Airport (Barajas) for the first time with my ex-boss – Mr Hernandez, was definitely a thrill for me.  It was a humid summer that year and visiting the Madrid office and then the Barcelona factory was part of our business plans.  But the Spaniards are the most friendly people that I’ve met, they are not only polite but the older Spaniards and co-workers are so eager to show you their culture and their neighbourhood.

Madrid has a very special place in my heart and what better way to show me the real Madrid than to bring me to a Bullfight, right?  If you are thinking of getting in to see a bullfight make sure you book  your tickets early! The Spaniards love their bullfights even though they say they don’t care too much about it.  Plaza del Toro is where the bullfights in Madrid are held.

Madrid is full of statues everywhere so it was not surprising to see some outside of Plaza Del Toro.

See how packed it was.

The bullfight that I saw in Madrid wasn’t as intense as the ones I saw in Mexico.  The bull had won that time.  But seeing a bullfight was just one of the many highlights of my trip to Madrid, there was more that I did.  There is plenty to see, plenty to eat and the  Hotels Madrid Norte were the ones we chose every time we visited our head office in Madrid but if we also use the Hotels in Lisbon. Worldwide hotel bookings were easy for making reservations and the rates given were competitive as well.  You can always check your booking online and you can search for hotels according to your budget/price range or if you have a special need, they can help too.

With this outfit .. i am sure .. you can guess where we are right now eh. You will be surprised that alot of men wears this during special occasions in Scotland. Do they wear anything underneath.. is usually the question we joke about all the time. Yup.!! we were pretty lame.. at that time..!! well i was only like 20 yrs old..when i was in Scotland for school.

This is the City of Aberdeen, Scotland is a shopping paradise. Known with names like The Flower of Scotland and Granite City, it is a vibrant city .. and very modernized. With modernization, they also have their historical side in this old town. Aberdeen is known for having one of Scotland’s striking skylines. It is known as a Granite City because the building sparkles after a rainfall. Many excellent restaurants are found here in Aberdeen.

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, seating about 2400 people .. this place hold many cultural, folk, pop and many other concerts. The world’s largest winter music festival is held here. If you ever travel to this area, don’t forget to make a date with the events going on here. It is pretty magical sitting inside the concert hall. And no .. i’m not the arty farty type.

Buchanan Street is just where the Royal Concert Hall is.. a few mins walk actually, you can’t missed it. Surrounded by shops.. and shops.. and the Bank of Scotland can be found here as well. This is usually where we end up spending hours.. going from store to store.

I love Valencia, Spain, blessed with great weather.. it is Spain’s 3rd largest city. Overlooking the gulf of Valencia and right smack in the middle of Madrid and Barcelona. If you are traveling to Valencia via Barcelona, Catalan capital is a must stop. Each city certainly had a different appeal to me, it was so fun and ppl were really nice. Visit Valencia for its Institute of Modern Art and Barcelona for its Gaudi Museum.

Ceramic Museum, Valencia

One of Valencia’s most popular attraction is the baroque Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas. The exterior is amazingly sculpted, a definitely work of art and a genius. And the inside was simply breath-taking. Ranking as one of the best museums in the country, the Museo de Bellas Artes you must visit to for it houses the work of artists such as El Greco, Goya and Velázquez.

Main Door to Ceramic Museum

Gibralfaro Castle

Malaga, Spain was the place that my ex-boss and his wife.. had planned to retire in. They had bought a small little house to spend their summer holidays in .. at first.. but decided that they want to retire there. I was of course invited to their gracious home.. which was so beautifully furnished.. and Malaga was beautiful.. and magnificent sights.

Malaga, is located in the southern part of Spain, on Costa del Sol, it is surrounded by the Mediterranean sea. Malaga is a city .. mixed with tradition and modernity. It is a very beautiful and vibrant city and I see alot of older couples retiring there.  Plenty of things that one can do such as the lovely beaches, museums, theatres, cathedral and they have loads of different kinda restaurants for someone who love food as much as I do.

If you love the sun and the sea and lots of history, Malaga is a great choice for holiday with the family or even alone.  My experience in Malaga was quite blanketed.. because of my boss’s hospitality and his protectiveness. But i will always treasure this memories.. and if i had a chance to go again.. i would have to see it differently.

Bullring of Malagueta

Not one who likes bullfights.. but if you are in Rome.. you do what the Roman does right..?? so yes.. away we went for a bullfight… since it is the bull culture in Malaga. The bullfights are only on Sundays. Even if you donch wanna go for the fights.. the building was definitely impressive, i was in awe.

You know, I actually saw the El Retiro Monument in a picture before i went to Madrid’s Retiro Park. You see .. my then boss was from Spain.. and i remember him too clearly showing me .. all the monuments he had taken with his new camera before arriving in Singapore for his new post as Managing Director.  This magnificent monument was built in the 18th century and survived the war… that was what my ex-boss told me.  I only came to realize that the Retiro Park holds more than just the El Retiro monuments, there were several others .. that i didn’t recognized at all.  The monuments were said to supposedly bring joy to the royalties many years ago. Spending a few hours in the park isn’t unusual for alot of ppl. You can see many ppl jogging in the park, skate and bike riding. You wouldn’t believe it.. but there are plenty of vendors with handmade jeweleries and you can even get your chinese massages there, I kid you not. I was told that the park wasn’t safe after dark .. almost like the Central Park in New York city.

The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is a football stadium in Madrid .. and it is HUGE..! Although I am not a fan of football.. i went with my ex-bosses just because . .and i must say.. it was an awesome experience.

Barcelona’s version of the Arc de Triomf

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful places that I’ve been to and the most beautiful people that I’ve come across in my travel to Europe. I think I am very fascinated with the warmth of the people and their friendliness.. and extended hospitality when I was there. It is one of the most dynamic and stylish cities in the world.  I am forever grateful to my Managing Director in Barcelona (factory) who not only showed us around.. but extended his home to our disposal in the country.

Summer time is where most ppl in Spain are on holiday.. and the tourists are not only from other countries.. but most are from different parts in Spain. Both men and women in Spain are beautiful.. they are very fashion conscious.. and wear and choose to buy the most beautiful things. You find some serious partying during summer time.. and when you are in Barcelona.. you cannot helped but feel the old and the new merging.. to become the most vibrant experience you can come across.

I had a really great time in Barcelona.. and i even got to go to the country side. .a place that belonged to my ex-boss. One just soaked in the architecture, food, fashion, style, music and many, many memorable and good times.

The magnificent architectural detail of eccentric Gaudi will send your mind blowing… and if you are anything like me.. you would have your mouth wide opened in awe. And everyone is really friendly.. especially if they know that you are a tourist.