Euro Trip 2017: Day 8 - Barcelona, finally

The day started with me waking up in a room that had just been vacated by a job hunter from Croatia.  I was forced to stay at a hostel because of the unexpected cancellation. I didn't get the guy's name, but I chatted with him the previous evening and he said he was in Germany hoping to find a job. I wanted to ask more but it seemed rude so I just let it go.

Instead we talked about sports. I professed my admiration for his country's Goran Ivanisevic and he, of course, mentioned the Filipino boxer-turned politician.

He was gone the next morning when I woke up.

The hostel was decent enough, but it made me realize that I may be getting a bit too old to be sharing a room with strangers while traveling (no offense to all those who prefer to stay in a hostel!). But thats a topic for another post.

The hostel's common area

I checked out before the required time of 10 a.m. and decided to get an early lunch at a Thai place that I walked past the previous evening. I got a Coke from the Rewe across the street, but the restaurant people were apparently unimpressed with my cheapness and asked me not to drink it with the pad thai I ordered. I acquiesced, of course. Can't really argue with an apologetic Thai lady when she asks you to put away the Coke that you didn't buy from their restaurant.

Old gate near the hostel

Truth on a shop window

I took a moment to marvel one last time at the Köln Dom before I made my way to the airport.

Last look at the Köln Dom

I was three hours early for my flight. Wasn't taking any chances

In the plane, a nice enough Irish chap sat between me and a German girl in the window seat. He started talking to both of us, but his breath reeked of alcohol. He wasn't exactly annoying, but I just answered his questions with nods and one-syllable answers.

In Barcelona, my friend Pedi's instruction to take the bus just outside the airport was spot-on. I didn't have any trouble making my way to the city center. It was my huge suitcase that weighed me down--literally--during the walk to the AirBnb place that Pedi booked. Filippo, the owner was there, and he let me in.

I do not have any prior knowledge about what a Barcelona flat should or shouldn't look like, but this one was clearly old, the stairwell was dirty and the walls outside were filled with graffiti. Filippo said he rents out the rooms to tourists while he stays with his girlfriend who just had their baby not far away.

The flat itself had four bedrooms and has clearly seen better days. There was clearly an effort to spruce things up for guests, but the place had what I would call "decrepit charm." Still, it was right in the heart of La Rambla, the touristy area of the city, so it wasn't all bad. I thought it was the perfect place to see Barcelona for the first time.

I walked around the area while waiting for Pedi to arrive. My initial impression of Barcelona was one of grit and composure. It was like visiting downtown Manila, but much grander, a bit cleaner (just a bit), and just as busy. It was almost midnight, but there were still tons of people on the streets, mostly tourists, I imagined.

Pedi arrived soon enough and we ended up having dinner at the KFC near the flat. I decided I'd have to wait for daylight to fully appreciate the city.

Barcelona after dark

Lovers in Barcelona

Barcelona alley

Next: What Barcelona is really like

Euro Trip 2017: Day 7 - An Extra Day in Cologne

The plan was to stay in Cologne overnight and catch a flight to Barcelona the next day to meet up with Pedi.  I checked out of the hotel at 11, left my bags there and decided to explore the city some more.

Window and view from my hotel room in Cologne 

The Cathedral was jaw-dropping at any angle

Summer was ending and so there was a definite nip in the air. Cologne seemed to be more chill and laid-back, at least, more so than frenetic, high-energy Berlin. My problem is that, while traveling, I very rarely interact with people, especially the locals and it's something I know I need to work on. People in Cologne, however, seemed more cheerful and outgoing, I observed.

I went inside the Dom for a quick see-through and decided that the four-euro charge to go up the tower was worth it.

Stained glass inside the Cologne Cathedral

Inside the Köln Dom

Were the pet dogs buried with their master? 

I was panting and heaving about a quarter of the way up the 533-step tower. For a time, during the last bit of stairs near the top, I felt the beginnings of acrophobia. But I thought of myself as a brave little boy and kept going.

The view up top was breathtaking, as expected. I just wished there weren't any metal bars to ruin the effect. But I could imagine the use for it, though. There must have been a few people throughout its history who thought it was the best idea to climb up the tower and then take the easier way down.

533 steps up the Köln Dom

Gorgeous view from the top

Well-deserved photo on top of the Cologne Cathedral

I had planned on having lunch at one of those Asian food places again, but I walked past a Rewe food store, saw a chocolate donut, plucked it from the shelf then picked up a sandwich by the cashier. I ate everything there. Convenient and fast.

I thought that was it for lunch until I walked further down the main shopping street of Hohenstrasse and found a currywurst stand on one of the side streets. I meant to order just the curry sausages, but the attendant's question of whether I wanted bread or fries to go with it got me a little flustered and so I said fries, which I really didn't want, but I said it anyway and so I got a serving of steamy currywurst with potato fries.

It was after I finished off the sausages (and threw away most of the fries) and while I was walking towards the Ludwig Museum that I realized I lost my glasses. I retraced my steps back to Rewe and the currywurst stand but I could't find it, so I just offered it up to the travel gods as a sacrifice of some sort.

So there were these three monkeys I saw in Cologne...

Roy Lichtenstein painting at the Ludwig Museum

Pop art room inside the Ludwig

Here's a Picasso

They apparently weren't appeased because I found out then that my flight to Barcelona had been canceled, just a few hours before I needed to be at the airport. The next couple of hours were a blur of  me trying to rebook my flight, find a place to stay in Cologne, then make my way over there from the previous hotel.

It was a stressful afternoon, but I figured that, if that was the worst that could happen on this trip, then I'd be grateful.

Messy hair don't care selfie

Next: Finally off to Spain