vacation!?
Sorry about the lack of updates over the last few days. I have been struggling to wrap up all sorts of work related things in preparation for my vacation which has officially started…now. In just a few hours, I’ll be boarding a plane headed for Bilbao, Spain, for a week of food, alcohol, architecture, and decadence.
The trip will start in Bilbao, but only for about a day and a half. I get in at 8pm tomorrow, and will stay until Friday afternoon, at which time, me, my sister, Alex, Kate, and Mitchell will get in a cab and head about an hour west to a little town called Durango. We’ll stay there and nearby for the wedding of our good friends Veronica and Andy who are getting married in restaurant called Mendigoikoa in the small town of Elorrio. How stunning is that!? A bunch of friends will be there for the wedding, and it should incredible.
We’ll be in the Hotel Durango until Monday afternoon, and then it’s a quick 60 EUR flight from Bilbao to Barcelona, for 4 fantastic nights with Gaudi, tapas, and massive quantities of alcohol. I haven’t met a single person who didn’t tell me Barcelona was their favorite city in the world. I honestly can’t wait.
Well, by can’t wait, I kind of mean that I worked so friggin hard this week that it is 4am in Dubai, and I have not packed yet, I still need to shower, do the dishes, and clean out the fridge. I’m fucked basically. So I am blogging.
Alex is the Chef at Giorgione, and we will do our best to use his pull to get us into some of the best restaurants. I would love to find a way into El Bulli, but the waiting list is ridiculous, and reservations generally need to be made a year in advance. But, 170 EUR for the “Best Restaurant in World, 2006″’s 34 courses of culinary imagination seems like a once in a lifetime experience. We’ll try I guess, maybe lie about how important Alex is, and hope for the best.
In Barcelona we are staying in a hotel right on La Rambla, which was probably a mistake, but I like the idea of being in the heart of the city. Maybe we’ll move.
I’ve also got a good friend, former co-worker, and decadent, sexy Aussie flying out to Barcelona to meet us. She was in great need of a soul cleansing week of debauchery and mayhem, and I was more than happy to oblige.
All in all, I couldn’t be more excited. I know I should have asked sooner, but any advice you have on where to go, what to do, and what to see would be greatly appreciated. Clubs, bars, restaurants, etc. I am sure we’ve got more than enough tourists sites to go around.
OK, so I am taking my laptop with me for photos storage, and frankly, to take advantage of the unrestricted internet access… Expect some posts, but not many. I may or may not respond to email. And wish me luck…
Enjoy the pork!
I stayed in a mom-and-pop right on Las Ramblas and it was great. Hotel Internacional, if I remember correctly. Kinda hostel-ish, but perfect location, safe, clean and with great owners. That was ‘97-’98 or so, so not sure if it’s still good or even in business.
Obviously check out Parque Guell, La Sagrada Familia, the Picasso Museum, Barrio Chino (Chinatown), the Olympic Village (great bars there), and some little “hidden” sangria bar down on Las Ramblas near the wax museum.
When I was there, we started out every single night at a bar called Glaciar Bar right in the Plaza Real, off of Las Ramblas. We’d eat dinner, go to Glaciar from 10-ish til 12 or 1 or so, then hit the clubs. No reason to go to the clubs before that. Not sure if Glaciar is still as amazing as it was, but it was fantastic back in the day.
Oh and you think you like to go out ’til late… just wait.
Yeah, I remember rocking up at Las Ramblas at around 8am a couple of years ago. Many Barcelonians sprawled across the parks having partied hard the night before.
DUDE - I’m in Bilbao!
Send me an email or call my hotel. I’m staying at the Petit Palace Arana in room 211.
If we don’t meet up - we are AHOLES