Hotel Iris Granollers

... I can improve! It´s weird starting from a really low base again, the same as with my spanish in Madrid. Time´s going quickly now, and I can´t believe my first week´s over already.

At the weekend I might go into Barcelona with some other trainees or maybe go swimming as there´s a pool in granollers. Got my first assignment to do as well, seems a bit tricky but I think I´ll be able to handle it. Anyway, I hope you´re all doing well!

... The beach was not as good as the beaches in Sydney, as the sand and water were a bit dirty. We enjoyed some fantastic food - we had lots of gelato, as it was everywhere, and on the last night we went to a cheap restaurant nearby with some lovely English chaps we met at our hostel and paid 10 euros each for 10 plates of tapas and 2 main plates of seafood paella, and 5 drinks, between 5 people. Bargain. I could have eaten half of ...

... bella; alla mia destra una fontana prosciugata e una cartello del comune di Barcellona, che si chiama "l'Ajuntament": le fontane di Barcellona sono state prosciugate per ricordare alla popolazione che c'è la "secheza", la siccità. Seguo davanti a me il profilo alto di metallo e rassicurante, di quello che ha tutta l'aria di essere un mercato. E sì ci siamo, è il Mercat de la Boqueria: frutta di tutti i tipi, prezzi bassi, almeno in confronto a Roma ...

... the rules not to go to the ship before 1300. Pah we said as a group of fellow cruisers set off early - can't do the decent thing. When we got to the boat it was like a crowd of Newcastle fans trying to escape a Sam Allardyce football team!! It was organised to the hilt and an hour later we were on board in Stateroom 6286. Once on board ah was fair amazed - ye could fit the Tuxedo Princess into wor stateroom and still have space for a Shields Ferry. Wor ...

... evening, we walked to nearby "Placas" and at Placa del Sol found a small and very local untouristic tapas restaurant, called Sol Soler. The place was full and the waiter told us to wait for 15 min and there would be a table available. After a while, a table had become available but a couple which arrived after us acted quickly and sat down, but waiter was very fair to give the table to us. We had a magnificient meal.

... of it is so different from other buildings on the street, yet it certainly doesn’t clash. The façade actually looks like a bunch of pillars of bones and stuff with a scaly dragon at the top of the roof (or at least this is one of the interpretations.) The inside has a very nautical theme, with lots of blue hues and porthole looking windows. Walls look like they could be made of sand and many shapes look like seashells and sea creatures. One of Gaud ...

... they used to have their own stadium but now they're plaing there games in the Olympic stadium called Estadi Olìmpic Lluìs on the Montjuic which was build for the Summer Olympics. The two football stadiums are both UEFA 5-star rated. The city was chosen to organize the Summer Olympics in 1992. Barcelona also hosted the X FINA World Championships, twice the Eurobasket and the ATP Tour International Series Gold tennis tournament, Open Seat Godo which is held annually in the ...

... There really is something to be said for European (particularly Spanish and Italian) women - they have a certain style and sophistication that cannot be matched- eish. After soaking up as much of the city pulsating energy we headed back - after getting hideously lost in all the small little streets and alleys! Saturday was started bright and early with a lekker breakfast and coffee, all ordered by pointing , nodding and smiling....our waiter tannie had a good chuckle at our idiot ...

... is the 13th century cathedral. Even though we were quite familiar with Gothic cathedrals by now, we enjoyed exploring the Gothic cloister, Baroque chapels and the view from the terrace (see photos). After filling up from the menu del dia (the fixed-price menu of the day that includes three courses, wine and water, best deal), we checked into the Picasso Museum, which boasts the world's largest collection of the artist's early works. The paintings he painted when he was ...

... never going to believe this will ever happen to me again, so I savoured the moment a bit and smiled as I walked past other passengers waiting for their luggage :) They say good things come to those who wait... like my 90 minute wait for my snowboard gear at Sydney airport last year. The bus into town wasn't very well signposted, so it took me a little while to actually find it. Purchased an 11 Euro ticket into town and boarded the full bus. 1hr later, we arrived ...