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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split, dubrovnik and all the sea in between, Croatia

At the beginning of June, right after the end of my croatian course -a little before in fact- I went with train to Split and Dubrovnik, in the coast of Croatia, taking my beloved bike with me. The Croatian coast of the Adriatic sea is fantastic, not only because of its beaches and waters, but for the cities next to them. I stayed a couple of days in Split, in a wonderful hostel with stone walls, a lot of plants and flowers, and a terrace where to drink endless coffees and beers. The old city of Split is not as known and well preserved as the 'citadel' of Dubrovnik. But, maybe because of that, its more truly alive, and not so crowded of tourist and restaurants to feed them. The whole city is very nice, in fact, and is the second one in importance in Croatia. After walking for hours and swimming every day in the beach, I took a ferry -extremely early in the morning- to Dubrovnik. Those were 8 grate hours of ocean, islands, little old cities, dolphins and the pleasant movement of the boat.
Dubrovnik is so so beautiful, but as I said, packed with zillions of tourists (italians, spanish, russians and, of course, the quintessence of tourists, japanese). So, the city was great, nice, medieval yet modern, well preserved and charming to the bone. But anyway, fantastic beaches of turquoise water were around, and I couldn't resist the temptation. Half a day for the city and its old walls; day and a half for the sea.
I came back to Zagreb tanned by the sun and happy by the sea. My stay in Croatia was close to its end, since my classes were ended. The time for taking planes and traveling around Europe was near.



1. Sunrise from the train, somewhere near Split.


2+3. Old city from Split, crazy streets, alleys and houses.



4. Terrace at the hostel.
5+6. Beaches near the city. I went a little bit further with my bike, anyway.
7. Old city from Split, again.





8, 9, 10+11. From the ferry boat, trip Split-Dubrovnik.


12+13. Islands and walled ancient tiny towns. I think this one is Korčula.


14. Arriving to Dubrovnik.
15. Steep, narrow little streets all around the old city.


16. Main gate to the Citadell.
17. Again, narrow steep streets, this time from above. Ufff, those were hard to climb.


18. Japanese tourists. These people is in another dimesion, believe me.
19. From my room, during the night. I was alone in a three bedroom apartment. Loved that.


20. Panoramic view of the Citadell, south side (rear side)



21, 22+23. Beach next to the old city. Close, clean and beautiful. Sunset swimming, nice view. Super.


24. where are you?!


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