Tuesday, 1 May 2012

29/4 Juicy Hill, Olympic games & Spanish food


Sunday 29th

We had intended to seek out the E3.90 paellas just off the Ramblas but time ran away from us and we just set off across town for the precinct where they held the 1992 Olympics. The objective was part sightseeing and part calorie burning. We certainly climbed another fairly large hill. (Montjuic)
Barcelona arena


Our descent took us out of the tourist precinct and we took the opportunity to stop for an authentic Spanish meal. We had mixed paella which had seafood and bits of pork and chicken baked into a shallow bowl of rice, which had been cooked in a fish stock, rather like a risotto. This followed bowls of tapas -  croquettes ( delicious fingers of mashed potato smoothed out with a cheese or cream and fried in breadcrumbs) and some spicy little red sausages. Chris had a couple of San Miguels for E1 each, which came with olives and French slices. We felt very Continental sitting out in the square eating this mini feast.

During the day we had concocted the idea of heading north from Venice through the Alps after the cruise and  then making our way down the Middle Rhine, the part which has been World Heritage listed and is famous for its castles (schloss) and vineyards. This would take us through a pleasant part of Europe and take us in the general direction for Kiel for our last cruise.

Isnt that a grim thought . . . the Last Cruise. L We set off from home intending to do 5 cruises but will have done 8 by the time we get back, if you include the Yangtze Gorges and the Caribbean but not the overnight ferry from Barcelona to Rome. We are very conscious that we “only” have 8 weeks left to go before we return home, but temper that with gratitude for what we have enjoyed and the realisation that an 8 week holiday would be a pretty big thing for most people to look forward to – let alone with a luxury Greek island cruise, a run down the Rhine and a cruise deep into the Arctic Circle past the Norwegian fjords.


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