¡Hola! Im back from Spain!!!:)..I'm happy and satisfied to be back home:p..this is the first time when i feel that london is actually my home..hee..really enjoyed my trip alot..and thank you so much Xiufang, Shimmie and Jasmine for being such great company!!!..Im already starting to miss you guys!!!...Jiayo for your muggings k..we'll all do well..yes yes yes!!!.HUGs....
and on an even happier note..im going back to singapore on the 28th of MAY!!..ooohhhooo..changed my airtix from 2nd of July to 28th of May cos my exams are ending on the 21st:)..yeah..and that means i only have 58 more days before i get HOME and my grandparents are going to Singapore on the 20th of April..and I really cant wait to see them in Singapore..YAY!! Now..I shall update on my Spain trip:)
Barcelona
We arrived at Barcelona on Sunday nite and stayed there for three nites:)..It's my fav place out of the three places we went:) Ian and Nic came to find us on our first nite in Barcelona and luckily we had them in Barcelona..if not we'll be so lost..hee...:)We did lots of shopping on the first day..ooohhhooo..cant believe we actually spent 3 hours at one ZARA and spending another hour at the next ZARA that is just two doors away...Jas Xiufang and me are really shopping queen man..haha..and we bot some stuff from other places too..shopping in Barcelona is great (if you have the money..shimmie and I were saying that when we earn lots of money..we'll go back to Barcelona and really shop till we drop...).
We went on a tour bus the next day and visited lots of places esp the Gaudi Architectures..they are so so so pretty and fairylandish!!!:) I really love all the colours..the designs and all his concepts..he is such a genius!! We went to Casa Batlló, Passeig de Grácia, Sagrada Família, Park Guell which are four of his famous architectures:) We also went to Placa de Catalunya and we wanted to go to Tibidabo which has a amusement and a cathedral and has a magnificient view of the city to watch the sunset..but sadly we missed the tram and the funicular (cable car)..:(.We got to try the famous Paella at dinner though!!:)It's a pan of specially made rice with seafood..yummy and it's like the traditional food in Spain:) We also tried Sangria which is red wine with mineral water, fruit juice and lots of fruits..The one we had in Barce is not authentic..we had a really good one in Madrid:) We went to a Jazz Bar after that..it only cost 3 euros for really good and authentic jazz..woohooo..we ended the nite on a high:)
On our last day at Barcelona, we went to the beach in the morning..it was so cooling (to the others it's cold..haha)..and windy..wanted to stay at the beach for long..but the weather was just not good enough...so we took a few photos and went to walk around near Las Rambla again (the famous shopping belt in Barce)..had a quick lunch and went to meet the guys at FC Barcelona stadium..although im not a particular supporter of soccer..but I was still very excited cos it is the stadium where so many famous players have played before..we got to go to the guest changing room..the grandstands..the media rooms..the commentator's box..and of cos we took lots of photos..hee..:)..there was also an photo and trophy exhibition:)..And next time when I watch any Barcelona match..I can tell myself that I'VE BEEN THERE!:)..hee..happy...and we caught a nite bus from Barcelona to Madrid which took 7.5 hours..and throughout the journey..the Spanish driver was playing really loud Spanish music:S
Madrid
And So we reached Madrid at 6am on the 29th of April..and we were really surprised that even though it is still pitch dark..Madrid is already so bustling with life...we see people having breakfast and drinks early in the morning..and the metro station was already working and so packed with people..and in Spain people have dinner really late at 9/10pm..and we concluded that maybe Madrid people dont sleep and it's really a 24hr city..We reached our hotel really early and we were welcomed by a really stern-looking old man..(our hotel was called Pension Retiro..haha)..who couldnt really speak English..and with my limited Español..it was really like ji1 tong2 ya1 jiang3..and for a moment he was telling us that we might be able to stay at the hotel..and he kept saying "not possible"...but we really liked the place...it's like doing a homestay in a traditional Spanish home....after we were "chased out of the place" (we put down our luggage and were told to come back at 12.30am..and we were "shoved" out of the door by our host), we went to the train station,hoping to get our tix to valencia..but they were sold out..so we had breakfast..yummy croissant and coffee..before going to the bus station to get our tix..and the tough test came for me when i had to speak in Espanol to ask for the timings, the journey and buy the tix...i was quite nervous and really relieved when it was settled..that i said a BIG "SI" to the ticket officer.."SI" means yes..hee..and when we left the bus station..three really fat and funny looking Spanish women were laughing at us..and we said "Ga-na-sai" in a funny way and cute action back to them..hahaha..it was really funny!!! After that we did some sightseeing around Madrid and luckily we got to stay at our hotel..although at a slightly higher price..We got a day pass and took metro to alot of places..we went to the Parque de Retiro (a park), Plaza de la Independencía, Plaza de las Ventas, the Real Madrid Stadium...(yes!! Real Madrid stadium where Beckham was!!!..haha..but we din go in cos it was too ex and should be similar to FC Barce..Puerta del Sol..we saw the famous el oso y el madroño(bear and strawbery tree).. Plaza Mayor..went into a couple more shops..and had our best dinner in Spain..kindly recommended by our host..actually he´s quite nice after all..very grandfatherish..hee..
our hotel!!
The next morning..I was having a bit of fever..and although we had really great chocolate with churros (it's like spanish you2 tiao2) and the chocolate was really like melted chocolate..but i had no appetite at all..so i went back to the hotel to rest while the rest did some last minute shopping and sightseeing..then something really unlucky happened on the metro to the bus station and that's one of the reason why i din really like madrid..
Valencia
We reached valencia on 30th evening..our hostel was really youthful and nice..we din feel like doing anything else so we just had pizza and watched tv on the couch..jas and shimmie went to a pub with our newly made friend from California Lilia..Xiufang and I had a good rest and I recovered the next day:)..yeah..so we went out with Lilia, visited some historical sites..oops..i cant really remember any of the names..cos we were just walking around and taking our time on our last day of the trip..and i got my dress that i wanted yeah!!!:)..madrid din have my size..and we walked for more than one hour to the beach..the weather was great..lots of sun and blue blue sky!!!:) The beach was the most beautiful beach I've seen in my life!!! It's bluish green, with soft and smooth sand and lots and lots of sun unlike london..and it's not over-comercialised..we just lied on the sand and fell asleep..i was humming to my favourite tunes while lying on the sand..it was such a relaxed feeling..feeling the soft sand with my hands..the sun and the breeze brushing against my skin..i want to go back to valencia..just for the beautiful beach!!! And it was 22 degrees!!!..We were walking with just our shirts..my camero spoilt in valencia..so i have to wait for the photos from my friends...
my only photo in Valencia
And today, we took our flight back to London..the feeling of coming back was great!! I feel recharged and ready to begin my mugging tomoro..there's only 6 weeks left!!! and seven weeks before i go back to Singapore..this period is going to be tough..but i know i can do it and it will be gone in a whizz....yeah..and i still have spain to look back to :)..the passionate people..the cute guys on the beach..the yummy breakfast at the hostels..the magdalenas..the beautiful sights..the great company..and i have HOME to look forward to!!:)..yes..58 more days..YEAH:)..Serene is a HAPPYYYYYY GIRL:)¡buenos noche!
