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Planning your Europe trip and in need of help with your itinerary? Or perhaps you are looking for additional information to ensure hassle-free travel? Whether in need of travel tips, thorough info about your destinations, or even ideas on where to go within your budget and the best modes of transport/accommodation – I’m here to help you out!

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Why me?

I have been living in Europe for the last six years, and with my aim of spending less while seeing more, I always conduct extensive research and planning before any travels! To be honest, I love travel planning and have helped several people with their itineraries or even finding out the cheapest and most reasonable travel options for them. I have lived in Germany and Switzerland so far and have extensive knowledge about the area. I am, in fact, one of those people who browse for cheap flights on a DAILY basis and am constantly curious about different cultures, vegetarian food options, and unique experiences.

I would love to help you have a great time on your travels and explore more!

All you need to do is fill out this form below so I can get to know your interests, preferences, and ideas, and I’ll get back to you with a quote as soon as possible.

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That’s it! Looking forward to hearing from you, and I’ll respond to you soon after I receive your form.

Meanwhile, here are some posts that you might find useful:

Cheapest ways to travel in Germany

Droolworthy vegetarian dishes in 25 countries across Europe

Swiss locals share their favourite winter holiday destinations

Making the most of your holidays to Canary Islands

The most beautiful village in Austria ?

Venice Food Guide: Eating and drinking like a local

Cheese and Chocolate day trip in Switzerland

5 scenic Swiss day trips and guide to offbeat Lucerne

Stay curious and explore more.

July 13, 2015

in Experiences, Food love, Italy

by reflectiveponderer

My foodie experience in Florence

Florence- I would often get dreamy-eyed thinking about visiting the city. All the stories I had read of the city’s history, art and culture had intrigued me, and the fact that a conference was to be held in the city was a push to finally plan that trip.

Watching the sunset over the city of Florence was a beautiful experience

During my stay, I sure did walk around the city a lot, got lost a few times,spoke to several people- sometimes to ask for directions and sometimes just longer,deeper chats. While I have a lot of memories and pictures from Florence and Pisa, I’ll keep that for another post and for now, just focus on the delicious food I savored throughout my trip!

Although I don’t seem to have great pictures of all the food I devoured (I was probably too busy eating and drinking to take pictures), I still wanted to share my thoughts with you.

So, one of the most common street foods I found everywhere was ‘Lampredotto’. I spotted several carts selling this dish,more as a sandwich, and attracting a lot of crowd. The other popular street food seemed to be Trippa. However, since both of these dishes comprise of meat (more specifically innards), I could not try them out. I did hear a lot of praise for these dishes, so wanted to let you folks know.

Now, pizza and Italy go hand in hand, as is the case with Pasta. I was so excited to find the same kind of thin and delicious pizza everywhere in Florence! You can literally find good pizza anywhere in the city, I feel. Just out of curiosity, I looked up the history of Pizza, and apparently,it has deep roots. The ancient Greeks supposedly consumed a similar flat bread, with toppings, although the term “Pizza” is said to have been coined in Italy in 997 AD. “Pizza Margherita” or the modern adaptation of Pizza has its roots in Naples, in the 1800’s. Generally, I’ve heard a lot about the delicious pizzas in Naples; need to visit Naples at some point too! For some reason, the pizzas in Florence reminded me of the Tandoor items in India..

My half-eaten pizza

I had a lot of Pizza through the week; in the restaurant next to my hotel, at the Mercato Centrale (local market) and other random places I tried out in the city centre.

A friend of mine had visited Florence just a few months before me, and she suggested trying out a ‘Potato Pizza’ too. Potato Pizza? That sounded strange to me. It isn’t anything too fancy, she had told me; it can be found in small bakeries too and tastes really good.

So, while walking through the streets of Florence, I was looking out for places selling this pizza with potatoes, and came across a small shop doing so. They had a lot of different varieties of pizza, and it was possible to just buy a slice and pay according to it’s weight. I think my slice of potato pizza costed around 2 Euros or so, and it did taste quite good!

The slice of potato pizza.I was too hungry to wait and take a decent picture 🙁

Florence, being located in the Tuscany region, is also famous for the wines. What wines and food they have! I did attend a wine tasting event, where we were asked to try out each wine with the corresponding food items kept next to them.“You need to feel the taste of the wine.” The specific food items were supposed to enhance the flavour (and soothe your senses, err..if you ask me! ). I felt so bad later on for not taking any pictures at the event; but had an incredible experience.

Personal tip: If you happen to attend a wine tasting event, do not gulp down all 6 glasses in 30 minutes.Take your time to enjoy the taste and the ambience!

Tuscan wines

The next memorable experience I had was with Pasta. Pasta is obviously supposed to be good in Italy, but my friend had specifically recommended this restaurant called ‘Lo Scudo’ and said they had ” the best food ever”. This place was very close to the Duomo,which by the way, is a magnificent cathedral.

The Duomo in Florence

So, based on her suggestions, I ordered a blue-cheese pear tortellini,and it was so different from all the times I had eaten Pasta before! Lip smackingly delicious! Sorry again, for not having a beautiful picture of the dish.

The tastiest Pasta I’ve ever had

The other pastas were also good. Oh,and while you are there, you can ask them to recommend some of the house wines or other local wines that would go perfectly with your food.

All said and done, I couldn’t have left Florence without trying out some gelato! So many people on the internet have made huge lists of places you should try Gelato at, but due to lack of time, I just went into a gelateria near the Santa Maria Novella Church. There is really an abundance of Gelaterias in the city , but as my blogger friend Jasmine from Queste Dolce Vita recommends,

“Never go to ones where the colors look overly vibrant or where any flavors are written in English instead of Italian. Also, I never trust anywhere with elaborate cone towers or where the gelato is piled high, like mountainously high. When the gelato is genuinely good, nothing fancy is needed to advertise that it is. ”

She also posted a recipe for a mint gelato on her blog. Looks so tempting!

So many flavours to choose from! Picture source:Lee Brown Photography, adaynotwasted.com

And ofcourse, while you are in Italy, don’t forget to order coffee the Italian way !

I suppose it really helps if you are aware of what food to try out , when visiting a new city. But otherwise, it is also very helpful if you take a food tour at the beginning of your trip. At the time of visiting Florence, I actually did not look up food tour options, but had an incredible experience with Devour Barcelona Food tours, when I visited Spain recently. I found the experience to be really one of the highlights of my stay, as I probably wouldn’t have gone to all those small places myself and got to know the stories behind this strong community of people living in the Gracia neighbourhood.

If you happen to visit Florence, you could consider trying out a food tour too. One option is the Emilia Delizia food tour,where you would be guided by a long-term expat(30 years!) in Florence. The tour lasts for 4 hours and costs 16 euros per person, taking only groups less than 8 people.

So, if you have visited Florence, do let me know what food you liked the most!Any tips for my next trip would be most welcome, although I feel I might visit Rome before a second trip to Florence happens. And if you have not visited Florence yet, what would you be most interested in doing in the city?I’m curious to know!

This post was in co-operation with Emilia Delizia. All opinions are, as usual, my own.

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July 7, 2015

in Exploring Places, Germany, Travel tips

by reflectiveponderer

Tips for enjoying the Oktoberfest in Munich!

When I decided upon moving to Germany for my higher studies, the most popular comment from my friends and acquaintances was , that I was going to a country ‘where beer is cheaper than water’! Everybody was familiar with Oktoberfest, which by the way, is celebrated in late September every year. I was excited for a lot of reasons; studying abroad, meeting new people, experiencing a new culture and traditions, etc. I wanted to attend the festivals and carnivals, and was eager to explore the food (and drinks), and see for myself what I like and dislike. So, after my first year of studies, I decided to visit Munich with some friends and attend Oktoberfest.By now, I have attended Oktoberfest for two years and have had some fantastic as well as some frustrating experiences.And so, I’d love tos hare some Oktoberfest tips with you!

Let me tell you, the atmosphere is vibrant and let’s put it this way…absolutely crazy! This 16-18 day festival is being celebrated since 1810, and is an important part of the Bavarian culture. The celebrations begin with a parade through the streets of the city, followed by the tapping of the beer barrel by the Mayor. That is an official sign for the revelries to begin. You can also witness a colourful parade on the second day, in which different traditions and regions of Germany as well as other European countries are represented. In 2016, Oktoberfest will begin on September 17^th and end on October 3^rd. There are special programs scheduled for each day, and all the details can be found on the official Oktoberfest website.

However, you will have a lot of fun if you visit one of the many tents ;yes, there are several tents, each catering to a different brewery and having the capacity to seat several thousands of people. But, it is often extremely difficult to find a seat in the tents, and you can expect to queue up for long, if you don’t have reservations in advance.

Inside a tent during Oktoberfest.The blue and white colours can be seen all over Oktoberfest related decorations and accessories.

So, what can I do during Oktoberfest?

You could actually spend the entire day at Theresienwiese, the venue of the celebrations (take the metro lines U4 or U5 to get there). There could be as many as 14 tents, each serving a different brand of beer, and food is available in the tents as well as outside, in the grounds. Beer is only served in huge 1 litre jugs costing about 10 Euros, and you can take your time to enjoy it, while witnessing all the craziness around you. Often, there are bands playing in the tents, or there might as well be different variety shows. You can keep on re-ordering beer and food and join in the festive spirit, when someone around you starts cheering or singing and everybody else joins in! Outside the tents, there are a whole lot of amusement rides and numerous stalls where you could play games, buy souvenirs or the traditional costumes. Oktoberfest is one big fun fest guaranteeing a whole lot of fun and well, a whole lot of rush.

My tips for attending the Oktoberfest:

1.Although the opening parade and beer tapping tradition would be fun to watch, I would not suggest going to the venue and trying to enter one of the tents on the opening weekend. The reason being: the huge number of people that will be there. You can of course book your seats in advance, and then there will be no problem. Bookings can be done by contacting the individual tents, the details of which can be found on the official website. I also came across this website called Munichs Oktoberfest, where you can find information on accommodation options, tent reservations and other related things.

2.Making a booking is not mandatory; I have never made one myself, though I’ll try to do so the next time I go. You can either go early morning (before the tents open at 10 am), especially on a weekday, to get seats for sure, or you could queue up to enter the tent. The problem is, there is no guarantee of how long you would have to wait in the line for,and if, ultimately, they will let you enter. I have seen people waiting for 45 minutes to 2 hours and beyond.

3.Make sure you try out the Augustiner Beer if you get a chance. It is one of the oldest breweries of Bavaria.

If you can, get dressed in the traditional attire-Drindl(girls) and Lederhosen(boys). The locals really appreciate it. You can find the Drindl in all stores and shops in Munich, even at the central station and at the festival venue. However, you could get the Drindl at cheaper prices when there is a sale in certain stores like New Yorker, at a time close to the fest.

So, enjoy your beer and sausages (or pretzels and dumplings for vegetarians) and enjoy the madness of Oktoberfest!

P.S: In case you are unable to enter a tent, don’t get upset! Stroll around the grounds,enjoy the atmosphere and you can also buy the Oktoberfest beer and hats right outside the grounds!

P.P.S: For those who might prefer a quieter alternative to Oktoberfest, there is always the Volksfest in Stuttgart you can attend!

Talent galore!

If you are planning to attend the Oktoberfest, Cologne Carnival or Basel Fasnacht, check out this collection of festival and carnival hacks!

Don’t forget to share this post with your friends and let me know if you are planning on attending any carnival/festival soon!

Merken

June 27, 2015

in Experiences, Travel Sentiments, Travellers' Tales

by reflectiveponderer

Lost in translation!- Travel stories from foreign lands

Travelling in places where you don’t understand the local language or are not familiar with the local traditions can get a little difficult at times. Of course, you can look up some important words and phrases beforehand to help you around, but even then, some of us may have fallen into funny or embarrassing situations when living or travelling abroad! I, for instance, have at least twice in Italy, got up on the wrong bus and lost my way.On the plus side though, I got a ride across Florence and got to see the city at night:) Anyhow, the idea for this post came to me when someone I know told me about a funny situation he got into, due to misinterpreting a German word. You’ll see that as the first point right below! I then decided to ask a few bloggers if they had ever faced a similar situation, and am so glad that they decided to share their stories here.

So, without further ado, let the stories of mistranslation begin!

1. ” I meant ‘kleine’, she thought ‘keine’, I think. Then you can you see what happened!” – Traveller anonymous

I moved to Germany after I got a job offer(requiring English) and didn’t get a chance to learn the language before coming. One day, I wanted to get a hair cut and went to a ‘friseur’. Somehow, there was a confusion between ‘keine'(none) and ‘kleine'(small), and this is what I got myself into:

The Kleine-Keine conundrum got me into this!

I was so shocked on discovering it, but she seemed to be extremely casual about it and didn’t think that anything was wrong! I then spent one long winter month wearing a beannie everyday.

2. “I had just loudly (and happily) insulted the head of the family in front of the whole party. Oops!”

– Lucy from Lucy’smiles away . You can find her on Facebook and Twitter too!

Last year, I was living and working in Cambodia. I worked with all Cambodian women – nobody really spoke English very well but we got by, with broken English, pointing, google images and my terrible attempts at Khmer, the Cambodian language.

There was one woman I worked with who always had her cheeks affectionately pinched by the other girls followed by the word “Jo-am”. When I asked what it meant, they pointed and said “Cheek!”. I obviously assumed it meant cheek.

Later that week, I was at a local party with the Cambodian family that I lived with. We had a fantastic night and at the end, as I left, I gave the grandma a big hug and squeezed her cheeks, proud to showcase the new word I had learnt. An awkward silence fell upon the room as soon as I had said the word.

The daughter who spoke excellent English politely explained that jo-am means bruised fruit and is also used as a slang word to describe bad skin. I had just loudly (and happily) insulted the head of the family in front of the whole party. Oops!

3.”I had just told my friend that I needed poison bags for Christmas.”

-Jennifer from American Faultier. Find her on Twitter and Facebook.

I had been in a German integration course for about a month, and was feeling a lot more confident with my language skills. We were having a Christmas party and I was chatting away with a friend about what I still needed to do for the holidays. I needed to buy gift bags, and not knowing what they’re technically called in German, I just directly translated to “gift-taschen”. A second later, I remembered that “gift”, while a German word, does not mean: a present. It means poison! I had just told my friend that I needed poison bags for Christmas.

In the end I just went with non-poisonous wrapping paper.

4.”We found them sitting in stony silence with dry cereal and a bowl of ice on the table.”

– Andrea from Wandering Avena. Also on Instagram and Facebook.

I’ve seen one hilarious travel mishap because of the language barrier. As my family is Italian, we visit Italy quite a bit and one year we got some family friends with us. We went downstairs to meet them one morning for breakfast and found them sitting in stony silence with dry cereal and a bowl of ice on the table. Apparently, they had made several attempts to ask for milk to put on the cereal. Confusing the Spanish and Italian words for milk meant that it had appeared to the waiters, who looked just as confused as my family friends, that they were asking for ice to put on the cereal! Needless to say we told them exactly what to ask for next time.

5. ” Relieved at not being arrested in Germany!”

Lexie from Steps to Follow .You can also find her on Twitter

Hannah and I were utterly lost in Germany. After disaster struck at the train station in Munich, our train was postponed for many long hours. We had a long journey ahead of us to a tiny village at the border of the Czech Republic called Bayerische Eisenstein. By the time our train left, it was dark and pouring rain and nothing was visible out the windows. I assumed all was well and that the trains would continue running through the night for our benefit after being shut down for so long. I was wrong in this thinking. It turns out that our final stop was the one just before our planned destination, yet it was still many long miles away. We had no choice but to get off the train and huddle under the porch overhang to avoid the rain. We had no phone to call a cab and there was no one there to help us. Our only hope was a German couple who said that they would call us a cab before they jumped into their own. But they left 30 minutes ago and the cab they called for us was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, a vehicle that said “Polizei” pulled up in front of the train station. The police officer in the passenger seat rolled down his window and began yelling at us from a distance— in German. Unsure of what to do, Hannah and I sat frozen. We must have looked guilty for something because the two police officers then came out of their vehicle and started addressing us and ushered us over to them, each placing a hand on the grip of their guns slung in their belt loop. After a couple minutes of repeating, “We don’t speak German…. we speak English!” in frantic and frightened voices, the Police officers understood. “Ah. We are looking for some young people on the run for criminal behaviour,” was their response as they looked at us sternly, questioningly. We assured them many times that it was not us and that we were stranded and need to get to Bayerische Eisenstein. They each glanced at our backpacks laying on the ground and nodded and smirked at each other. I was pretty sure that these Police officers would have called for help for us but, as if in the knick of time, a cab rolls into the parking lot and we were saved and brought to our town safe and sound at an unexpected cost and an overload of relief in avoiding being arrested in Germany.

You can read the extended version of the story on the blog!

So, what about you? Have you ever fallen into a funny or difficult situation due to a language barrier or misunderstanding a local culture?Let me know!

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June 19, 2015

in Travellers' Tales

by reflectiveponderer

Backpacking around the world for seven years

Travellers’ Tales is a new series on this blog, inviting travellers to share some of their inspiring or memorable experiences. For this edition, I’m glad to have on board- Will Hatton. Writer and photographer. Adventurer and vagabond. Master of the handstand pushup. Conqueror of mountains, survivor of deserts and crusader for cheap escapades. Will is an avid hitch-hiker, couch-surfer and bargain-seeker. He is a devout follower of the High Temple of Backpackistan and the proud inventor of the man-hug. Will blogs over at www.thebrokebackpacker.com about his adventures around the world, you can follow him on Facebook and on Twitter or, if you are really friendly, hunt him down on the road for a cheeky pint.

Since the age of nineteen, travel has been the driving force in my life. I have spent the last seven years gallivanting around the world like some kind of coked up road-runner. I’ve met incredible people, seen stunning sights and had some truly life-changing adventures. Everything has not always gone to plan; I’ve been robbed at knife-point, rushed to hospital on two occasions and even arrested! By getting off the beaten path and choosing travel as a lifestyle, I have had some amazing experiences; I’ve drunk tea with rebels in Burma, stayed in a cave with a Rastafarian Bedouin, herded goats in the Holy-land, bagged numerous peaks and hitched from the UK to Africa. My adventures are far from over; early next year I am embarking upon an epic quest; I am planning on travelling from the UK to Singapore overland and then to build a boat to cross Indonesia and onwards, to Australia!

I first started travelling because I was really very unhappy with my life and needed to make a change; hitting the road has enabled me to not only explore some pretty epic places but also to get to grips with what I want out of life. I honestly feel that everybody should have a whirl at travelling; it truly can change your entire life, the experiences you will have on the road can be incredibly valuable from a confidence-boosting and growth point of view. Without slipping to far down the ‘hippy dippy’ route, I personally feel that travelling has massively improved me as a person. How, you ask? Well, for one, exploring third world countries and making friends with people who live off less than a dollar today has taught me quite a lot about how the world works; really, everybody just wants to be happy, to be fed and to be safe. I feel that after making friends with people in poorer communities, I actually have more of an understanding of what ‘poverty’ really means and how god-damn hard it is to escape. I spent a couple of weeks living in an incredibly basic village in India. I was the only backpacker for hundreds of miles around and didn’t speak much Hindi but I had an amazing time making friends with the folks who lived there and sporadically helping out in the fields.

If you really want to save the world, you probably need to understand it first. So, in my opinion, everybody should head out into the unknown, make friends in the least likely of places and find out the truth for themselves – anyways, deep thoughts aside, travelling really is for everyone – give it a go. If you spend your whole life waiting for the perfect time, the perfect place or the perfect person to go travelling with, you may never go. So pack that bag, stick out your thumb and hit the road!

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June 15, 2015

in Exploring Places, Germany

by reflectiveponderer

NoFilter Frankfurt

I had always known Frankfurt as the ‘layover city’ or a hub for connecting flights.Perhaps, many of you might also have felt the same way. On one occasion, I got the opportunity to meet a friend at Frankfurt airport and then took the time to go around a bit.

At the Frankfurt Airport – the busiest airport in Europe.

At that point, I was living in Bonn, the former capital of West Germany, the birthplace of Beethoven and the UN Headquarters in Germany. Looking at the skyscrapers looming over the city of Frankfurt reminded me of other big cities in India and elsewhere, and amusingly,made me realize how much I had started liking smaller and quieter places after moving to Bonn.

Anyhow, before travelling to Frankfurt, I had looked up on the internet to decide upon a few places I could visit, and was very interested in visiting Goethe’s birthplace, and of course going up the Tower to get a panoramic view of the city.

It wasn’t until one year later that I got hold of Mark Twain’s A Tramp Abroad, and was so surprised to know of various stories and legends connected with the area as well as rest of Western Europe. Now, being a lover of stories,myths and legends, I often find myself digging deeper into history and culture, (I have also started my #Mythical Mondays series a few months ago) and after reading up about Frankfurt, I have already made up my mind to re-visit the city and explore it with a fresh perspective.

So, when I came to know about the #NoFilter Frankfurt project, organized by London City Airport, I thought of taking the opportunity to put up a few unfiltered pictures I have of the city, and also tell you a bit about the interesting stories connected with it! The aim of this project is to break the stereotype of the banking and business image of the city and showcase some of the lesser known aspects as well as unfiltered images from there. So, let’s get started!

From what I read in the book, there is a history behind how Frankfurt got its name. Charlemagne, the King of the Franks, who reigned in the Middle Ages, is supposed to have set the foundations for modern France and Germany, and ruled over quite a huge portion of Western Europe.At one time, he was fighting against the Saxons,and alongwith his army,reached the banks of a river early morning,amidst the fog. It was difficult to make out where it would be easier to cross over,and after a while, he happened to spot a deer with its fawn, in the vicinity. He watched her wade over a shallow region, and commanded his army to proceed in that direction. It worked in their favour and the Frankish army celebrated a victory. To commemorate the incident, Charlemagne decided to build a city right there, and named it Frankfort – the ford of the Franks. I am not sure if this is accurate information, but this seems to be a probable explanation, from what I’ve seen.

Frankfurt is located along the river Main, and is officially known as ‘Frankfurt am Main’.Today, it is the fifth largest city of Germany.

The city of Frankfurt am Main

It took about 7 years to build the Central railway station,and it was opened in 1888. You can spot a large clock at the entrance. Interestingly, it is flanked by two statues, symbolizing night and day.Also,do you notice the statue on top of the building?It is said to be Atlas, carrying the world.Here, he is supposed to be assisted by two figures representing Iron and Steam.

The Central station at Frankfurt has interesting concepts in the architecture.Did you spot Atlas?

Frankfurt is also said to be the city where Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, lived. A sculpture dedicated to him,two of his main donors and the four cities that started printing early, can be seen in the centre of the city, at Rossmarkt. The first four printing locations are supposed to be Mainz, Venice, Strasbourg and Frankfurt.

The sculptures dedicated to Johannes Gutenberg

I wanted to get to Goethe House and the Main Tower, but was somehow confused with the directions and kept on wandering around the city. While doing so, I came across a church and saw a lot of people there. Ofcourse, it was Good Friday, I remembered!And then, I suspended my search for Goethe’s birthplace for a while and was glad to be a part of Easter celebrations.

I was so pleased when I finally spotted Goethe Haus from a distance. Goethe was a highly distinguished writer and statesman in Germany,and his family lived in a huge house in Frankfurt. Before coming to Germany, I had taken German classes at a Goethe Institute (branches located all over the world) and was a bit more curious to know more about his life.

He is supposed to have been born in this very house and spent a long time here,also writing some of his popular works while he was still in the city. He liked collecting paintings done by contemporary artists, and exhibited them in his house, each framed in black and gold.Both, Goethe and his father, were very fond of books and collected over 2000 books covering various subjects, in their library.

Picture gallery and library at the Goethe House

Frankfurt is such a city of contrasts, I feel. On one hand, you have all the skyscrapers,banks and financial institutions, and on the other, you have history,old architecture,plentiful museums and parks. Infact, the next time I visit Frankfurt, I want to explore the different neighborhoods , visit the wineries outside the city, spend time along the river, try to retrace the locations of historical events and stories.Oh, and yes, I would really like to learn more about the Grimm Brothers and see from where they drew inspiration for all their fairy tales! They were not from Frankfurt, but from a town very close to it.

What about you?Did you ever get a chance to explore Frankfurt and its surroundings?

P.S: Frankfurt is a very multicultural city and I loved the amount and variety of food available all along the main streets!That is also something I would certainly do again in the city:gorge on delicious food.

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June 8, 2015

in Experiences, Food love, Spain

by reflectiveponderer

Devouring vegetarian food in Barcelona

Being a foodie and a vegetarian, I’m always trying to explore local options while travelling. Before going to Spain, I really didn’t know anything about the Spanish cuisine apart from Tortillas (the potato omlette) and had heard a lot about Paella. That was pretty much it. So. I was really curious to see what the locals generally liked and what options were available for vegetarian food in Barcelona.

On my first day in Spain, I couchsurfed with a lovely couple who waited for me to have dinner and I could not have asked for a warmer welcome in Barcelona!

Dinner on my first night in Barcelona

While everything was delicious, this particular Romesco Sauce is what I loved the most!

The awesome Romesco Sauce!I want it..now!

It tasted so good that I really wanted to buy a few of these before flying back. However, I didn’t manage to, and the only sauce available at the airport was a Spanish Salsa Brava, that doesn’t taste half as good:( If any of you visit Spain, I highly recommend trying it out…and getting one back for me !

After visiting some of the cultural gems of the city the next day(Pre-TBEX tours), I attended the TBEX event in Costa Brava and had a great time with all the sessions,networking and ofcourse..food! The guacomole that came with the Tortilla chips was different and absolutely amazing!It had me hooked the entire evening!

Some of the food we enjoyed during TBEX Opening party and Eurail Sangria Reception

Good thing that I had planned on spending 3 days in Barcelona after the event, as I then got around to exploring the city. As I mentioned earlier, I had heard so much about Paella that I wanted to try it out once for sure. After being disappointed with a lot of restaurants for not having vegetarian paella(sea food paella is the most popular), I finally found a reasonably priced one at Restaurant Siempreviva(near Barceloneta Beach), and ordered Sangria again. The quantity was so much that I could not finish it up,even though I was super hungry. A quick shoutout to the wonderful management of the restaurant, if they ever read this. Kudos to them for being extremely understanding and helpful when my debit card refused to work in their card reader AND the nearest ATM. I had lost my wallet and was only left with one card and some cash.My card somehow didn’t work at that point and the cash wasn’t enough to pay the whole bill.They were aware of the pickpocketing situation in the city and I was so touched to see their kindness and helpful attitude.Ultimately, my card worked at a machine the next morning, and I went back to pay up the deficit amount. Oh, and a special mention of the most wonderful burger I had at a small cafe near the Sagrada Familia. The lady was freshly making the burger, based on the fillings you mention on the order form!It was the first time I had guacomole in a burger, and it was lip-smackingly delicious!

Vegetarian Paella at Siempreviva,Barcelona

Finally on my last day, I had the opportunity take the Devour Barcelona Food Tour with the lovely guide Renee. This was really one of the best decisions I had taken, with respect to selecting tours and planning my stay.

So, what is special about this tour is that they take you through the streets of Gracia, a less touristic part of the city which was an independent village in earlier times. Many of the restaurants and cafes are family-owned and there is a strong sense of community prevalent even today. We met at 10 am at Passeig de Gracia 108, a popular shopping street,and then walked towards the Gracia neighbourhood. I was very excited as we were supposed to try out 12 different dishes at 9 places. I had also specified my vegetarian status in advance, and was really looking forward to all the food we would devour! When Renee asked us which Spanish dish came to our mind when we thought of Spanish cuisine, I couldn’t help saying olives and Romesco Sauce!

Our first stop was Can Tosca, where we tried out a grilled botifarra sandwich(I had a vegetarian equivalent) and Cava, the special champagne-like drink from Spain. What a wonderful way to start your day! Can Tosca was an interesting place, as the interiors were completely covered with old black and white pictures of members of the family who own it. It was interesting to see how much they value their history and traditions and Renee told us quite a bit about the sisters who run the place now.

First stop:Can Tosca for cava and grilled botifarra sandwich (replaced with omlette for me). What a start to the day!

Next we headed over to Mercat de l’Abaceria Central, the local market, and made two stops: one for olive and salt cod skewer and another for sampling spanish and catalan cheese. Walking through the local market was an enjoyable experience, and I just wouldn’t have discovered this place if it hadn’t been for this tour.

The bustling local market in Gracia

Olive and salt cod skewer. Have that in one go!

You can’t miss out on olives while you are in Spain!

Trying out Spanish and Catalan cheese at Mercat de l’Abaceria Central

After exploring the local market, it was time to taste some of the organic Spanish extra virgin oils.We went into Oli Sal, and tasted three kinds of olive oils, while Renee told us more about how they are made and how all the olive oils that are supposedly ‘extra virgin’ are not necessarily of good quality.

By this time I had already started feeling full, and was wondering how I would manage eating my way through 5 more stops. We walked over to l’Anxoveta and then learnt how to make our own pa amb tomaquet (sandwich with special tomatoes and olive oil) as Carlos, the jovial owner demonstrated how to do so. We also got served with “Bomba”, a dish that was clearly the favourite for many of the non-vegetarians. Meanwhile, I had patata bravas with salsa romesco sauce, and we all had a glass of beer to go along with the food.

Patata bravas with romesco sauce..As much as I love potatoes AND romesco sauce, I felt so full that I could not finish it!

Now I have mentioned earlier my love for Romesco Sauce and I love potato wedges and fries, but for the first time, I had to leave food I love, as I was so full !

With a heavy heart (and stomach), I left and then moved on to try out some handmade Syrian pastry.Visiting a Syrian shop on a Spanish food tour may seem strange, but as Renee had mentioned earlier, there is a strong sense of community in Gracia, and the owner of Pastisseria Principe had been running this shop for three decades or so now. His vacation to Barcelona turned into a life-changing experience, when he fell in love, got married and decided to stay back. His team makes thousands of these desserts every day, and it is so difficult to choose one among all the different flavours available. They are all his children, he says, and loves them all equally!

Options galore at Pastisseria Principe!

Gracia was an interesting neighbourhood, and it was fascinating to learn about its history and traditions, while walking through. I had posted pictures of some of the masks and giants we had seen, in my Myths,Legends and folklore from Spain blog post.

Soon it was 1 pm, and for many of the locals, it was time for vermouth! We headed over to Bodega Ca’l Pep to try out local Perruchi red vermouth with pickled anchovies. This was our third alcoholic drink of the day already.and it tasted good by the way.It was a sweet wine, and was quite smooth. Interesting fact: this bar used to be the living space of the owner,who later converted it into this arrangement. No wonder the place had such a homely and relaxed environment!

1 pm..time for vermouth and pickled anchovies!

So , with that we covered seven of the nine places on our list. Next up was La Botigueta del Bon Menjar, a small shop where we stopped to have ‘Escalivada and romesco “pinxto” ‘ (similar to olive sampling with salsa) and meatballs in bean and pea gravy (as usual, I had a vegetarian equivalent:) ) If you are looking for a small place offering homemade traditional Catalan cuisine, you should certainly check this out. They had many more dishes!

Escalivada and romesco “pintxo”

Finally, it was time for our last stop, ‘Pastisseria Ideal’, where we sat down for coffee and mini cremat. Now this, I think, was my favourite! The cremat tasted so good! It seemed to melt in my mouth. I would love to have them again.

The delicious cremat..my favourite treat of the day!

So, by the end of the tour, we had spent the most memorable 4 hours, eating our way through Gracia! It was an incredible experience and I would totally recommend it to you if you would like to get familiar with the local Catalan cuisine and would like to get suggestions about more places to eat at and visit.

Renee had given us handouts, featuring some of their recommended cafes and dishes all over Barcelona, and there was also a basic guide to ordering food and drinks in Catalan.

Tips for food tour in Barcelona:

Consider taking this tour at the beginning of your trip; that way you will have a better idea of what to explore next and what to order!
Please DO NOT have breakfast before this tour. You will be so full by the end of 4 hours that you would certainly repent the decision of having breakfast. So, enjoy your time in Spain and let me know which dishes were your favourite!

Devour Barcelona Food Tour is available from Tuesday – Saturday at 10 am. It costs € 65 per adult and € 45 per child, 12 and under.Devour Spain food tours are also available in Madrid, Malaga and Seville.You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter. I was a guest on this tour and am very thankful to Lauren and Renee for the fabulous experience.

Here are 16 Day Trips to take from Barcelona!

Here are budget Tapas options in Barcelona.

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June 2, 2015

in Mythical Mondays, Spain

by reflectiveponderer

Myths,Legends and Folklore from Spain #MythicalMondays

Owing to my recent trip to Spain, I have been posting articles about Barcelona lately and still have some more stories for you, coming up shortly.As it is time for a #MythicalMondays post, it comes as no surprise that I chose to go with Spain itself! This time, I was joined by Henar of Wanderwings ,who told me a lot about mythical creatures and legends from Spain.I am really thankful for her time and gesture.You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter. So, before we begin exploring some of the interesting stories I came across, I wanted to debunk two myths that people might commonly have about Spain, especially the Catalonia region (encompassing Barcelona,Costa Brava).

Myths Debunked

1.Firstly, not everyone in Spain loves Flamenco dancing. Yes, it is a traditional dance form from South of Spain, but it might not be of interest to everyone. Many people like visiting the Opera, for instance, or other musical shows.

2.Secondly, bull fighting is not common in Spain. Infact, it is banned in Catalonia as well as Canary Islands, and people do not appreciate it. The sport is prevalent in the Southern part of the country, but it doesn’t necessarily imply that everyone likes it.

Since I was told about these things by the locals, I kept them in mind even while looking at souvenirs, and chose not to buy any of the numerous bull fighting figurines available at the airport. I knew that it did not reflect the sentiments of the people, and didn’t want to buy anything that I could not really associate with the place.

So, now that we have that out of the way, let’s start with myths,legends and folklore from Spain!

1. El Coco –

Engaging kids with stories or narrating tales to get them to do something may be a common scenario throughout the world. Infact, perhaps, many of us might have heard stories of the Boogieman or a creature that could take the kid away if he disobeyed. In Spain, this is synonymous with ‘El Coco’, a monstrous creature that could eat or kidnap the child if he disobeyed or caused trouble. Incorporating this story in rhymes or lullabies is popular, and many parents use it to encourage the child to go to bed, saying:

“Duermete niño, duermete ya, que viene el coco y te comerá” (Sleep child, sleep now…or else the Coco will come and eat you)

(I would be lying if I said that the English translation did NOT remind me of Gabbar in Sholay..[err, Bollywood reference]). Anyway, I was surprised to read the backstory of El Coco on a website called Ramezcla :

“According to a Spanish legend, Francisco Ortega, aka el Moruno, was a man sick with tuberculosis at the beginning of the XXth century. He was desperately looking for a cure for the disease, so he sought help from a Curandera. She told him he would be cured by drinking the blood of children and rubbing his fat on his chest. And so, el Moruno kidnapped a 7-year old boy,Bernardo, in a cloth bag, to slit his underarm and drink his blood. El Cuco is known for walking up and down the streets at night with a black bag, scouting for those children who roam the streets or misbehave. ”

Spooky!

2. Ratoncito Pérez (Perez Mouse):

In 1894, Luis Colomo was asked to write a story for the young King Alphonso XIII, who had just lost a tooth. Colomo, inspired by the character of a mouse called Raton Perez, which had originally appeared in a story a few years ago, created Ratoncito Perez, a mouse who lived in a box of cookies with his family in Madrid, and ran through pipes to reach the bedrooms of the kids who had lost their teeth.Perez is the Spanish version of the tooth fairy and has been quite popular with the people. The story was later adapted into a movie and other books.The city council of Madrid paid tribute to Ratoncito Pérez with a commemorative plaque which reads: “Here lived, in a box of cookies, Ratoncito Pérez, according to the story that the father Coloma wrote for the young King Alfonso XIII.” This was the first time that a fictional character was paid tribute by the city council!

A commemorative plaque in Madrid, placed infront of the warehouse where Perez was said to have lived.Image:Wikimedia

3.The origin of Barcelona-

One interesting post I came across on anotherbcn spoke about the different legends that exist about the foundation and name of the city. One legend says that Hercules once set off on a journey with nine ships, which got separated and eventually, only eight of them were tracked. Collectively, they began searching for the ninth one and found it at the bottom of the hill of Montjuïc.The crew fell in love with the area and decided to name the city after Barca(boat) and Nona(ninth). Hercules is also said to have fallen in love with a beautiful girl called Pyrene. However, they could not stay together for more than months, as they supposedly had to continue on their respective journeys. That is where the name ‘Pyrenees’ comes from.

The other legend says that the city’s origin was attributed to the Carthaginians, to Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal’s father. He arrived in this area and founded the city, then gave it his surname, Barca.

However, there is no evidence to prove either of the stories.

Check out my unexpected experiences in Barcelona

The city of Barcelona

4.Hall of the Abencerrages

The city of Granada is home to several legends and stories, dating back to the time of the Moors. The Hall of the Abencerrages, located in the city, derives it’s name from a tragic legend in which 36 members of the noble Abencerrage family were invited for a banquet at the Alhambra palace by the Sultan Abu Al-Hassan.The Sultan had found out that the chief member of the guest family,Hamet, was courting his favourite concubine, Zoraya. Seeking revenge, he called his guards during the banquet and made them slit the throats of every member of the family.Afterwards, the victims’ heads were thrown into the fountains. Legend holds that the stain visible at the bottom of the fountains today is the blood left behind as a permanent reminder of the horrible massacre.

READ: How to make the most of your visit to Granada, Spain

5. The legend of San Jorge(Saint George)

Now, this is one of the most popular Catalonian legends that is celebrated with great pomp and show, even today, especially in Barcelona. Legend has it that there was once a dragon living in Montblanc, who terrorised the villagers and devoured their animals. Soon enough, all the animals had vanished and it was time for the dragon to turn his wrath upon the people. The villagers decided to draw lots and sacrifice a person each day, by offering him to the dragon. On one of these occasions, the unfortunate person whose name was picked up was the princess. People offered to take her place, owing to her kind nature, but the King refused to let anyone sacrifice their lives for his daughter. The princess was sent to the dragon, and just as she was about to be swallowed up , a knight in shining armour appeared and decided to fight the creature. After a rough confrontation, he was able to kill the dragon with his lance and spill his blood. From the spot where the blood had spilt, grew a red rose, which the knight then plucked and presented to the princess. The knight was called San Jorge (Saint George). To commemorate this event, every year on April 23, a huge celebration is carried out on the streets and men give roses to the women they love. If you happen to visit Barcelona at that time, you are bound to experience a grand public event. In the recent years, women have started gifting books to the men on that day.

Read all about delicious food in Barcelona

Exchanging a rose and a book- tradition observed on San Jordi Day

Source: hithisisbarcelona

6.The Teruel Lovers

Think love,sorrow on the lines of Romeo-Juliet or other iconic love stories. The legend of the Teruel lovers dates back to the 13th century, when Isabel and Diego, both coming from wealthy families, fell in love and wanted to get married. However, an unfortunate turn of events caused Diego’s family to lose their money and Isabel’s father refused to let his daughter marry him.Diego requested her father for five years of time, in which he would be back after making his fortune, and then marry Isabel. No one heard of him for the next five years, and on the day of the completion of the agreed period, Isabel’s father got her married to someone else. In a twisted turn, right after the wedding ceremony, Diego was seen returning to the city with a lot of wealth and riches. He was heartbroken to see the love of his life being married off to someone else and could not bear the thought of their separation. Later at night, he sneaked into her bedroom and asked her to kiss him, as he was dying. Isabel refused to do so, as she did not want to deceive her husband. Diego died right next to her bed, leaving her in a shocked state. The next day, she went to his funeral in her wedding dress, and proceeded to kiss him one last time. However, she died right there, next to his body. The villagers decided to bury them side by side, near the church of San Pedro, so that at least in death, the lovers could be together. To this day, in February, the city celebrates the love of the couple and represents their story in different ways.

Source:Wikimedia

7. Giants and dwarves of Catalonia –

During my visit to Costa Brava and also the Gracia district of Barcelona, I had the luck of seeing locals build human castles and giants parading and dancing (thanks to TBEX!). I also saw a whole lot of giants, regular-sized figures with oversized heads(“Capgrossos”?) and strange creatures, all preserved in Gracia. Now, I am unsure of the origins of these figures, but from what I could find out, the oldest documentation about them was found to date back to the 14th century. The figures would represent some of the local historical characters, such as the king and queen, or other important people of the society.They could also represent the community as a whole, such as peasants,etc.The giants are made of papier-mache and are carried by people referred to as the ‘giant carriers’.There are different groups who organize parades during festivals, and from what I read on a website, there are about 100 of these giants in Barcelona itself. On the occassion of the fiestas, the giants and other creatures come out on the streets and dance in the traditional way.

Edit: I just came across a blog post explaining more about the human castles. If you like, you could check out inhabityourdreams.

When the giants watched the castellers in action

So, with this we come to the end of #MythicalMondays- Spain Edition. Of course, we could go and on about all the stories, but I could tell you about only a select few stories this time. Lovers of ghost stories and urban legends can choose to check this post I found about strange stories of Gracia. And if you know of any more stories from Spain, let me know in the comments below or keep the conversation going on social media using #MythicalMondays!

Oh, and I am thinking of exploring stories from Germany for next month. So, if you know of any legends or folklore, so let me know!

Some other posts about Spain:

Sunset sailing experience in Barcelona

Staying in a beach hostel in Barcelona

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May 22, 2015

in Austria, Travellers' Tales

by reflectiveponderer

Paula and Strange Tyrolean Men

Travellers’ Tales is a new series on this blog, inviting travellers to share some of their inspiring or memorable experiences.This week, we are joined by Paula McInerney, who narrates a hilarious anecdote about the time they went skiing in Austria.Paula is a travel writer at Contented Traveller, a travel site that she runs with her husband, Gordon.Their site not only shares real life inspirational and amusing stories of their own exploits but also shares resources and tips to help others gain the confidence to travel their own way. From houseboats in Amsterdam to surrealistic art galleries in Strasbourg, cave houses in Turkey and 5 star villas in Bali, this travel couple will keep you on your toes with their left of center approach. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Kitzbühel is a small medieval town in the Tyrol region of Austria and is a renowned ski and sports resort. The people are fiercely Tyrolean and proud, and the village is picture postcard perfect.

Kitzbühel,Austria. Picture source:Paula ,Contented Traveller

We love to ski and always ski in Japan in January or February each year. Last year, we decided to go on to Europe and to visit both Austria and Switzerland. We always pick a place based on its culture and it offering us a new perspective. We also like to meet the people and that is how I can get myself into situations.

The weird thing about this trip was that I was recovering from a broken leg and lost my nerve to hit the slopes just 6 months after the break. The best thing about the places that we select is that there is much to see and to do, even if you don’t ski. I became the queen of the mountain cafes.

Man number 1

Kitzbuhel Tourism had given us a private ski instructor for our time there. Sascha was so European chic and cool and a very accomplished skier. It was great just chatting with him. When he and Gordon went skiing, he just parked me from café to café on the lodge. It was Sascha who introduced me to ..

…. Man Number 2

I do attract trouble. I can’t help it. I pick up unusual characters wherever I go and bring them back to Gordon. We were up a mountain in Kitzbuhel in Austria, and a behemoth of a man decided to chat to me or chat me up. It was a fine line. I took him into the lodge café to meet Gordon. He proceeded to tell us he was not Austrian but Tyrolean, and that he had been to Australia. He kept asking me my age.

Apparently, he had had his first experience in Sydney and Gordon is sure that he thought that it was me. He then proceeded to bang the bell for shots of schnapps trying to get Gordy drunk. Gordon is quieter than me and spends much of his time shaking his head at me.

Picture source: Paula McInerney

If travel has made a difference to your life, inspired you in any way,or given you cherishable memories, feel free to get in touch and contribute to this series.You can mail in your posts to admin@europediaries.net

May 20, 2015

in Experiences, Spain

by reflectiveponderer

Sunset sailing experience in Barcelona: Sailing a yacht

Sailing Barcelona: Picture yourself sailing in a yacht with your friends/loved ones, enjoying picturesque sights while the Sun goes down. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Now,what if the captain offered to play the music of YOUR choice, offered you snacks and drinks, and you spent those few hours relaxing and admiring the coastline? That’s exactly what I got to experience during my recent trip to Barcelona! Thanks to Sailing Experience Barcelona.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I did spend a lot of time looking up experiences,tours and things to do in the city,while planning my trip. My trip to Barcelona was short unfortunately, and since I prefer travelling slow and enjoying varied experiences, I had to make choices and decide upon what I would prefer doing. While going through all the blogs, Twitter feed and articles about the city, I came across the Twitter handle of this company offering sailing experiences. They had several options to choose from: sunrise sailing,sunset sailing, half-day as well as full-day sailing experiences,(and now they also offer a ‘Harbour Sailing experience’) but the sunset sailing experience was what caught my attention the most. ‘How beautiful would that be!’, was what I was thinking all along. I had heard so much about Barcelona that I thought sailing for a few hours in the evening would be a perfect way to admire the sights and relax after walking around in the city all day.

The time that I spent sailing on Bombon 3 (the yacht) was truly memorable, and I realized why they never really offer ‘tours’ but always call them experiences.First of all. they don’t wait for a specific number of people in a group, in order to confirm a booking. They want to make it special for whoever comes on board, and are always eager to customize the experience based on your preferences.

All set to sail

The yacht also had a bedroom and an adorable seating arrangement indoors, perfect for resting during half or full day sailing experiences.

People have booked surprises and dinners for their significant others; planned out an enjoyable outing with a group of friends and in my case, without any previous planning whatsoever, I actually SAILED A YACHT for the first time ever! Me, who hasn’t even driven a car in a long time! Hang on there, no safety rules were broken though. Vicky, the pro skipper, was extremely nice and shared a lot of her sailing experiences with us.I found out how a boat is sailed and kept in control, and while I was trying out my hand at one of the steerings, she had the control over the second one!

The sailing experts,looking at the mast and taking control

I was really surprised when we were asked for the type of music we would like to hear and what we would like to drink. We just decided to go with Spanish music though, and Fabio as well as Vicky told us a lot about the buildings,monuments,hills we could spot.

While a lot of other sailing tours start from Port Olimpic,Bombon 3 sails from Port Vell, very close to the Museum of Catalan History, offering a different view. Another way in which Fabio and Vicky had planned to make our trip special was taking advantage of the full moon night. They felt that if we started a little later, we could experience the sunset and then also the full moon. Though the plans were disrupted by the unusual fog on that day, I feel that it is the thought that counts.Also, it got quite chilly that evening and a jacket was very much needed(even though it was May).

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After over two and a half hours or so, we were back at Port Vell, and it was time to bid goodbye to Bombon and the wonderful team.

Bidding adieu to the fab team at Sailing Experience Barcelona

I had a great time and would absolutely recommend it to anyone visiting Barcelona and wanting to get a different view of the city. More details can be found at http://www.sailingexperiencebcn.com/ . You can also connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Here’s a guide to where to stay in Barcelona

May 17, 2015

in Exploring Places, Spain

by reflectiveponderer

Staying close to the beach in Barcelona: Amistat Beach Hostel

Before going to Barcelona, I spent a lot of time looking up things to do,water sports I could try, tours I could take and places I could live at. Post-TBEX, I was only going to spend two nights in the city, and I was able to get a room at the Hotel Silken Diagonal for a night, thanks to TBEX. Now, for a long long time, I had been wanting to visit a beach, and live close to it. So, while searching for a place to stay for the one other night, I had (obviously) one important criteria in mind: staying close to the beach!

After going through a lot of reviews and booking sites, I realized that the hotels closest to the beach were mostly the luxury ones. What about other affordable accommodations? I then came across HostelsClub, and saw they offered several filtering criteria while looking for accommodations, which included the type of place you were looking for, the area you wanted to live in, the type of room, etc. So, I entered all my preferences, including breakfast(we know how important THAT is!),Wifi and locations close to the beach.

Filtering using my preferred criteria to find a location close to the beach

And then, I found the perfect match! Located 400 metres away from the Playa de la Mar Bella (Mar Bella Beach), near a metro station, offering internet access,breakfast,beach activities and a tonne of other awesome things, I had found Amistat Beach Hostel!

I was super excited and contacted HostelsClub regarding it. From what I had seen, Amistat offered rooms for 4 to 12 people. But, they had a few private rooms too, which could be booked on request.

The free morning beach activities they organized from Thursday to Saturday,including beach volley and beach football, along-with the partnerships they had with the free walking tours,cooking classes,etc were all adding to my excitement.And I was very much looking forward to my trip.

_____ _______

So,finally, about a month later, I had reached Spain, attended TBEX at Lloret De Mar, scuba-dived(details coming soon) and then arrived in Barcelona. However, on reaching the city, I had the misfortune of being pickpocketed in a metro, and as a result, spent quite a few hours making calls and filing complaints at the police station- all this while moving around with my luggage. At night, I decided to call up Amistat and let them know of my delay. I was a little scared thinking that I might not be able to enter the hostel if it got too late, especially since a few places I had stayed at earlier (particularly one in Florence) had made it clear that checking in after 10 pm would not be allowed. To my relief, they told me that the reception is open 24 hours and there would not be any problem at all!

By the time I reached the hostel, it was very late. But, I was greeted by someone at the reception, who was aware of my problem and cause of delay. Pali was super-friendly and gave me the necessary information about my room,breakfast and common area.

Posing for a picture:Super-friendly staff at Amistat Beach Hostel

He was also kind enough to not take a deposit from me, as a consideration for my problem. The common space, funky design and all the colours around uplifted my mood, and I was thrilled to know that I was to be the first person to stay in their absolute new room- The Coral Suite!

When I walked into the Coral room and took the flight of stairs to go up, I was just so surprised to see the decor and the way the room had been set! Had they mentioned anywhere that the private rooms would resemble those of a luxury hostel?

The room had a flat-screen TV on the wall,lovely decor, comfortable beds and also disco lights that you could operate with a remote! However, I was so tired, that after treating myself to a hot shower, I jumped into bed to have a good sleep.

The next morning, I went to the kitchen area to get some breakfast. There was a nice spread of cereal,toast,croissants,coffee/tea etc and was good to meet other people staying there too. As I mentioned earlier, the common seating area was very impressive and was soon filled with lots of people.

The common seating area at Amistat Beach Hostel

The common seating area near the kitchen at Amistat Beach Hostel

Some interesting signs in the common area and kitchen

Owing to the location of the hostel, it is very easy to just go walking(or jogging) at the beach and I saw a whole lot of people getting back from their beach sport activities, by the time I finished my breakfast. Also, remember I mentioned about the free walking tour earlier? Well, ‘New Sandeman’s Europe’ free tours begin at 11 am daily in the city. But, if you are staying at Amistat, you could take the shuttle directly from the hostel at 10:15 am, and reach the meeting point of the tour. This, I thought, was very convenient.

Amistat is located very close to the Mar Bella Beach.Picture source:amistatbeachhostel.com

Posing after beach sport activities.Picture source:amistatbeachhostel.com

You could also leave your luggage at the hostel after checking out, if you would like to move around freely and pick it up later. Besides, they also offered shuttles to/from the airport at additional costs.

Overall, I had a very pleasant stay at Amistat. The hostel is located close to a metro station, a beach, restaurants and offers plenty of services. I was surprised to see a DJ corner, a Wii/video game corner, and thought that the laundry services and the TV as well as computers in the common room were good additions. I would certainly recommend staying here, if you are travelling with friends, or even if it is just the two of you looking for a reasonable place near a beach.

The prices of the rooms vary as per demand, but can be checked online for the preferred dates. Roughly, a shared room(4 to 12 beds) would cost around 20 Euros per person, and the private rooms could cost about 90-100 Euros in total for two people. I thank HostelsClub and Amistat Beach Hostel for their kind co-operation and for having me as a guest for a night. All opinions expressed are strictly personal .

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Myths Debunked

1. El Coco –

2. Ratoncito Pérez (Perez Mouse):

3.The origin of Barcelona-

4.Hall of the Abencerrages

5. The legend of San Jorge(Saint George)

6.The Teruel Lovers

7. Giants and dwarves of Catalonia –

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