madrid and barcelona, Spain

After a week or so in Berlin, i went to Madrid and Barcelona, to visit my friends (Santigo, Eugenia and their little girl Tania in Madrid; Fernanda in Barcelona) and speak freely spanish, at last! I stayed a couple of weeks between both cities, enjoyed some family living (again, at last) and took some great tours on car around the cities. Spain is one of the most beautiful countries to eat, go out, meet people, etc. People is open and warm, but i suppose speaking the same language helps a lot.
In Madrid i did rest a lot, went out and enjoyed the company of my friends and their beautiful house. I've been almost every day to Museo del Prado, where are the largest collections of Goya's and Hieronymus Bosch's paitings, among maaaany others. By the other hand, the museum had a fantastic air conditioning system that was really helpful: the temperature in Madrid was about 35°C and rising. Since my camera failed a bit and did not have batteries, i decided to take a short rest from photography those days.
Afer that, i went to Barcelona for a few days. It wasn't on my plans, but since my friend invited me emphatically, i did go... luckyly. I haven't been to Barcelona in 13 years, and never did take a good tour around the city. So, my host took me around the city, going from the mountains, to the sea, to another mountain, to the beach, to a bar up in a hill where you could see the whole city drinking a beer. And, unlike Madrid, Barcelona is a city extremely bike-friendly (not as much as Berlin, though, since it has many ups and downs), so going out with bike was the perfect plan in the summer. Fernanda is such a lover of that city that she new every square centimeter of it, and which architect made it. That was a great city tour.
We stayed a couple of days in the city and went to visit my cousin Santiago and his wife, Irene, both extraordinary people that met working in Andorra in the winter skying season. After some years in Barcelona, they decided to move to the mountains (the Pyrenees), to a little town called La Seu d'Urgell (don't ask me to pronounce it in catalan, please). That was a perfect day and a half, goodbye trip from Barcelona. The day after, i took a plane to Budapest, to meet my friend Lea from Germany, in my way back to my dear Zagreb.

PS. thanks paula, and please forgive my fragile memory! i've visited my friends paula, juan and their little little little aimé in Barcelona; we had a really nice time talking and talking (one of my favourites activities in Spain, God save the common language), although i'd liked to repeat at least once more. Time was running fast, and airplanes don't wait. I should also mention my friends Belén and Vera from Madrid, with whom we shared some great afternoons, again after 14 years... ufff, as i said, times flies. Ajde, best for you, it was a really pleasure to meet you!!




1. Gothic neighborhood!
2. Next to the fountain down the Montjuïc.


3. At the entrance of the Miro museum, great place.
4. Somewhere in an open market. I'd like a room full oh these.


5. Same market, different food category. I'd like a plate full of these; the room would be very smelly.
6. Next to the Montjuïc, down the fountain. Crazy sculpture made by i-don't-know-who, a very renowned artist/architect.


7. Looking at the Montjuïc, thousands of people waiting for the fountain's show to start.
8. Looking from the Montjuïc, same situation.


9. The show started!
10. Sunset a La Seu d'Urgell, in the Pyrenees.


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