An alternative tour of Barcelona

I went to Barcelona a few weeks ago, to both visit my brother and to have a little break in the sun. As I've said before, travelling is in my blood. My eldest brother has travelled and lived abroad a lot, since his job in the military requires it. My other brother chose to escape abroad, and then found his niche in guided tours. He first set off from London by bike to Paris. After a year guiding there, he headed to Barcelona, then onto Madrid (cycling each time: until his bike was stolen). Since then he's set up a tour company in Copenhagen, travelled around South America and then found himself back in sunny Barcelona. As easyjet have recently started flying from Southend (no where near London, but very close to my house) I decided to take advantage of the cheap fares and short flight and visit him there. I'd seen him briefly in April (at our eldest brother's engagement party) but before then it'd been about two and a half years since we'd spent any time together.

I was lucky on this trip, as I was able to take advantage of some of the tours the company he works for put on for free. I went along on his walking tour, got tipsy on the Paella course and explored the coast sea kayaking. The weather was great and the break very relaxing.

On one of the days, I went along on a practise run of a new 'alternative Barcelona' tour. We headed off around the city hearing about some gruesome events in the city's history, the little explored underworld and political expression in the street art. It was a fab tour, and I know it won't be long until it's offered properly from the company. Here are a few photos I took along this tour, and some of the stories that I can remember from this alternative tour of Barcelona!

This church was the scene of some police brutality a year or so ago when illegal asylum seekers sought refuge inside it's walls only to be forcefully removed by the police. Apparently the idea that a church is a sacred place of sanctuary where those inside would be immune to arrest is only valid in England.

These street signs have sprung up all around the city (and in other European cities) Quite a small piece of art, and easily missed but once pointed out you keep seeing them dotted around the city. 

I'm not sure who the artist(s) of these cartoon animals is, but I'd taken an alternative London tour a few months before this trip and taken a photo of some of their very distinctive work just off of Brick Lane in East London.

These guys insisted I take their picture while I was taking the above photo with the bomb. Unfortunately I forgot to change the settings and they came out much redder than they should have!

This plaque is in recognition of Slavador Segui; El Noi del sucre (the sugar boy).
On March 10, 1923, while completing preparations to promote the idea of emancipation as a form of social empowerment among workers, he was assassinated by gunshot on this spot, in Barcelona's Raval District, at the hands of gunmen working for the Catalan employers' organisation under protection of Catalonia's Civil Governor, Martínez Anido.

Until recently the above property was a squat full of those participating in the Occupy protests (which incidentally began in Barcelona a while before they hit America and the world's conscious)

This artist's work, although fair subtle, was very amusing and creative. Throughout the city, stop signs had been adapted, like the one above, to make new and interesting pictures. See more at his facebook page.

Another squat, unfortunately not open while we were there, but a place of artistic creativity and community.

I think this says something like: 'You can occupy too'

C215, another artist's work I'd previously seen and photographed in Brick lane.

The flea (one of FC Barca's players?)

A community garden, in the centre of the city. (and political slogans)

Beer and Waffles in Belgium

The last stop on our epic journey home. Brussels. I've been to the city before. It's a lovely place, but not brimming with sights to see. Once we'd tracked down Mannequin Pis and walked around the Grand Place a few times, all that was left for these two weary travellers was to indulge in the culinary delights of Belgium. Moule frite, chocolate, waffles and fruit beer sorted us for the two days we spent in the city. We even manged to meet up with another travel blogger friend of Mary's Jerick (of 25travels).

A good place for the end of our trip, even if we were ready to be on the train home by the end of our stay.

Fancy a beer?

Banana flavour beer served in a coconut!

Un Croque Monsieur

and when we got home, finally a picture with all our luggage.

A foggy day in Dover

I've been lucky with the job I've got since coming back home allows me to explore London and he UK for free! In March, I headed off to Dover with out 150 students to visit Dover Castle and the White Cliffs. We couldn't have picked a worse day to go, the weather was drizzly, cold and foggy. So foggy in fact, that when we got off the coach, I led the students in the wrong direction as I couldn't see the mist covered castle. Dover castle is a very interesting place to visit, and during our tour, we got to see a couple of the tunnels underneath the castle that were used during WWII as a hospital. There are a lot more layers of tunnels to see, some from the time of the Napoleonic wars, but on this occasion we only had time to see the hospital. After lunch in the NAAFI, and a vote from the students, as all headed up to the white cliffs. This was a mistake, in hindsight, as the cliffs had become very wet and slippery, and visibility was practically nil. We were barely able to make out the water below. The mist did add an air of the ethereal to our photos however, and shows the castle in a mysterious light. Next time I'll definitely be hoping for a much clearer day.

Pisa

As Daliah and I were flying as cheaply as possible to and from Italy at Easter, instead of flying directly to Florence, we headed into Bologna and out of Pisa. This was a good idea, not only as it was cheaper, but it meant that we were able to take in the leaning tower of Pisa, before we headed back. I was glad about this, as I'd had to skip this when travelling there the last time. There isn't much else to see in Pisa, most people come for the tower, take a few pictures and leave. This is exactly what we did, wheeling our suitcases along, in the drizzling rain before heading to the airport. I'm glad I've seen the tower, but it really is more of a tick off the list than something that life altering.

The obligatory stupid posed picture!

Flirting with Florence

The year I finished university, 2 friends and I bought an interrail pass and headed off travelling around Europe. The was my first backpacking trip, probably where my love-affair with trains started, and definitely taught me some valuable lessons about travel. On that trip, I managed to visit three cities in Italy. Starting in Venice, and ending with Florence and a flight back to England from Rome. Venice was lovely, Rome wasn't as nice but Florence was fantastic. This Easter, Daliah and Sam, the two girls I met in January while working at NYU London, and I decided we wanted to head off someone nice together. After exhausting most cities in Europe (and North Africa) we couldn't find a place where none of us had been before, that was easy enough for us all to get to (Sam lives in Abu Dhabi) and where flights were affordable. So I compromised. Florence was so nice, I was willing to go back. This time I didn't need to wake up early two days in a row to queue for the Uffizi or La Galleria dell'Accademia (although apparently it's possible to book online now anyway). I'd seen the beautiful art work and the David statue. I was there to relax with two great girls, drink lots of wine and eat lots of simple and delicious food.

In the end Daliah and Sam didn't make it to the Uffizi or La Galleria dell'Accademia either. We just had a terrific time wandering the streets, sitting in cafes and perusing the markets together. I can't say that we took in a lot of history, but we soaked up the atmosphere and the ambiance and left feeling relaxed and contented. Re-visiting a place you've enjoyed can really open your eyes to a slower and more easy going way of travelling, where you're unconcerned about what you 'have to' see and do with your time, and for me, I ended up leaving with as much enjoyment as if I'd ticked off all the 'must dos' in Florence.