Day 15,16,17: Home stretch - Marseille

As I walked along to Sants station (Barcelona) to catch my bus to Marseille on Thursday morning, it suddenly hit me that my vacation was going to last only another coupla days. Marseille was on the cards so that I could meet up with Amelie, who I'd promised that I'd see when I came to France. As it happened, she was away all the while, holidaying in Israel on the exact same days that I had my trip (which is how I got an empty house for myself as well when I was in Paris! - Thanks Amel!). So.. somehow, we managed to squeeze in a day so we could see each other in Marseille on Friday, the 14th (Aug).

The bus from Barca was at 9am and it was a splendid 9 hour ride along the coast. Traffic was a touch high on the highways, with the weekend approaching and all that.

We stopped at some sort of a resort for lunch. I had had a heavyish breakfast, and the lunch looked rather bland, expensive & uninviting, so I decided to eat just some Snickers from the vending machine.

I mostly slept all the way. The vast blue sea to my right remained blue and the vast green fields to my left remained green. The bus would, every now and then, stop at a town to drop off some passengers and pick up a bunch. Between my naps, I kept myself amused by playing hide-n-seek with a cute little girl in the seat in front of me. Her mother kept asking me the time, and each time it provided an opportunity for me to revise my french!

The clock struck 6pm and a road sign said Marseille was still 74km away! The bus was late. By the time it drove into the bus station, it was 7pm. A 15 minute baggage check followed. They didn't trust Indians apparently. But the officer was a really cool guy and was joking around. Once he finished the baggage check, he said with a smile "I just ask this because I have to, but.. are you carrying cash more than 10,000 euros".. I just burst out laughing, and replied.. "I wish, I wish! Wouldn't I have come by my private jet then, yeah!?". Then he went about laughingly explaining how he feels like a fool to ask the question every time, but still as per protocol he just has to do it.

So I had finally arrived in Marseille! On the way, I'd caught a glimpse of the port and wished I could go out to sea sometime.

Amelie's house help, Aga, and her boyfriend, had come down to pick me up in his car! Amelie was due to arrive the next morning. It was a short ride to her (Aga's) place, where I would sleep for the night. It was a pretty house, with a direct view of the magnificent Church of Notre Dame on one side and the seaport on the other! She prepared a nice dinner for me with some fried fish, veg balls (sorta like manchurian, without the red), and some wine. It was nearly 10pm and we decided to call it a day. After she left, I was sitting around blogging, admiring Notre Dame by night and... watching 'Jaane bhi do yaaro' & 'How I met your mother' on my laptop till 3am ;)

I woke up leisurely and prepared a cereal breakfast and some eggs for myself. By the time I got refreshed and ready, Amel had arrived, and I waited for her to come and pick me up to go to her new apartement, that her family had just moved into.

Even she was coming there for the first time. And it was great discovering the place. The apartment was spread over 3 floors, with a hall, 4 bedrooms, study and store. It was the top 3 floors of a 9 storey building, and on the top floor was a personal swimming pool!!! I immediately asked Amel what her father did :D - He was a World Rally Championship (WRc) driver and had won the Monte Carlo Porsche 911 rally in 1978-79!! He now had his own insurance firm!! I was in total awe!

I was in presence of greatness here. An actual racing car driver!!! He showed me miniature replicas of his cars, the Porsches, the Alfa Romeo... I was totally dumbfounded! I realized much later there were so many questions I could have asked.. How did it feel to drive those cars?
How was the competition? Saftey issues, etc. etc. etc. But I was just speechless and in rapt attention!

After a while, I sat around talking with Amel & Stephane, and Amel's sister, Marine, waiting for lunch to be served. Amel's grandmother was trying to converse with me in French, and speaking very slowly and it was fun! I was telling her about Hinduism and why I was wearing that thread on me, and that the ring on my finger was NOT an engagement ring :D We had a sublime lunch with two fish curries, rice and wine. There was also this drink which was supposed to be a speciality of Marseille and NO-ONE is supposed to like it the first time. Its not that I didn't like it, but my drinking it slowly prompted Amel's Dad to ask me to stop drinking it and just have some wine!

The weather was like a warm Bombay day without as much humidity in the air. After lunch, we stepped out for a coffee by the port.

After we were done, Amel tells me "My dad is just going to take us for a drive now"

The next 1.5 hours was the most unexpected and amazing experience of my entire trip. Amel's Dad took us for a spin in his BOAT!!! HE HAD HIS OWN BOAT!! Yes, I'll say it again, HE HAD HIS OWN FRIGGIN' BOAT!! It was a powerboat and flew along at maybe a 100km/h. And with a racing driver at the helm, it was exhilarating!! He moved the steering around like a toothpick, and the boat twisted and turned and splashed water at exactly the people he intended to drench! It was super cool!!!

Amel showed me the best-known of Marseille's sights visible from the sea, where Dumas based the Count of Monte Cristo, where Zizou's face was painted, (and now an Olympic Marseille painted was put up), the Champs Elysees of Marseille, the Notre Dame, of course, and much more..!! A most memorable afternoon!

Amel then had to leave with her family to go to Cavalaire for a family get-together. So I decided to make a quick trip down to Aix-en-Provence, which is like a 1/2 hour bus ride from Marseille. Before I got to the bus, Aga & I made a trip to the Palais Longchamps, which is a stunning palace in the heart of the city. Then I was off to Aix.

Its a pretty little town. There're absolutely tons of eat out places, a beautiful fountain, church, merry-go-round and the usual entertainers et al. I walked around from 8pm to 11pm, had a pizza and a beer and the caught the last bus, at 11.30pm, back to Marseille.

Aga took me out for a spin on her bike again, this time to show the Palais Longchamps by night, and it was absolutely magnificent. The next day was going to be spent packing, traveling back to Paris, and then eventually flying back to Bombay.

My train was at 1pm from Marseille, and was to take me directly to Paris Charles de Gaulle via Lyon. I met a charming lady on the train - Frederique. She had a cute Jack Russel named Enjoy, and I was trying to tell her in Freninglish a little bit about India, which was like a dream destination for her.

Before I knew it, we'd blitzed past Lyon, all the way across to the North of France, to Paris. At the airport, it was quiet. I had arrived at 5pm for a 10pm flight! With nothing to do and 100 euros in my pocket, I shopped for chocolates, wine and desperately searched for Made in Europe souvenirs (all of them were Made in China! X( ) It was time to board the flight then, and I realized I had forgotten to take my tax money back. When traveling in Europe, you pay VAT on everything, which is reimbursable at the end of the trip. But by then it was too late - a loss of about 50 euros (GRUNT!).

I was looking forward to getting back.

--

It has been the trip of a lifetime! So many fond memories...! I'm glad I penned at least some of em down on this blog. My laptop has been a faithful companion on the trip. Not once misbehaving, and light enough never to trouble my back. I've returned with at least a few shades darker skin, thanks mostly to my time in Spain. It would be next to impossible to pick a favourite place on the trip... All I can say is I loved EVERY moment of it!

Au revoir. Goodbye. Adios.

Day 14: Barcelona - THE CAMP NOU!!!

Today was going to see a dream come true for me. I was quietly excited as I poured myself some milk in a bowl of cereal at breakfast. Accessing the Barcelona website on my phone, I checked what I could do at The Camp Nou. A bit of a scare was that to go on the tour inside the stadium, the website suggested that I'd have to book one day in advance to be safe. But given that it wasn't really peak season, I was pretty sure that I'd get in without much trouble.

I was in a bit of a trance in the morning, still unable to believe that I was actually going to be at this place that I saw so often on TV, with the likes of Messi, Iniesta and Xavi running riot on opposition defences. If there was one thing I had come to do in Barcelona, it was to visit The Camp Nou. I took a short 1-station ride to the station 'Badal'. From there it was about a 15-20 minute walk.

I got my first glimpse of the stadium from the south side. And it was colossal. With a capacity of 110,000 people, it had to be! I had to head to the west side for the entrance. It was here that I first saw the actual stadium complex - with stores, restaurants, parking, arrangements for ticketing, etc. The excitement was building, and I had unknowingly quickened my pace. I headed first for the ticket counter... only to find that that was not the one for the tour. It was actually for season tickets. There were a few old people hanging around there, smoking cigars - the kinds you'd expect to see at every match, watching it from box seats and the like.

So I had to head past the parking lot, to the place where the Barcelona Club Store was. The ticket counters for the tour were right next to it, and I had my 17 euros - PEANUTS - ready with me! Upon entering the stadium, I'm offered to rent a pair of 'walkthrough guide headphones' for 5 euros. I didn't see anyone taking it, and also the write-ups on the internet didn't really think it was worth it. So I head right inside. The path for fans is well laid out, and leads first directly to a mini-theatre. There's a wait of about 10 mins of wait, where I manage to get a few strained glimpses of the pitch.

Upon heading into the theatre, everyone is provided with a pair of 3D glasses! There are about 130-150 seats I'd guess. I plonk myself right in the middle to get a good view of the screen. The video is, if you haven't guessed it till now, of course, about the club, with a lot of stunning 3D videos of some goals being scored by the current team. And it is just MAGNIFICENT. The emotion the video managed to serve up with all the music and the fantastic camera angles combined with the collective ooohs and aaahs of the audience ensured that I had my eyes full in the end. It was MAGIC. I was COMPLETELY in a trance now.

The next 2 hours or so is etched in my memory and I can just press 'play' in my head whenever I want.

The line of fans move on to the locker rooms from there. Messi stood here a few months ago, and will again in a month's time. Guardiola was at the board, drawing out plans on who plays where, and will be again. Xavi was there, pitching in with his experience. And will be again. My hands were living a life of their own, clicking random pictures, which are like a blur in my memory...

Then we headed towards the pitch, walking through the players' tunnel... My mind was making me hear sounds of crowds roaring around me. I felt like I was there, right there, when a game was being played, walking out with the players... I sat on one of the seats for a bit and let myself come back to the real world. What a sight it would be to watch a game here!

Then I moved on back inside through the Champions gallery (with all them trophies that Barca has won)... Past the room where the post-match interviews are held... and onto the next (higher) tier of seats. And then onto the top tier with those cushion seats, glass box and air conditioning! If there was a place to be when a game was on, this was it! It would probably set me back by a coupla hundred euros at least, but I'd be more than willing. Some day, I will come back and watch a game here! Dream on... as they say :)

After absolutely drowning myself in the atmosphere, I headed through to the museum which has videos of Barca's greats playing. There are even memorabilia from other sports - handball, basketball.. and you realize there's much more to the club than football.

The museum exit heads right back to the Barca Store by a bridge. There's absolutely everything that you can imagine with a Barca engraved on it - from underwear to cups to caps to tees.

Its 3pm by the time I finish. I head back to the hostel, siesta, and in the evening head out to see La Sagrada Familia and a few other astounding Gaudi works. Since I have a bus early next morning, to Marseille, I return early (11ish) after another tapas filled dinner at Tapa Tapa, which's good, but a little bit more expensive than last night.

The day, though, clearly belonged, to The Camp Nou. Gaudi or no Gaudi, THIS is what calls me back to Barcelona more than anything else!

Day 13: Barcelona!!!

After a fantastic time at Sevilla, I took the 12.50pm Vueling Airlines flight to Barcelona the following day. Its another budget airline, but far better than Ryanair, which we flew from London to Jerez. Surprisingly, the flight was packed. Midweek (Tuesday), going from Sevilla to Barcelona, made me think what all these people were upto :) . Mostly tourists I presumed.

When I got to Barcelona and made my way out of the airport, I was shocked to meet a couple of Indian helper guys speaking in Hindi. They asked me where I wanted to go. For a moment, I hesitated with my hindi, "Was this really happening!?". Both the guys were from Punjab, and I later realized that there were several several people from Punjab in Barcelona. Most of them worked as helpers or had a store of their own. But it wasn't entirely unexpected, because during one of the night outs in Arcos, I'd met a guy who said that he had many Indian friends in Barcelona, and that they were mostly carpenters! Paris had had very few Indians, except for the Tamil area that we'd gone to for dinner on one of the nights. Arcos had zilch, and same with Seville (with the exception of one store selling only Indian stuff, which was closed, but I presumed would've been manned by an Indian or a Spanish person who knew a lot about India - not common in the South of Spain, I can assure you). So, Barcelona had served up a surprise on arrival.


Getting around to finding my hostel was quite easy. I had the name and the address, and the person at the information desk gave me precise directions, written down on a piece of paper! So all I had to do was to catch a train out to the city, get off at Barca Sants station and walk to my hostel - Alberguinn. It was conveniently located at just 5 mins walk from 3 metro stations. As with London & Paris, one could get to any part of Barcelona VERY conveniently with the metro.

The hostel itself was very well maintained, and I was greeted with a loud yet sweet 'Olaaa!' by the cheerful receptionist, Joanna (Its funny how I can remember the names of good-looking women easily, whereas otherwise its quite a tough ask :)). My room had 14 beds! Since I arrived at 4 in the evening, there was nobody there but for two girls who were sleeping. I decided to take a nice nap before I left in the evening to explore this dream city.

I woke up to the girls rolling some joints :O At this time of the day? 5pm.. puhh..! Anyways, I introduced myself, said hello and then headed for a nice bath. I would meet more French girls after my bath, they all belonged to the same group it seemed, on holiday from Paris. I was ready to leave, but I had no idea where to. Joanna, the girl at the reception was a huge help here. She obviously had mastered the map and all the 'must-see' places. I told her the kind of places I wanted to visit and she outlined a nice plan for the evening.

First stop, the Barca Sants station for booking my bus tickets to Marseille in 2 days time. I'm glad I got that out of the way because if I'd have waited any longer, they'd have run out of places on the bus. There are three buses a day, and I could get a ticket only on the one in the morning (9am).

So with that set, I set out on my foot route. Walking all the way from Barca Sants to the Placa Espanya. Its got an Arc d'Triomphe feel to it, but somehow I liked the view better with the Palace (Palau Nacional) in the background. Walking along the Avenue de la Reina Maria Cristina is quite an experience. You're surrounded by architecture that look MUCH bigger than in pictures or on the graphic map of Barcelona (that I was carrying). The Palace is at a good 5 storeys height from ground level, and open air escalators take you up to it! Its quite a pleasant surprise, and I think they've been put in place keeping in mind the warm weather, which would take a lot out of one if s/he were to climb all the way up.

Getting to the top, the view is fantastic. There's someone playing a soft guitar on what looks like the courtyard of the palace and it makes for a very peaceful experience. Taking a walk around the palace, i decide to walk through the gardens behind it further up to the Museu Olimpic i de l'Esport, the Olympic stadium. I get a glimpse of the ground from the outside and it looks like a regular one with a pitch in between and the race track around it. My goal was to get to the Muntanya de Monjuic and the Castell de Montjuic. It is one of the highest points in the city and its a good 5 minute cable car ride from the Funicular Montjuic station. By the time I took my leisurely walk and made my way up to the Castle of Montjuic, it was close to 9pm, just around time for sunset!! The view was, needless to say, breathtaking! The castle is absolutely majestic and it would have been quite a sight to live here... the sea port on one side, mountains on the other side and the city, replete with Gaudi's mindblowing architecture, sandwiched right in between.

With night descending upon the city, I took the cable car ride back down, and to further head towards the station 'Catalunya'. This is the heart of the city, and the name evokes strong a sense of pride in me because of its frequent mention when watching a Barca football match. Right outside the station is the most famous street in Barcelona - Las Ramblas. At past 9.30pm, its choc-a-bloc with people, mostly tourists. Magicians, entertainers, painters, photographers are dime a dozen and people queue up to watch, have fun, be drawn, clicked and the like. There is a fantastic party atmosphere about the whole place. The sound of music playing from all corners and smell of fresh food from the various restaurants lining along the street make the experience complete. I walk the streets adjoining the Las Ramblas as well. These are full of life as well. One 'square' quickly leads to another and people are just lounging around, having a drink and enjoying the warm weather.

That's one thing about Spain. The country just feels MUCH more alive than France or England. The people have a buzz about them. Its not uncommon to give and receive smiles from complete strangers. When I've stood on the street looking at my map for directions, people have come up to me and offered help, can count at least 6-7 instances of that - never did it happen anywhere else. In that sense, Spain feels very much like India, almost as if the people identify with you, rather than consider you a visitor. Its something that really endeared me to Spain. It was an observation consistent across the cities I visited.

I rumbled through Las Ramblas, walked over to the port, through the palm trees - the whole thing felt surreal. I have a weakness for the sea, and I just HAD to sit by it at least for a half hour and soak in the atmosphere. Joanna had suggested that I try this place called Civdad Condal for some good Tapas, but slightly on the expensive side. I was game, and headed there after my long walk. I'd have preferred to sit outside, but there was no place. Inside it was a bit claustrophobic but I got a seat with a (small) view of the outside, so it wasn't all that bad. I ordered two fish tapas, and of course, Tinto! I had a good fill in the end. The waiters were all Chinese, who spoke English in bits. But it was easy to understand the menu coz it was in like 5 languages. Barca, being the touristy city that it is, restaurants have menus printed in several languagues, so that makes things very easy for anyone traveling.

It was nearly 12 by the time I finished and I debated with myself if I should take the last train (at midnight) back to the hostel, or hang around for a bit more and then take a bus (which runs through the night). I decided the easier option, of going for the train. My legs were beginning to complain just a tad bit, and I wasn't sure I'd do much more even if I waited. So off I went by the last train and got back to the hostel around 12.30am. There was a crowd of people standing outside the place having a smoke, and I was greeted by a crowd of "Olaa"s and a few "Bonjour"s as well. Wonder who in the crowd thought I was french :P

I had a quick wash and headed right for bed, only to find a delightful looking girl, Nina, sitting there. Her bed was the one on top of mine and she was "just about to go up" to it and sleep. We had a nice chat, exchanging our stories briefly. What was quite a shocker was that she was from the same village where my cousin lived just outside of London! Its amazing how small the world is! Then I went off to reading my book and she headed off to bed.

And THAT was my first evening in Barcelona. I had fallen in love with the city even before I had come here - thanks to the football and severl shows on TV saying how awesome a place it is. And it had more than lived up to all that hype & build-up.

Tomorrow, the Camp Nou. :)

Day 12: SEVILLA!!!!!

(Written in the morning of Day n+3, @ Tirupati, completed & posted in the evening)

After a fantastically chilled out Sunday, we were ready to hit the road again, to Seville. The only thing I knew about this city at that point was that there was a strong football club by that name and it had players like Freddy Kanoute. Esther had lived in Seville for 2 months, and promised that we would really like the place.

After a breakfast of tostadas con aceite y ajo (bread, garlic rubbed on it, and olive oil and salt) (fantastic in its simplicity!), off we set, at 11ish in the morning. I think we took a bus to Jerez and from there moved on to Seville by train. I remember the train going up to 160 km/h and we didn't really feel it was going that fast. As the vast empty countryside blazed by I had a feeling of being back in India, in MP perhaps. The landscape was the same colour, a bronzed dryness that we see after summer, albeit the farms seemed a lot more organized.

I was carrying all my luggage with me, since I was proceeding to Barcelona from there. There was no space in the luggage corner in the compartment, so we had kept one of my suitcases right next to our seats. The ticket checker on the train, a biggish lady with scary eyes, came up to Esther and asked her to keep the luggage up. What followed was my first witnessing of a Spanish argument. As is with most arguments, Esther was left fuming at the end, and in a bad mood, especially coz one smart-ass passenger decided to join in and support the cause of the Spanish railways! Esther needed a hug to calm her senses and I'm glad I gave her one, or she might have just gone about ruining her day because of two random people. It was a good fun way to start off in the morning and I had a big smile on my face in the end.

We arrived in Seville's grand railway station, Sevilla Santa Justa, and caught two buses (C2 & C4 I think!) to go to our hostel. On the ride, It was immediately clear to me what a beautiful city Seville is. Colorful buildings make up the skyline, a most stunning river ploughs through the city, far more breathtaking than the 'that joke of a river' (as my other cousin Anu puts it) that Thames is in London. Hostel Redes was wedged in a pretty street that didn't have a soul when we made it there. The hostel itself was small and sweet. Our AC room for 3 was 55 euros a night, a very good deal I thought. By the time we reached the hostel, it was 2 I think. A short siesta later, we were off and running for lunch! Similar to Cadiz, Sevilla has many 'squares'. They were fairly empty at that time of the day though. We went to a nearby restaurant for lunch. It was quite simple, but I stuck to my tradition of trying a new dish every meal. Paella was there, of course, and so was Tinto. The new dish was caballa, a type of Tuna, which was lip-smackingly good. And again, I dipped into my sister's leftovers, tortilla brava. After the heavy lunch we were walking around generally in the direction towards the big church (I think it was Santa maria or something, can't remember the name :( ).. The church structure was fairly imposing, but it was quite plain inside, albeit with some stunning stained glass art-work. They were asking for a fee to go and visit, so we gave that a miss. On the way, we also stopped by at the 'Cafe de Indias' for an icecream! I had a sinful vanilla brownie and I just lovved it melting into my mouth on that hot day!

Then we headed to the Placa d'Espania (Again, I think that's the name, I'm too lazy to check it up online now!). This compound is just magnificent, breathtaking, grandeuse, and all those similar sounding adjectives. With a painting and short write-ups about each province of Spain, it made for interesting viewing. The (very well read) Esther was giving a running commentary on every province as we passed by the stones on each one of em. We clicked several touristy pictures, like excitable, diligent tourists :D We meandered, next, to the gardens adjoining the P.d'Espania.. they're vast and beautiful. The horse-chariot rides through the garden's roads looked extremely inviting, and perhaps with the right kind of (read romantic) company, it would have been more than worth a try!! One day, I will return :)

As we continued walking, the evening descended upon us and we found ourselves walking along the river. It has got to be one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. It was LOVE at first sight. The sun simmering in the distance, the street lights reflecting on the river, the breeze whispering in the ears, it was pure magic. We sat around, walked, and admired.
Its one of those places, where you just go quiet, coz its just sooo stunning.


We walked on one of the many bridges across the river, and headed for a restaurant, for dinner. It was past 10pm, and light music filled the air from the various musicians playing on streets near and far.

Restaurants by the river are understandably expensive, so we headed inland for a cheaper, fuller meal. Esther and I literally had tons of seafood - prawns, squid, fish, you name it! Mridula gave up soon, as usual, but we kept goin on, and on, and on. It was my biggest seafood meal EVER! And it was also one of the best!

(Of course, I had Tinto to go with it, 2 glasses this time, proportionate to the amount of food I ate!!)

After the eating binge, we clearly needed a long walk... so we walked all the way back to the hostel, stopping on the way for a Mojito :)... and once we got there, we pretty much just fell asleep before hitting the sack!

It had been an absolutely amazing day. Sevilla was more than just a pleasant surprise, it just blew me away. Period.

The plan for the next day - get up in the morning and fly to BARCELONA!!! Comin up.. in the next posts!!!

Day 11: Arcos

(Some vivid and some rather hazy memories, writing this in Tirupati on day n+2)

Saturday night ended disappointingly early because of my shoulder trouble. I usually wake up after 6 hours of sleep, but when I woke up I realised almost 9 hours had passed since I fell asleep. It was just what my body needed at that time, I'm sure. I had been on a perpetual high since my trip started, had had a lot of walking, less sleep and generally a very high level of awareness. The shoulder pain could also have been linked to the fatigue, that was suggested by the unusually long sleep that night.

So Sunday had to be REST DAY. Luckily Esther had also exactly the same plan. The trip to SEville had to be postponed to the next day (Monday), coz Esther's cousin wasn't in town - so we'd have to go and stay in Seville for just one day, and in a hotel.

It was a leisurely morning. Among other things, we got on the internet to figure out where we'd be staying in Seville, my flight to Barcelona and staying options there. For breakfast, we had something like chocolate and bread - or maybe that was the next day, but yeah, twas neither fantastically memorable or forgettable and hence rememberable)

The plan, as I said, was to relax. The venue, couldnt have been better. Esther's home, her relaxed family, the relaxed swimming pool, the relaxed sunshine..... aaahhhh...

Once we got there, I got into a very animated conversation with Esther's dad about football. He went about in Spanish, waving around his arms and widening his eyes from time to time. And of course I went about in English. I'd have done Hindi and it wouldn't have made a difference :) But it was so cool, coz we were actually understanding each other, talking about Barcelona, Real Madrid, and watching the highlights of a friendly Real played. Then Esther's grandma joined in the fun. The channel on the TV had changed by this time to a series about Bullfighting and the legendary Torros of Spain. Esther's grandma was the one doing all the talking now, and she really seemed to like my occasional head nods, even if I didn't understand much. It elicited the most beautiful, sweetest toothless smile from her, which I had so fallen in love with! As my sister put it, she was just a very huggable person.. you look at her, and you want a hug!

After the Spanish conversations, it was time for lunch and this time, being a Sunday, the menu was more elaborate! Churros con chocolate, beans stew, pisto (veg mash), berenjenas y pimiento frito (aubergines and pepper) and OF COURSE, TINTO!!! Its amazing how quickly people disappear for Siestas once lunch is done! We headed to the pool instead and today, I was going to go in for a dip. By now, I'd worked up a VERY dark tan, and it was just going to get darker... (My dad was shocked to see me when I returned, he said - "You went to Europe, its cold there, and people become white.. what have you been upto!?!" :D Then I had to go on to explaining how South of Spain could go all the way upto 40 degrees in Summer, and how I was out in the Sun swimming!)

Anyways, it was a most relaxed afternoon and evening, swimming, frolicking in the water and playing silly games with the kids (Esther's cousins). We headed out around 10pm after a short trip to Esther's grandma's house where we were staying, for dinner and some drinks. It seemed like a Spanish McDonald's we went to and I ordered a patata rellena which is basically stuffed potatoes. It was with some Mexican sauce and had a nice slurpy spicy twinge to it. We got the food packed and sat at Sonia's bar and had our dinner along with some light drinks. I had white wine, served complimentary from the ever-sweet Sonia, and we chatted into the night.

I remember not thinking too much about the next day. We were going to Sevilla and I'd not heard anything about the place. I was going to go, as usual, with an open mind :)

Day 10: Cadiz

(Written partly in Marseille & partly after returning to India)

After yet another long night, the impending trip to the magnificent port city of Cadiz served to wake us up early (9am) for the bus-ride. We had thought of catching a direct bus which leaves at 11 (I think). But that bus was scheduled only for weekdays and it was a Saturday! So we had to take a bus to Jerez and then a train from there to Cadiz. We were standing at the bus station waiting for the bus. An empty bus was standing with a clueless looking bus driver in it. He told us, and other waiting passengers, that he "wasn't sure if the bus would go to Jerez"! Everyone was wondering which bus would go then, coz there was none other around. People started to get desperate trying to figure out if there would be a bus at all. Then, when it was just about the scheduled departure time, he came out (of the empty bus standing on the station) and announced proudly - "THIS bus will go to Jerez!" Some passengers laughed and got in sportingly, cheering the bus driver's attempt to make his own life a little bit more interesting. But there were others who were like "you could've told us before, why were we rotting here outside in the heat!"

A half-hour-or-so bus ride later we were at Jerez. The train to Cadiz was going to be another half hour ride. (The train station is right next to the bus station, neat!). So off we went to Cadiz. Of course, at every possible moment of free time, we promptly fell asleep, trying in vain to catch up for all the sleep lost the previous night.

But we were awoken by the stunning sight of crystal clear blue water and sun-kissed sands as the train rolled into Cadiz. Forgetting all our sleepiness, we stepped into this beautiful little city. With several 'squares' or 'meeting points', Cadiz was buzzing with activity. The sun and the beaches had combined to attract scores of picknickers and tourists from near and far. It was a party atmosphere with music playing on the streets, with the swish of the waves in the background!

We were joined by Ignacio, Esther's friend, who lived in Cadiz. He walked us through some pretty roads and led us to a rather non-descript and quiet one, to a restaurant for lunch. It was to be another typical Spanish lunch, but this time, seafood, seafood, and more seafood was on the menu for me - Merluza (Grilled hake with Cadiz Sauce!), chick peas with prawns, patatas bravas, paella, and of course, Tinto!

After a scrumptuous lunch, it was time to hit the beach. There are several beaches in Cadiz, and I'm not quite sure which one we went to (but it wasn't the nude beach that Esther spoke about :P) The beach was full of sunbathing people, all eager to get a tan! There were only a few people in the water, most of them were in the sand baking under the sun! The water was cool, and inviting, in the hot sun. After the initial hiccups of the relatively lower temperature, I adjusted quite well to the water temperature and had a fantastic time playing in the waves. Its the first time in my life that I can remember I enjoyed so much in the sea. I've never been more than knee deep! I've always had a feeling of disgust at the water in Bombay's beaches, and have always been inhibited in going for a bath in them. This was different though, the water was clean and cool, and felt just amazing exactly at the moment of the first dip and then on it was just pure fun!

We must have thrashed around in the water for 2 hours I think. I even came ashore for a beer and some chips... ahh it was just heavenly I say!!

Then it was time to head home... for a shower, and a party!! Esther's friend, Sonia, was celebrating her birthday, and we were invited :) So we headed back to Arcos by around 7, siesta till 9, getting ready, and then we were off!

It was a barbeque party and the Spanish have only red meat in Barbeques apparently. Esther only realized once we got there and was in a hurry to prepare something vegetarian for my sister and me. She got all the stuff ready - rice, broccoli, onions and a few other veggies. Then she handed over the baton to our cook for the evening - her beautiful friend, Laura. She made us a most fantastic quick-dinner and we enjoyed it with tortillas and beer!! The drinks were flowing and the boys at the party started playing football. I desperately wanted to join, but a shooting pain in my shoulder absolutely out of nowhere ensured that I wouldn't be able to participate. Some of Sonia's friends were professional musicians, Flamenco, rock & the like, so we were treated to some superb music. Sonia herself sang in her melancholic deep voice bringing tears to my sister's eyes! It was just about 2am and the night was young. We were just about settled in with the party when, sadly, my shoulder pain became unbearable and I had to drag Esther & Mridula back home. I had apparently twisted a muscle or something along those lines. I went for a hot shower, and the pain immediately subsided and I could thankfully get a comfortable night's sleep.

And THAT was Cadiz's & Sonia's (b)day! Another wow-inciting day in Spain, and I couldn't wait for the sun to rise again the next morning!

Day 8,9: Arcos (South of Spain)

(Written in Marseille)

Now started the part of the trip that I knew absolutely nothing about! My sister was visiting her friend, Esther, in the South of Spain, and I was just tagging along. All I knew was that we were going to land in Jerez, which is in the South-west corner of Spain. I'd only heard of the place because of the racing events held there. Till a coupla years back, there was an F1 race as well there, but now its not in the calendar, I think.

On Thursday evening, we landed to brilliant sunshine and vast countryside. Jerez airport is strikingly similar to Indore airport, with just three luggage belts and hardly anyone around. Only the shady looking fellows coming and asking if I want a taxi were missing - the taxis were just standing in an orderly line outside the airport.

We were headed to Arcos, Esther's hometown, about a 35 minute drive from Jerez airport. It was well past 9 pm and yet bright sunshine filled the sky. I don't think I've ever seen the sky bluer than what I saw that evening in Jerez. It was simply brilliant! Esther's uncle, Paco, and Esther herself had driven down to pick us up from the airport.

As the car rolled into Arcos, I got more than a glimpse of the hilly, white town. White because, most of the buildings in Arcos are white in color and from far, the landscape shining in the sun looks magnificent.

We headed for Esther's sister's (empty) house, where we were to spend the night. Alex, Esther's boyfriend was also there and we all had a nice & relaxed dinner together. On the menu, beer, tortillas, banderillas, aceitunas, queso manchego and anchoas.

If I'd thought that that was going to be the end of the day, I was wrong. After about 11pm, we headed out for drinks! This was when the night started in most of Spain apparently! I stuck to my beer as people around me had rum and gin and whisky.. We met some of Esther's friends and time passed quite quickly. My dark-skinned sister and me were quite the object of curious glances and questions. The fact that I looked very much like a famous Flamenco singer was also mentioned with rather startling regularity! The "Ola"s and "Adios"es kept running thick and fast through the night as we hopped through bars in Arcos. By the time we were back home to sleep, it was close to 4am!! Reminded me of the party days back in college where the timelines were similar, only we had class at 8 am the next day! ;)

Sleeping at 4am meant the next morning wasn't going to be a particularly early one. We woke up at 11ish, had fruits & bread for breakfast and headed to Esther's house for lunch. We were greeted by her wonderful family who despite the language (they knew only Spanish!), made us feel completely at home! At lunch time, I got a taste of what would become two of my favorite Spanish foods/drinks. The first one was the astounding Tinto de Verano - a red-coloured drink of wine mixed with lemonade! I loved the taste so much that I had it in almost each of my meals thereafter!

The second one was Paella - a rice dish cooked with turmeric powder (VERY Indian!), and with something like fish or egg or meat to go with it. There was also a pepper salad called Pimiento Salad, which completed my first fully-Spanish lunch.

We relaxed and siesta-d by the pool post lunch and I got a first-hand feel of Spanish life in the countryside. Siestas are the norm in all of Spain apparently, and people take at least 1/2 hour naps in the afternoon!

In the evening, we headed out for a walk, and dinner, looking for the best tapas in town. Tapas is a family of dishes really, and can be cooked with meat or seafood. I guess its the way they cook it that is similar. But since by the time we got out it was nearly 10pm, all the well-known Tapas places were full. So we had to 'settle' for a regular restaurant. I had some outstanding boquerones (fried fish), acedias, gambas (prawns) and revuelto de gambas (veggies with prawns and fried egg). It was a good meal, and as my sister could not finish her dish, I was happy to help her out by finishing her patatas al alioli (a potato based dish) as well!!

Then just like last night, we headed from bar to bar (different ones this time of course!), with me downing a few glasses of beer & Tinto! The curious glances continued as we danced into the night!

Day 6,7,8 - London

Written on the bus from Barcelona to Marseille) (and posted from Dubai airport on the way back to Bombay)

As the train labored into St. Pancras station in London, I could feel the immediate change from Paris. It was cooler and the air, expectedly, smelled different. I've always remembered the smells of different cities, and now I'd added London to that list. Waiting at the station was my beautiful (cousin) sister Mridula. As it happened, I called her to try and figure out where she was and we were standing right next to each other!! (Damn roaming rates, 100 rupees gone in a flash :P ). One welcome change was the cars driving on the left side of the road! I had at least a coupla times been caught off guard in Paris looking right and bolting across the street only to find a car coming from the left side!

It was 9pm by the time we got home, and since I'd already had something to eat on the train, I could only have a nice Maggi when I reached home - ah, it brings a smile to my face even as I write it! Soon, it was time to head to bed as London was more of an early-sleeping-early-waking city than Paris at least.

I woke up quite leisurely the following morning. My sister had already left for work, and I had a nice time preparing an English breakfast of bread & eggs. I spent some time online trying to see what I could do during the day.

By the time I left the house, it was 11am. First stop, Oxford Street. London is a fantastically cosmopolitan city. Oxford street just drives that fact home. As I walk along, I see Indians (LOTS of us), French, Americans, Italians and a few English thrown in. Its a stark contrast to Paris, where there were very few Indians and people from other nationalities were clearly tourists. In London, they were shopkeepers, businessmen, office-goers & the like.

The weather was cool with a slight nip in the air, but there was no sun nor rain. Oxford Street is full of all the big brands you can imagine. I had thought I'll do some shopping, but the prices were a bit too much for my shallow pockets. Overall, it was a typical big market with a Phoenix Mills kinda feel to it, multiplied by like 100 times for size.

Next stop, St. Paul's Cathedral. This imposing structure stands surrounded by beautiful little gardens. As I walked around it, the sun decided to make a guest appearance, and the white Cathedral gleaned in delight. I'd have gone inside, but there was no service on, and at other times there's a fee, so I decided to give it a skip. The Thames runs by, actually meanders by, close to the Cathedral, and I took a diversion from my original plan to walk along it for a bit. From the Millenium bridge, right up to the Castle was a good 20 minute walk. It was past 2 pm and there were several joggers along the path - very strange I might add. I assume the weather in London is only so good so often for jogging!

The King's Castle at the end of the path is strikingly large (what did I expect!? Its a castle for godssake!). Again, no point going inside I thought, some 20 pounds. Instead, I watched the free video at the welcome desk and it was pretty nice, I might add.

After walking around randomly for another half hour or so, I headed for my last 'touristy' stop of the day - Camden Market. This is a very Indian style market, a bit like Chor Bazaar in Bombay, with lots of little shops selling everything from beads to keychains and sunglasses. It was packed with tourists, most of them trying to drive a hard bargain. A comparison with prices in India made me laugh, coz if these tourists were really looking for bargains, they should have been in Bombay or Delhi not London ;)

As evening arrived, I headed out towards the country-side, to spend the night and the next day with my other (cousin) sister, Anu. She had a nice place in a green town called Highwycombe, about 30 miles from Central London. By the time I got there, it was 8.30 pm, bang on time for dinner! After a long time, I had a typical Indian dinner (I couldn't count the one I had in Paris as Indian as it was inordinately spicy and gave me a forgettable yet memorable next morning ;))

A nice relaxed evening (with my very shy nephew, Ary - short for Aryaman - who looks remarkably like me) later, I was ready to hit the sack. The next day was going to be one of full relaxation. I wanted to enjoy the countryside and have a quiet time at home and walking around in nearby parks. Highwycombe is a beautiful little town, and my brother-in-law, Arnab, was very kind to drive me around to see the local cricket ground, football pitch and park. Its the quintessential quiet life. Ary, after the initial shyness really seemed to take a liking to me and started talking a lot. He'd address me as 'Mamu' - a way of saying Mama (uncle)!! So he'd go "Mamu, lets go to the park" or "Mamu, lets watch Nemo", or, "Mamu, what car do you have? I have a thunderbird!"...!! With all that & blazing sunshine (an extreme rarity in England), I had what I wanted, a relaxed day spent with family and not to mention, great food.

In the evening, I headed back to London, to rejoin my sister and help get things sorted out before we flew to Spain the next day (Thursday). I cooked a simple dinner of rice, sambhar (ready-made) and salad which we enjoyed as we caught up on the latest from each others' lives.

London was a short stay. Its not a very touristy city, but there are still quite some places to see if one plans a longer trip. Highwycombe was the highlight of my trip there - the quiet life, on vacation - twas as welcome as the Londoners welcome a bout of sunshine.

Goodbye Paris, Hello London!

(typed out on the train from Paris to London... posted on Tuesday night, midnight London time)

Sunday:
The Sunday phenomenon had its victim in me as well. I woke up much later than usual, at 8am! It was a nice and slow morning. I made myself some eggs and had em with bread and butter, wrote my blog (which was the last-to-last post!) and generally did a check on my finances, how much I'd spent, how much I had remaining etc. etc.

By the time I left the house, it was past 2pm, I think!! I had a kind of a sinking feeling, coz I knew it was my last real day in Paris, as I had planned to leave for London the next day, and most of that time would go off in packing & just leaving. But I was looking forward to a nice walk around the Jewish area of town with Alice & Jeanne, and also meeting Amy, who had just come back from a holiday in her hometown, Nice. We started off by sitting in a centrally located garden, (I forget the name, as usual), where we just relaxed, had chocolate cake (thanks to Jeanne) and generally caught up on each others' lives... The Jewish area is dotted with expensive eateries and other outlets. Falafels are the most famous dish around, and although I didn't have one, I was told they are highly recommended.

After that I headed to Jeanne's place for a nice home-cooked dinner. This was my first true French dinner after I'd arrived and I enjoyed it thoroughly. A cucumber chutney-like sauce, veggie-stuffed pasta and some olive paste (I think), combined with a glass of sweet-tasting wine made for a scrumptious meal.

I got my tickets to London booked, thanks to Jeanne, and it was time for the rather difficult goodbyes.

It had been a long, and yet, short day. I would have liked it to last longer... Paris had successfully woven its spell around me. Its very much a city like Bombay. You just like it, you can't really say why; it just feels like home. One might argue that it was the company of great friends, or the Bombay-trains-like metro, and I wont be able to say much against either, but at the end of the day, Paris is a happy memory.


Day 5:

Monday. It was a morning I had earmarked for shopping. I headed over to the Grands Magazins (close to Haussmann Saint-Lazare). Sadly, I didn't find anything uniquely Parisien. There were the usual Eiffel Tower keyrings and plates and mirrors, but I just cringed at their overtly-touristy sight!
Then I had a nice lunch with Amy, pizza & sandwiches, by the Eiffel Tower.
It got over quicker than either of us would've liked, but it was a working day for her, and there was only so much lunch-time.

Only after I got back home and packed all my stuff did it hit me that I was actually leaving. With a heavy heart, but also the excitement of the impending meeting with my cousins in London & further trip to Spain, I reached the Gare-du-Nord for my train to Saint Pancras (London).

To my utter delight, I had booked myself in business class (150 euros for a 2h15min journey!), but it was totally worth it. I felt like a king, being pampered by champagne and rich food. The train itself sounded like a vacuum cleaner in full-flow, but not very loud.. :P

As I write this offline on my laptop, I'm about to arrive in about 1/2 an hour. London beckons!!

Saturday in Paris!!

Notes from Saturday :

After a late night on Friday, one'd have thought that Saturday was bound to be short. NOT!!! As had been the case in the previous two days, I woke up after just 4 1/2 hours of sleep at 7.30am. All the adrenalin pumping through me ensured that there would be absolutely no hint of tiredness!!

The plan for the day was to meet my aunt's friend, who'd come to India about 10 years back!! She was an American but had been in Paris for over 20 years. I'd briefed her on what all I'd done till then and she'd planned out a nice walking route through a few other places. We started with the Luxembourg Gardens and the beautiful Senate building. The garden is as beautiful as any other. Tons of summer revellers occupy each and every sunny spot on the grass. We wade through photo exhibitions, art exhibits and intricately carved sculptures. With my knowledgeable guide-friend for company, I get the complete history on each and every thing that I see. So in case you travel to Paris, you'd be well advised to take someone along in case you're interested in the stories behind the sights!

Two days prior, I didn't have the chance to go into the Church of Notre Dame. This day as well, the line was of anacondaic proportions. But once we stood in it, it moved quickly so we were in in like 10 minutes! And the Church is absolutely magnificent. At the time we entered, they just began a service and the music being played (using an organ I think), was almost intoxicating! I felt very moved by the energy of the place, and the music just added to the atmosphere! The scupltures and stained glass paintings outside and inside the Church tell their own stories. With my guide friend being an expert in these matters as well, I got some quick excerpts from the Bible on what some of them meant. Its surprising, the Church is not symmetrical when one looks from the front, and I would not have noticed it had I not been told, I'm too un-artsy for that!!

After the long and satisfying walk, it was time for the Bateaux Mouches (literally translated as Housefly Boat - I have no clue why!). It runs along the Seine and is supposed to be quite expensive. But the company where my aunt's friend works gave her a discount, and I was able to go on one for like 5 euros! The ride is quite Disneylandish, with running commentary on what we're seeing. People, drunk and sane alike, keep waving from the shore, and for me that was more of a highlight as compared to their explanations of all the monuments, which I had already seen on close quarters on foot! There are some Bateaux Mouches which are closed on the top (I went on an open one), and have tables on them for dinner and the like. These, I thought, would make for a perfect romantic night out for dinner - and if its raining, that'd just be dreamland!

By the time the Bateaux Mouches was done, it was 8.30pm. But still bright and sunny :)

Next stop, the Indian part of Paris (close to the Metro Station 'Louis Blanc'), to have an Indian meal with my almost-Indian friends, Jeanne & Marjolaine. I forget the name of the restaurant, but after the meal, I didn't really want to remember it either :P It was spicier than the spiciest Andhra food I have ever had!! (The proof of that is 6 trips to the loo the subsequent morning :P).. OF course, my almost-Indian friends were oblivious to it, coz they had Dosa and Paratha with plain coconut chutney! It was I who ordered a full meal, and bore the brunt of the spices. Nevertheless, it was a thouroughly enjoyable evening and I was happy to be treated to an Indian meal in Paris by Jeanne.

By the time we were done, it was past 11pm, and night had just descended upon the city (I know, finally!)... It was a beautiful sight, lights sparkling everywhere, a buzz in the air, being Saturday night, music playing in street corners... ahh I was loving each moment! As a took a walk back to the house, close to Place d'Italie, I felt a hint of tiredness creeping in. It had been a long last few days. Sunday was to be a relaxed day though, as I had covered pretty much all the major 'things to see'. Paris is a small city, concentrated quite heavily in the centre. The train stations are very close to each other and in all my walks, I found myself easily walking past 5-6 of them in one walk!

What did I do on Sunday...?? Comin up in the next post (which I've already typed out, but have to get the pics in order)!!

Day 3: Montemartre, Eiffel, Champs Élysées, Friday Night French Party!

Being a Friday, a long day (and night!) was in the offing when I woke up early... After a quick but heavy breakfast, I was off to my first stop for the day - The stunning - Montemartre. A hill with a view of the city of Paris, and a serene Church (two actually) on top, is a MUST-GO for anyone coming to Paris.

Why?
1. Absolutely fantastic view of the city
2. Beautiful Church, try to go at the time of a service, good music
3. Loads of tourist attractions, people playing musical instruments, singing, dancing, robot-mimicking, statue-mimicking, etc etc.
4. A walk around the village by the left side of the main church, beautiful little buildings adorned with colourful flowers and decorations

And that's why its a MUST-GO in Paris.

I spent a good two hours exploring the site, with about 45 minutes just sitting inside the Church and soaking in the atmosphere - breathtaking!

Then it was time to head to the 'most beautiful avenue in the world' - The Champs-Élyées.

Taking a walk along it gives an India Gate kinda feeling (with the Arc d'Triomphe). Only, you have restaurants and several chic stores for company, not to mention the well-maintained trees. It was a bit of a longish walk but got over quicker then how long it seemed it would take. At Place de la Concorde, The Obelisk at the other end - a monument that our ol' friend, Mr. Napolean stole from Egypt and brought back to France - stands tall & pretty in the middle of what felt to me like the biggest traffic junction, in terms of size.

After the long walk, with food interspersed somewhere in between, I headed to that place, um, I forgot the name... tower something.. Eye-fill..

And fill your eyes it does... I had of course seen it on the previous day on the walk along the Seine, but only once I got there and stood under it did its sheer size strike me. The top half of the Tower seems stunted though, somehow I had always pictured its proportions differently in my mind.

The gardens right in front of it seemed like a nice place to relax and spend a summer afternoon, especially if you're coming along with your family.

With sunset nowhere in sight even at 7.30 pm, I headed to a friend's place for a typical French party with Wine, Champagne, Cheese, Salad & French music!

The occasion - she'd passed her driving test - after spending about 3000 euros for the driving lessons et al...!

What a waste of money I say... I got mine for 700 rupees (that's 10 euros), and have been learning how to drive since :-P Just kidding... (About the pic, yes, if I remember correctly - hah fat chance :-P - that's Carla Bruni, she was also invited to our party!) Smoked salmon with Tzaziki sauce is the most awesome snack to go with wine, if you've not tried it, you're not yet ready to die, coz its one of the things to do on the list of 'Awesome foods to taste before you die' !!

Sleep came at around 4 am, I think... But it was good and set me up for Super-Saturday!