We arrived in Prague around 2:30 pm on Tuesday the 19th and made our way to the B&B where we're staying. Then we took the subway into town and ate dinner at Maitrea, an amazing vegetarian restaurant. I got the papaya-udon salad with tofu, and it was delicious!
After dinner, we walked to the Charles Bridge and into Hradčany, the area surrounding Prague Castle.
On Wednesday the 20th, we took the metro to Wenceslas Square and walked around Old Town. We also walked down the streets where they shot The Bourne Identity, which, in the movie, they pretended was Zurich. I can now safely say that no part of Prague looks anything like Zurich, or vice-versa, so I'm really not sure how they got away with that. ;) Zurich is clean, tidy, orderly, modernized, remodeled, planned Western Europe; Prague is gritty, original, cobblestone, fairytale-architecture Eastern Europe. The two cities really couldn't be more different. You can really just feel in Prague's vibe and soul that it was beaten down and repressed for so long by the totalitarianist Soviet Communist regime in place until 1989. The city just feels kind of sad and empty (not population-wise; I'm talking metaphorically here), with a ghost of a soul. This was the same kind of feeling that Maja and I got when we were here in 2004, and we were so disturbed by it that we opted to leave a day early and head to the next city on our route. This time in Prague, however, I arrived somewhat expecting that vibe, and so I feel like I was able to accept the city for what it is and thus enjoyed it more than I did the first time.
We ate lunch at a vegan restaurant just south of Old Town Square called Country Life. The food didn't look very impressive, but it tasted amazing! While we were eating, a torrential downpour suddenly started, so the rest of our day was spent cold and wet. We walked across the Legii Bridge, pummelled with rain, and took the funicular up to Petrin Hill, where we hiked up the 300 open-air steps to the top of the mini Eiffel Tower-shaped observation point, Eiffelovka. The view is supposedly amazing, and I'm sure that it is -- on a clear day!
After climbing back down from Eiffelovka, we decided we'd had enough of the cold wind and rain, so we bought some groceries and went back to the apartment to dry off, warm up, and fix dinner.
The giant house we stayed in is a B&B and has several apartments, complete with kitchens, laundry facilities, and plenty of common space in the yard behind the house. They have satellite radio that appears to be permanently tuned to a jazz station from Switzerland, which is awesome for ambiance but kind of annoying when they turn it on in the morning and you still want to sleep for another 30 minutes. They have several huge speakers in the backyard, and each apartment has a big stereo with floor speakers and can tune into the station if they want. The bedrooms face the backyard, which is great for eliminating street noise; however, we have pretty much no choice but to wake up when the owners decide to turn on the music in the morning.
On Thursday the 21st, it was rainy and cold the whole day. We all decided we needed a few hours to just laze around and nap, so we didn't go into the city until about 4:00 pm. We went back to Maitrea for dinner, and then we walked around the city. We passed by the salon where I first got my hair chopped off super-short, just down the street from the hostel where Maja and I stayed back in 2004. Then we stopped inside a giant indoor mall off of Namesti Republiky and went into H&M, where I got an orange crocheted beret.
We flew from Prague to Cologne on Friday the 22nd and almost didn't make our flight. Transit took quite a bit longer than we had anticipated, and we arrived at the airport a mere 30 minutes before the plane was supposed to take off. (I was barely holding my shit together and was stressed out like whoa. I HAD to make it to Cologne for Mark's wedding!) Shockingly, there was no one in line at the airline check-in counter, and they still let us check our bags. Then there was no one in line at the security checkpoint, and our gate was only about 50 feet away from there. Miraculously, we and our bags made it on the plane and arrived in Cologne about an hour and a half later. But it was the most stressful travel episode of my life, hands-down!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Three days in Vienna
We arrived early in the morning on Saturday the 16th and checked into our apartment, which is amazing. I was concerned that it might be too small, in a not-so-great neighborhood, etc., but it's probably the nicest apartment we've been in so far this trip. You know it's a great when all of us in the group agree, without hesitation, that we would live here! The neighborhood is quiet and safe, and the apartment is spacious and has huge windows on both the east and west sides. We love this place!
On Saturday, after getting our bearings, we took the metro into the center of the city and came across the funeral service at Stephansdom for Otto Von Hapsburg, the son of the last ruling emperor of Austria. Then we walked to the Naschmarkt, Vienna's huge daily outdoor market, and got food for dinner. We found a booth from an organic bakery with lots of vegan breads and pastries, and then we found another booth selling fresh, locally made tofu! Near the south end of the market is the tiniest health food store ever, where we were able to pick up the rest of our food supplies. It was fortunate that we hit the market on Saturday too, because in addition to the usual produce vendors, there were antiques and flea market wares as well. So that was fun and productive.
Nearly everything in Vienna is closed on Sunday, so we were limited in what we were able to do and see yesterday. One place that was open was the Kriminalmuseum (sounded interesting and fairly harmless in the guidebook but ended up being extremely creepy, graphic, and gruesome; not recommended unless you're REALLY into that stuff), so we went there this morning/early afternoon and then afterwards found a vegetarian restaurant that served a sadly mediocre lunch. So kind of a blah morning. Anyway, after lunch we walked to the Hofburg Palace, through the Volksgarten (a city park, literally "peoples' garden") and over to the Rathaus (city hall), where we stumbled upon the same film and food festival that Maja and I found when we were here back in 2004! I got a mango-papaya smoothie, and we walked around the Rathauspark and then took the metro home. The area around the Hofburg Palace and the Rathaus is so beautiful, and we couldn't have asked for better weather. It was a great afternoon!
Today we walked down Mariahilferstrasse, the main shopping/retail street in Vienna, and explored the area around it. We ate a great lunch of quinoa, spicy veg stew, falafel, and vegan tzaziki sauce at a little restaurant/HFS combo called Naturkost St. Josef, and I picked up some vegan milk chocolate and gummy bears afterwards. This evening after dinner, we went back into the city and hung out at the Museumsquartier, which transforms at night into a cool spot with two lively bars and a courtyard filled with university students.
We hop on the train to Prague bright and early tomorrow morning. Have a great Tuesday!
On Saturday, after getting our bearings, we took the metro into the center of the city and came across the funeral service at Stephansdom for Otto Von Hapsburg, the son of the last ruling emperor of Austria. Then we walked to the Naschmarkt, Vienna's huge daily outdoor market, and got food for dinner. We found a booth from an organic bakery with lots of vegan breads and pastries, and then we found another booth selling fresh, locally made tofu! Near the south end of the market is the tiniest health food store ever, where we were able to pick up the rest of our food supplies. It was fortunate that we hit the market on Saturday too, because in addition to the usual produce vendors, there were antiques and flea market wares as well. So that was fun and productive.
Nearly everything in Vienna is closed on Sunday, so we were limited in what we were able to do and see yesterday. One place that was open was the Kriminalmuseum (sounded interesting and fairly harmless in the guidebook but ended up being extremely creepy, graphic, and gruesome; not recommended unless you're REALLY into that stuff), so we went there this morning/early afternoon and then afterwards found a vegetarian restaurant that served a sadly mediocre lunch. So kind of a blah morning. Anyway, after lunch we walked to the Hofburg Palace, through the Volksgarten (a city park, literally "peoples' garden") and over to the Rathaus (city hall), where we stumbled upon the same film and food festival that Maja and I found when we were here back in 2004! I got a mango-papaya smoothie, and we walked around the Rathauspark and then took the metro home. The area around the Hofburg Palace and the Rathaus is so beautiful, and we couldn't have asked for better weather. It was a great afternoon!
Today we walked down Mariahilferstrasse, the main shopping/retail street in Vienna, and explored the area around it. We ate a great lunch of quinoa, spicy veg stew, falafel, and vegan tzaziki sauce at a little restaurant/HFS combo called Naturkost St. Josef, and I picked up some vegan milk chocolate and gummy bears afterwards. This evening after dinner, we went back into the city and hung out at the Museumsquartier, which transforms at night into a cool spot with two lively bars and a courtyard filled with university students.
We hop on the train to Prague bright and early tomorrow morning. Have a great Tuesday!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
A virtual gondola through Venice
The train ride of from Milan to Venice was a quick two hours. It wasn't terribly scenic (especially compared to the ride from Zurich to Milan, which is probably the most stunningly beautiful train route on the planet), but it was a sunny, clear day, and we could see the Alps in the distance. We passed by a lot of beautiful vineyards that stretched for miles. It was also nice to have all four of our seats facing a private table in the train, so we could talk and laugh and eat together.
Our first evening in Venice, after checking into the apartment, we made our way through the island's ancient, cramped streets and walked over the Rialto bridge all the way down to Piazza San Marco. It was gorgeous -- St. Mark's cathedral, the doge's palace, the waterfront -- but vying for standing space with other tourists was a drag. We walked along the waterfront facing Lido and the entrance to the Grand Canal and then decided to find dinner. Luckily, the entire island has wifi access (not free, but nice to have the option), so I was able to pull up HappyCow on my tablet and then use the built-in GPS to get us from San Marco to our restaurant of choice, La Zuccha. While not a 100% vegetarian restaurant, they had several vegan options and a boatload of vegetarian options as well. Good food, good wine, good company -- what more could you ask for?
On Wednesday the 13th, we went to the Rialto Market, which has existed in Venice in the same location since 1097. I can't even really comprehend that. This market has existed for almost 1000 years, and it sits right on the Grand Canal and is a five-minute walk from the apartment. Phil and Alexis found a health food store just a stone's throw away from the market, and we were able to pick up some soymilk, soy yogurt, bread, cereal/muesli, chips, chocolate, and a few other items.
Venice gets really freaking hot in the afternoon, so all the locals take a siesta from 2-4 pm. We decided to do the same. Feeling a little overwhelmed by the blatant, mass tourism on the island (my traveling companions are jumping in here with "it feels like Disney!" and "the tourists are in your FACE!"), we consulted the "hidden Venice" part of my guidebook and decided to check out two large city parks, the Giardini Papodopoli and the Parco di Cannaregio. It's hard to describe how reassuring it feels to have your feet on solid earth and be surrounded by trees filled with crickets and chirping birds on an island where you feel like everything is simultaneously floating and sinking.
On Thursday, we went back to the Rialto Market to get more fresh food. We explored the island a bit more and stumbled upon Ponte delle Tette (you'll have to look that one up, and beware: not safe for work!) and the old red light district. Walking along Rio Tera di Carampane, where "courtesans" could be found from the 1420s on, we found the narrowest street we have ever seen, Calle de la Rafineria, apparently where a sugar refinery used to be located in the 1700s. I took a video of the street, which I'll post probably after I get back to the States. Later that afternoon, we went back to Giardino Papdopoli and relaxed in the shade a bit before going back to the apartment to fix dinner.
Sometimes I wonder how the city of Venice is able to feed so many thousands of tourists every day. I was really thankful that we had an apartment with a full kitchen so that we could make our own food when we wanted.
Our last day in Venice, we checked out of the apartment, donned our camper's backpacks, and headed over to Frary's/Caffe Frari for lunch. We got to talking to the owner, and when she heard that Alexis and Phil hail from the twin cities, she ran into the back room and pulled out an American yearbook. Her dad, a Venice native, spent a year abroad in St. Paul in 1959-60. His yearbook was full of signatures and messages from people recalling the fun times they had pulling pranks and from his many lady friends telling him how they felt about the "tall, handsome Italian man" who had shown up at their school that year. It was fascinating to get a glimpse into someone's life like that. She shared with us how the Venetian government doesn't repair any buildings or try to preserve the local culture because all they care about is tourist dollars. Over 80,000 tourists visit the island every day, yet there are fewer than 60,000 residents left. It's really pretty sad. We're just glad we got to see Venice before it gets worse, and that we were fortunate enough to be staying in a non-touristy residential area.
Anyway, this lady, a frequent traveler herself, was so sweet that, after we told her about our predicament (having to carry around our heavy bags after checking out of the apartment), she offered to let us leave them in a locked closet in their back room. We of course kept our important docs with us, but we took her up in the offer and left our bags there for a few hours while we walked around and went to the Venice history museum in Piazza San Marco. Then we picked up our bags around 7:00 pm and headed to the train station for our overnight train to Vienna.
If you're planning on going to Venice in the summer, I would recommend that you bring sunscreen and bug spray. The mosquitoes in Venice are huge, famished, and waiting to attack in drones. And holy hell, it is hot and humid on the island -- it's like south Florida, but only a third of the shops and restaurants have air conditioning. Luckily our apartment had AC, because I'm not sure we could have survived otherwise. Venice was great, but we're glad to be in Vienna now with some cooler weather!
Our first evening in Venice, after checking into the apartment, we made our way through the island's ancient, cramped streets and walked over the Rialto bridge all the way down to Piazza San Marco. It was gorgeous -- St. Mark's cathedral, the doge's palace, the waterfront -- but vying for standing space with other tourists was a drag. We walked along the waterfront facing Lido and the entrance to the Grand Canal and then decided to find dinner. Luckily, the entire island has wifi access (not free, but nice to have the option), so I was able to pull up HappyCow on my tablet and then use the built-in GPS to get us from San Marco to our restaurant of choice, La Zuccha. While not a 100% vegetarian restaurant, they had several vegan options and a boatload of vegetarian options as well. Good food, good wine, good company -- what more could you ask for?
On Wednesday the 13th, we went to the Rialto Market, which has existed in Venice in the same location since 1097. I can't even really comprehend that. This market has existed for almost 1000 years, and it sits right on the Grand Canal and is a five-minute walk from the apartment. Phil and Alexis found a health food store just a stone's throw away from the market, and we were able to pick up some soymilk, soy yogurt, bread, cereal/muesli, chips, chocolate, and a few other items.
Venice gets really freaking hot in the afternoon, so all the locals take a siesta from 2-4 pm. We decided to do the same. Feeling a little overwhelmed by the blatant, mass tourism on the island (my traveling companions are jumping in here with "it feels like Disney!" and "the tourists are in your FACE!"), we consulted the "hidden Venice" part of my guidebook and decided to check out two large city parks, the Giardini Papodopoli and the Parco di Cannaregio. It's hard to describe how reassuring it feels to have your feet on solid earth and be surrounded by trees filled with crickets and chirping birds on an island where you feel like everything is simultaneously floating and sinking.
On Thursday, we went back to the Rialto Market to get more fresh food. We explored the island a bit more and stumbled upon Ponte delle Tette (you'll have to look that one up, and beware: not safe for work!) and the old red light district. Walking along Rio Tera di Carampane, where "courtesans" could be found from the 1420s on, we found the narrowest street we have ever seen, Calle de la Rafineria, apparently where a sugar refinery used to be located in the 1700s. I took a video of the street, which I'll post probably after I get back to the States. Later that afternoon, we went back to Giardino Papdopoli and relaxed in the shade a bit before going back to the apartment to fix dinner.
Sometimes I wonder how the city of Venice is able to feed so many thousands of tourists every day. I was really thankful that we had an apartment with a full kitchen so that we could make our own food when we wanted.
Our last day in Venice, we checked out of the apartment, donned our camper's backpacks, and headed over to Frary's/Caffe Frari for lunch. We got to talking to the owner, and when she heard that Alexis and Phil hail from the twin cities, she ran into the back room and pulled out an American yearbook. Her dad, a Venice native, spent a year abroad in St. Paul in 1959-60. His yearbook was full of signatures and messages from people recalling the fun times they had pulling pranks and from his many lady friends telling him how they felt about the "tall, handsome Italian man" who had shown up at their school that year. It was fascinating to get a glimpse into someone's life like that. She shared with us how the Venetian government doesn't repair any buildings or try to preserve the local culture because all they care about is tourist dollars. Over 80,000 tourists visit the island every day, yet there are fewer than 60,000 residents left. It's really pretty sad. We're just glad we got to see Venice before it gets worse, and that we were fortunate enough to be staying in a non-touristy residential area.
Anyway, this lady, a frequent traveler herself, was so sweet that, after we told her about our predicament (having to carry around our heavy bags after checking out of the apartment), she offered to let us leave them in a locked closet in their back room. We of course kept our important docs with us, but we took her up in the offer and left our bags there for a few hours while we walked around and went to the Venice history museum in Piazza San Marco. Then we picked up our bags around 7:00 pm and headed to the train station for our overnight train to Vienna.
If you're planning on going to Venice in the summer, I would recommend that you bring sunscreen and bug spray. The mosquitoes in Venice are huge, famished, and waiting to attack in drones. And holy hell, it is hot and humid on the island -- it's like south Florida, but only a third of the shops and restaurants have air conditioning. Luckily our apartment had AC, because I'm not sure we could have survived otherwise. Venice was great, but we're glad to be in Vienna now with some cooler weather!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Ciao, bella! Three days in Milan
We left the Zum Guten Glueck pension in Zurich in Saturday, July 9th, and took a train to Milan. The journey through the Swiss/Italian Alps was, in a word, breathtaking. The train followed a path around the mountains and along several glacial lakes, and for four hours it felt like we were traveling through a Ricola commercial. It was also fascinating to me, from a linguistic perspective, to see the language change from German (in and around Zurich) to Italian (southern Switzerland and, of course, Italy) on the signage as we rolled past city after city and all the little factories and loading docks and tiny hamlets in between.
After arriving in Milan, we ate dinner at a fantastic little organic restaurant/HFS combo called BioSapori. They had live music, and our waitress was adorable and so sweet. Despite our communication barriers, she made sure that everyone's dietary needs were accommodated. The chef himself even came out to tell us what on the menu was vegetarian/vegan. His English was flawless, and we found out that he lived in NYC and Miami for a few years. After we finished eating, we took full advantage of the health food section and got soymilk, two kinds of muesli, and some snacks (they actually had vegan croissants!). We couldn't have asked for a better experience. So if you're ever in Milan, make sure to stop by BioSapori.
Our apartment in Milan was cute, but it was kind of out in the 'burbs and not really close to anything. I'm uploading a video of the Milan apartment right now on YouTube and will link to it as soon as it finishes. Despite the fact that our apartment was a bit far away from the action, the city fortunately has an excellent and very affordable public transit system. We were able to take tram line 5 straight from the apartment to the main train station and then take the metro (subway) into the center of the city. Milan surprisingly doesn't have a lot of charm, as the main things it has going for it are the Duomo, a very affordabile cost of living (more on this in a minute), and excellent publilc transit. So I can't really se myself coming back to Milan anytime soon, or possibly at all. But if I do go back, I'll definitely stay closer to the center of the city.
Our first full day in Milan, Sunday the 10th, we went into the city center and checked out the Duomo. Eric and I opted to pay €6 and walk onto the roof (my guidebook highly recommended it), and I was able to take some of the most fantastic photos as we walked through the buttresses and right up to the gargoyles and intricate statues and carvings. I've always wanted to walk on the roof of a Gothic cathedral, and I finally got to do it!
The next day, we went hunting for flea markets but sadly turned up empty-handed. We also found out that Milan residents like to extend their weekend until 3 pm on Monday, so most stores we happened upon that morning and early afternoon were closed. No matter, though, because we ate lunch at a fantastic vegetarian restaurant and, finding ourselves mysteriously in the center of the fashion house district (with the talent agencies, photography/design studios, and tall, waif-like women wearing large sunglasses flitting past), we decided to go shopping. What else are you going to do with a free afternoon in one of the world's fashion capitals? :)
Milan doesn't have too many veg*n restaurants, and we're generally down with saving money, so we all opted to fix dinner at home the second and third nights there. It worked out great.
The street fashion in Milan definitely had an urban and piecemeal feel, as in Barcelona; but overall it seems far more deliberate and put-together, and not as "distressed." I saw a lot of the same colors in Milan as in Barcelona: black, ivory, mauve, gray. I also saw quite a bit of navy blue. The dresses were almost all knee-length or shorter. I also saw a lot of loose/flowy tank tops, tight legging-jeans, and Italian loafers on everyone. Hair in Milan was either very short (the most common short haircut on people of all genders seemed to be close-cropped on the sides with a longer swath in the middle, kind of like mine is right now), or else very long.
Something I wasn't expecting at all about Milan is how affordable it is. We went to the grocery on Sunday -- not a health food store, just a regular grocery -- and got two bags of pasta, a HUGE jar of tomato sauce (€2 for a liter), two jars of organic chickpeas, a small bottle of garlic-infused olive oil (they had an entire aisle devoted to olive oil, no joke), balsamic vinegar, juice, two large bags of mixed greens, and some fruit, and the whole thing cost €16. Eating out was extremely affordable as well. I had always just assumed that, as a world fashion hub, Milan would be expensive. But it's not. It's cheap.
After arriving in Milan, we ate dinner at a fantastic little organic restaurant/HFS combo called BioSapori. They had live music, and our waitress was adorable and so sweet. Despite our communication barriers, she made sure that everyone's dietary needs were accommodated. The chef himself even came out to tell us what on the menu was vegetarian/vegan. His English was flawless, and we found out that he lived in NYC and Miami for a few years. After we finished eating, we took full advantage of the health food section and got soymilk, two kinds of muesli, and some snacks (they actually had vegan croissants!). We couldn't have asked for a better experience. So if you're ever in Milan, make sure to stop by BioSapori.
Our apartment in Milan was cute, but it was kind of out in the 'burbs and not really close to anything. I'm uploading a video of the Milan apartment right now on YouTube and will link to it as soon as it finishes. Despite the fact that our apartment was a bit far away from the action, the city fortunately has an excellent and very affordable public transit system. We were able to take tram line 5 straight from the apartment to the main train station and then take the metro (subway) into the center of the city. Milan surprisingly doesn't have a lot of charm, as the main things it has going for it are the Duomo, a very affordabile cost of living (more on this in a minute), and excellent publilc transit. So I can't really se myself coming back to Milan anytime soon, or possibly at all. But if I do go back, I'll definitely stay closer to the center of the city.
Our first full day in Milan, Sunday the 10th, we went into the city center and checked out the Duomo. Eric and I opted to pay €6 and walk onto the roof (my guidebook highly recommended it), and I was able to take some of the most fantastic photos as we walked through the buttresses and right up to the gargoyles and intricate statues and carvings. I've always wanted to walk on the roof of a Gothic cathedral, and I finally got to do it!
The next day, we went hunting for flea markets but sadly turned up empty-handed. We also found out that Milan residents like to extend their weekend until 3 pm on Monday, so most stores we happened upon that morning and early afternoon were closed. No matter, though, because we ate lunch at a fantastic vegetarian restaurant and, finding ourselves mysteriously in the center of the fashion house district (with the talent agencies, photography/design studios, and tall, waif-like women wearing large sunglasses flitting past), we decided to go shopping. What else are you going to do with a free afternoon in one of the world's fashion capitals? :)
Milan doesn't have too many veg*n restaurants, and we're generally down with saving money, so we all opted to fix dinner at home the second and third nights there. It worked out great.
The street fashion in Milan definitely had an urban and piecemeal feel, as in Barcelona; but overall it seems far more deliberate and put-together, and not as "distressed." I saw a lot of the same colors in Milan as in Barcelona: black, ivory, mauve, gray. I also saw quite a bit of navy blue. The dresses were almost all knee-length or shorter. I also saw a lot of loose/flowy tank tops, tight legging-jeans, and Italian loafers on everyone. Hair in Milan was either very short (the most common short haircut on people of all genders seemed to be close-cropped on the sides with a longer swath in the middle, kind of like mine is right now), or else very long.
Something I wasn't expecting at all about Milan is how affordable it is. We went to the grocery on Sunday -- not a health food store, just a regular grocery -- and got two bags of pasta, a HUGE jar of tomato sauce (€2 for a liter), two jars of organic chickpeas, a small bottle of garlic-infused olive oil (they had an entire aisle devoted to olive oil, no joke), balsamic vinegar, juice, two large bags of mixed greens, and some fruit, and the whole thing cost €16. Eating out was extremely affordable as well. I had always just assumed that, as a world fashion hub, Milan would be expensive. But it's not. It's cheap.
Check out our Milan apartment!
Sorry it's a week late, but here's a video of our apartment in Milan!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Zurich: What I would've told you five days ago if I'd had internet access
Zurich is so expensive it will blow your mind (and your wallet). Eating out, food at the grocery, transit tickets, hotels/rent, even a simple cup of coffee -- it all costs literally double what you think it should. You'd have to be a millionaire to make it here.
Our first night in Zurich, we ate at Hiltl, Europe's oldest vegetarian restaurant. We were expecting something amazing, but it was more like entering a nightclub that happened to have a highly overpriced, extremely overrated buffet that just so happened to be vegetarian. The focus isn't on the food at all, and I think Hiltl suffers an identity crisis because of it. It's more of a place to see and be seen than it is a place to have a good veg*n meal, which is fine in its own right but wasn't what we wanted or expected, so that was kind of a shame. I definitely don't recommend it, unless you like spending way too much on mediocre food and eating said food inside a subwoofer. So.
However, the city completely redeemed itself culinarily in our eyes the next day, when we ate at a place called Vegan Bakery and Cafe. What it lacks in terms of a creative/original name it more than makes up for in the amazing food it churns out. We both ordered the menu of the day, and while it was on the expensive side, it was some of the best food I've ever eaten.
Zurich is really a very charming, clean, safe city, but it doesn't have very much soul or diversity. I could definitely feel the business presence there. Also, there are a TON of ridiculously expensive, exotic cars in Zurich. And I was surprised to see, as we walked around the center of the city, how many strip clubs were located right across the street from office buildings. So you can kind of guess from those details the main/most "important" demographic of Zurich.
The uniform of Zurich is definitively the business suit, or the black/navy blazer over gray or khaki pants. Not a whole lot to comment on in terms of street fashion.
I will upload pics soon so you can see how charming the city is and also gasp in awe (because that's what I did) at the food we ate there. ;)
Our first night in Zurich, we ate at Hiltl, Europe's oldest vegetarian restaurant. We were expecting something amazing, but it was more like entering a nightclub that happened to have a highly overpriced, extremely overrated buffet that just so happened to be vegetarian. The focus isn't on the food at all, and I think Hiltl suffers an identity crisis because of it. It's more of a place to see and be seen than it is a place to have a good veg*n meal, which is fine in its own right but wasn't what we wanted or expected, so that was kind of a shame. I definitely don't recommend it, unless you like spending way too much on mediocre food and eating said food inside a subwoofer. So.
However, the city completely redeemed itself culinarily in our eyes the next day, when we ate at a place called Vegan Bakery and Cafe. What it lacks in terms of a creative/original name it more than makes up for in the amazing food it churns out. We both ordered the menu of the day, and while it was on the expensive side, it was some of the best food I've ever eaten.
Zurich is really a very charming, clean, safe city, but it doesn't have very much soul or diversity. I could definitely feel the business presence there. Also, there are a TON of ridiculously expensive, exotic cars in Zurich. And I was surprised to see, as we walked around the center of the city, how many strip clubs were located right across the street from office buildings. So you can kind of guess from those details the main/most "important" demographic of Zurich.
The uniform of Zurich is definitively the business suit, or the black/navy blazer over gray or khaki pants. Not a whole lot to comment on in terms of street fashion.
I will upload pics soon so you can see how charming the city is and also gasp in awe (because that's what I did) at the food we ate there. ;)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Benvenuti a Venezia
Hi everyone and sorry for the delay in posting! Internet access continued to be spotty in Milan, but now we've arrived in Venice and things are grand. We arrived via train at the Santa Lucia station and walked to our apartment, which is on a tiny canal. After checking in, we walked through the city to the Rialto bridge and down to Piazza San Marco. It's been over a decade since I've been to Venice, and I can definitely say that I love it just as much now as I did when I first visited. Right now, the four of us are waiting for La Zuccha (a veg-friendly restaurant highly recommended by multiple sources) to open for dinner so we can snag a plate of their claim-to-fame pumpkin and avocado veggie lasagna.
Both Zurich and Milan were great, and I have tons of photos to post and stories to tell. Stay tuned!
Both Zurich and Milan were great, and I have tons of photos to post and stories to tell. Stay tuned!
Friday, July 8, 2011
48 hours in Zurich
Hi friends! This is just a quick post to let you know that we made it to Zurich and will be meeting up with the fabulous Alexis and Phil today. Intenet access is spotty in the pension where we're staying, and none of our electric plug adapters work in the outlets here (the outlets are a bit old), so we can't charge our electronics until we get to Milan tomorrow. I have lots more photos of Spain to post, so stay tuned! We'll arrive in Milan tomorrow afternoon/evening. Have a great Friday!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Barcelona: days 3 and 4, plus some observations on Barcelona fashion
We've been having intermittent internet issues the past two days, so sorry for the delay in posting (also, as a result, this post is very long; I wrote half of it yesterday and half today). Additionally, Blogger is still being crappy and not letting me include any photos, so you'll just have to check out my Barcelona album on Picasa. Sorry for the inconvenience!
July 4 (happy birthday to my sister!), in brief: Breakfast on the patio, food shopping at la Boqueria (on La Rambla), lunch on the patio, metro to Parc Guell (the reason I mention the metro here is that we've been able to walk everywhere else, so it was fun and exciting to be able to take the metro), fixed dinner at home and ate on the patio (it seriously never gets old), and then had a late-night sweet fix at the Italian gelato place a three-minute walk away that sells vegan gelato and sorbet.
The long version: Barcelona is home to what is arguably Europe's most famous food market, la Boqueria, located just off La Rambla. Because it's so close, and because I obviously lurrrve food, la Boqueria was definitely on my "to see" list. It was very sensory-overload, what with all the vivid sights, intense smells, people bustling and chattering, and display cases clanging. I got a small head of red cabbage and a huge "corazon" tomato (both for dinner that night), as well as a small tray of fresh berries that I ate as I was walking around. I had a quick LOL as I passed by two clearly American teenagers (and no, it wasn't the "Glen River High SENIORS 2011!!" t-shirt that gave it away) who were disgustedly holding their noses as they walked through the market. In the meat and fish vendors' display cases -- which, believe me, I would have avoided if I could -- there were several things I found extremely disturbing, like [[potential trigger warning]] entire baby pigs and whole, skinned rabbit carcasses. Most of them still had their eyes, but, grotesquely, some were missing one or both. After my initial visceral shock, it was all I could do to wipe away the first few tears and try to hold it together on the way to the vegetable vendors. I am constantly reminded why I do not eat animals. That rabbit with red eyes? She had white fur.
It started to rain on the way home from the Boqueria, so I ran inside quickly and opted for lunch in. It only rained for about half an hour, so afterwards we went to Parc Guell, my favorite place in all of Barcelona (and which some of you might recognize from a few scenes in the movie L'Auberge espagnole). The best feature in Parc Guell is the serpentine bench, which, while made entirely of stone, concrete, and mosaic tiles, is quite possibly the most comfortable bench in the world. Apparently, Gaudi had his workers sit on the bench as it was being constructed so that they could tell him which shape and configuration was most comfortable. The next best thing about Parc Guell is, obviously, the view of the city, which is breathtakingly stunning. I took lots of photos, of course; but in places like that, even the best camera is a pitiful substitute for human experience. Try as you might to capture the panoramic views, you can never quite capture that sense of overwhelming awe you feel as you stand there, perched on a rock, taking in this city that is literally thousands of years older than your country.
I snagged a block of tofu from the HFS on my way home to fix with the cabbage and tomatoes I got at la Boqueria for dinner. I need to bring my camera the next time I go to the HFS so I can show you guys just how amazingly extensive their selection of tofu, tempeh, seitan, and soy yogurt is.
At 23:45, we ran over to the Italian gelato place and got some dessert. It makes me so happy that I can get vegan gelato so close to the apartment, AND at midnight on a Monday! Amazing.
July 5, in brief: Breakfast on patio, walked around El Born, lunch at a vegan restaurant called Gopal, walked through Plaza Catalunya again and up into a neighborhood in Eixample called Gracia. Leftovers for dinner.
The long version: I took one of my Barcelona guidebooks and went on a walk around El Born today after breakfast. El Born is a "hip" neighborhood located between the Via Laietana and the Parc de la Ciutadella -- so another place within a few minutes' walking distance from our apartment. It's a small district with great shops, cafes, squares, a huge market, a library, and a cathedral or two thrown in for good measure. I would totally live in El Born! The streets are mostly pedestrian, as they are in the Barri Gotic, but they're wider and give the area a much more bright and open feeling. There are also more trees, and the whole vibe is much more open and relaxed than the dark, cramped streets of the Barri Gotic. So if you want to rent an apartment in Barcelona and stay in an amazing neighborhood and be close to everything, find a place in El Born.
For lunch, I went to Gopal, the third vegan restaurant within walking distance of the apartment. It took me about four minutes to get there. The restaurant is extremely small (maybe the size of my parents' closet?), but the food was quite good. Amazingy, they've managed to fit a few tables and a bar inside, which were all taken when I ordered my food. So I got my order to go, and then, of course, a seat opened up. I didn't feel like making the trek back up to the apartment (it's a sixth-floor walk-up, 98 steps) carrying all that food, so I grabbed the seat but felt like a total asshole sitting there and eating out of my to-go containers. Sigh. I also didn't take any photos of the food because I felt like the containers really detracted from the presentation. But regardless, it was delicious, filling, and inexpensive. They also had a huge case of cakes, pastries, muffins, and cinnamon buns! I couldn't leave without snagging a piece of chocolate mousse/ganache cake, which I ate later that afternoon as a snack. ;)
Before dinner, I decided to go on another guided walk (courtesy of my book) through a different district, this time the neighborhood of Gracia in Eixample. Apparently, Gracia was a totally separate village that became part of Barcelona in 1897 -- and it definitely feels that way. There are great little squares everywhere, and the buildings aren't as tall. Gracia felt a little bit like the Montmartre area in Paris.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I did a tiny bit of shopping while I was walking along Carrer de la Argenteria in El Born in the morning. I stopped in a store called Desigual (I'd never heard of it before, but it's everywhere here, so apparently it's kind of a Big Deal), and I got the most fabulous black and white dress!
Speaking of clothes, I know some of my readers are curious as to what people are wearing over here. I can only speak for Barcelona since it's the only city we've been to so far, but here's what I'm seeing:
- Shoes: For women, almost everyone is wearing flat, strappy sandals that are open over the toes but have some kind of fabric covering the heel area. Most dudes are wearing sleek loafers or very streamlined athletic shoes (think Pumas, not Nikes).
- Hair: I'm seeing a lot of asymmetrical, razored haircuts (both short and long) on women. Bangs are pretty common, either cut completely straight across or razored high up on the forehead, and sometimes a combination of both. On men, I'm seeing a lot of modified mowhawks, shaved on the sides with a wide swath of hair, about 2-3" long, from forehead to nape. I'm also seeing quite a few mullets on guys, although the style doesn't seem to be as ubiquitous as it was in 2005 when I lived in Valencia.
- Clothing: On women, I'm seeing mainly black, gray, ivory, and mauve, as well as lots of ruffles, loose-fitting/flowy tank tops and vests, fitted tube tops, skirts of all varieties, and dresses of all lengths. Surprsingly, I'm seeing a lot of MC Hammer-style "harem" pants on women, usually in some kind of print. I'm not seeing a lot of leggings but instead some lightweight denim pants (in bright colors) that are very fitted in the leg. People tend to pull these pants down over their heels, almost to the soles of their shoes. On guys, I'm seeing lots of slim-fitting v-neck shirts with equally slim manpris or short shorts (there seems to be no in-between) made out of some poly/nylon parachute fabric. Everything feels very urban, piecemeal, and somewhat wrinkled, ripped, or distressed in some way.
- Accessories: I'm seeing lots of watches in bright colors with big faces. Necklaces are long and worn in multiples, and they fit in with the urban piecemeal/distressed theme. Surprisingly, I haven't seen a lot of people wearing sunglasses. But of the ones I have seen, Wayfarers aren't really big here; most people wearing them are Americans. The sunglasses I'm seeing on native Barcelonins are generally large and have bright-colored frames. A few people are wearing loose-weave, cotton, summery scarves. Some people are wearing Fidel-style hats turned slightly to the side, but for the most part it's kind of too hot for hats right now in Barcelona.
- Also of note: Only Americans are wearing t-shirts, athletic shoes like Nikes, TOM'S, any kind of collared shirt, and/or any kind of khakis. If you want to look like a native Barcelonin, just wear your wrinkliest piece of clothing and pair it with something ripped that's either black or doesn't match AT ALL. Then put a black belt over it and then a ratty, flowy rag of a vest that hardly stays on you. Wear flat sandals or sleek loafers, and BAM! Instantly Barcelonized.
Today I'm off to the Boqueria again to take some photos because I forgot my camera last time. I think I might also go to the city history museum, which has the most complete subterranean Roman ruins anywhere in the world. Exciting!
Tomorrow afternoon, we say goodbye to Barcelona and fly to Zurich. So I probably won't be posting until we arrive there. I hope you all have a great Wednesday and Thursday!
July 4 (happy birthday to my sister!), in brief: Breakfast on the patio, food shopping at la Boqueria (on La Rambla), lunch on the patio, metro to Parc Guell (the reason I mention the metro here is that we've been able to walk everywhere else, so it was fun and exciting to be able to take the metro), fixed dinner at home and ate on the patio (it seriously never gets old), and then had a late-night sweet fix at the Italian gelato place a three-minute walk away that sells vegan gelato and sorbet.
The long version: Barcelona is home to what is arguably Europe's most famous food market, la Boqueria, located just off La Rambla. Because it's so close, and because I obviously lurrrve food, la Boqueria was definitely on my "to see" list. It was very sensory-overload, what with all the vivid sights, intense smells, people bustling and chattering, and display cases clanging. I got a small head of red cabbage and a huge "corazon" tomato (both for dinner that night), as well as a small tray of fresh berries that I ate as I was walking around. I had a quick LOL as I passed by two clearly American teenagers (and no, it wasn't the "Glen River High SENIORS 2011!!" t-shirt that gave it away) who were disgustedly holding their noses as they walked through the market. In the meat and fish vendors' display cases -- which, believe me, I would have avoided if I could -- there were several things I found extremely disturbing, like [[potential trigger warning]] entire baby pigs and whole, skinned rabbit carcasses. Most of them still had their eyes, but, grotesquely, some were missing one or both. After my initial visceral shock, it was all I could do to wipe away the first few tears and try to hold it together on the way to the vegetable vendors. I am constantly reminded why I do not eat animals. That rabbit with red eyes? She had white fur.
It started to rain on the way home from the Boqueria, so I ran inside quickly and opted for lunch in. It only rained for about half an hour, so afterwards we went to Parc Guell, my favorite place in all of Barcelona (and which some of you might recognize from a few scenes in the movie L'Auberge espagnole). The best feature in Parc Guell is the serpentine bench, which, while made entirely of stone, concrete, and mosaic tiles, is quite possibly the most comfortable bench in the world. Apparently, Gaudi had his workers sit on the bench as it was being constructed so that they could tell him which shape and configuration was most comfortable. The next best thing about Parc Guell is, obviously, the view of the city, which is breathtakingly stunning. I took lots of photos, of course; but in places like that, even the best camera is a pitiful substitute for human experience. Try as you might to capture the panoramic views, you can never quite capture that sense of overwhelming awe you feel as you stand there, perched on a rock, taking in this city that is literally thousands of years older than your country.
I snagged a block of tofu from the HFS on my way home to fix with the cabbage and tomatoes I got at la Boqueria for dinner. I need to bring my camera the next time I go to the HFS so I can show you guys just how amazingly extensive their selection of tofu, tempeh, seitan, and soy yogurt is.
At 23:45, we ran over to the Italian gelato place and got some dessert. It makes me so happy that I can get vegan gelato so close to the apartment, AND at midnight on a Monday! Amazing.
July 5, in brief: Breakfast on patio, walked around El Born, lunch at a vegan restaurant called Gopal, walked through Plaza Catalunya again and up into a neighborhood in Eixample called Gracia. Leftovers for dinner.
The long version: I took one of my Barcelona guidebooks and went on a walk around El Born today after breakfast. El Born is a "hip" neighborhood located between the Via Laietana and the Parc de la Ciutadella -- so another place within a few minutes' walking distance from our apartment. It's a small district with great shops, cafes, squares, a huge market, a library, and a cathedral or two thrown in for good measure. I would totally live in El Born! The streets are mostly pedestrian, as they are in the Barri Gotic, but they're wider and give the area a much more bright and open feeling. There are also more trees, and the whole vibe is much more open and relaxed than the dark, cramped streets of the Barri Gotic. So if you want to rent an apartment in Barcelona and stay in an amazing neighborhood and be close to everything, find a place in El Born.
For lunch, I went to Gopal, the third vegan restaurant within walking distance of the apartment. It took me about four minutes to get there. The restaurant is extremely small (maybe the size of my parents' closet?), but the food was quite good. Amazingy, they've managed to fit a few tables and a bar inside, which were all taken when I ordered my food. So I got my order to go, and then, of course, a seat opened up. I didn't feel like making the trek back up to the apartment (it's a sixth-floor walk-up, 98 steps) carrying all that food, so I grabbed the seat but felt like a total asshole sitting there and eating out of my to-go containers. Sigh. I also didn't take any photos of the food because I felt like the containers really detracted from the presentation. But regardless, it was delicious, filling, and inexpensive. They also had a huge case of cakes, pastries, muffins, and cinnamon buns! I couldn't leave without snagging a piece of chocolate mousse/ganache cake, which I ate later that afternoon as a snack. ;)
Before dinner, I decided to go on another guided walk (courtesy of my book) through a different district, this time the neighborhood of Gracia in Eixample. Apparently, Gracia was a totally separate village that became part of Barcelona in 1897 -- and it definitely feels that way. There are great little squares everywhere, and the buildings aren't as tall. Gracia felt a little bit like the Montmartre area in Paris.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I did a tiny bit of shopping while I was walking along Carrer de la Argenteria in El Born in the morning. I stopped in a store called Desigual (I'd never heard of it before, but it's everywhere here, so apparently it's kind of a Big Deal), and I got the most fabulous black and white dress!
Speaking of clothes, I know some of my readers are curious as to what people are wearing over here. I can only speak for Barcelona since it's the only city we've been to so far, but here's what I'm seeing:
- Shoes: For women, almost everyone is wearing flat, strappy sandals that are open over the toes but have some kind of fabric covering the heel area. Most dudes are wearing sleek loafers or very streamlined athletic shoes (think Pumas, not Nikes).
- Hair: I'm seeing a lot of asymmetrical, razored haircuts (both short and long) on women. Bangs are pretty common, either cut completely straight across or razored high up on the forehead, and sometimes a combination of both. On men, I'm seeing a lot of modified mowhawks, shaved on the sides with a wide swath of hair, about 2-3" long, from forehead to nape. I'm also seeing quite a few mullets on guys, although the style doesn't seem to be as ubiquitous as it was in 2005 when I lived in Valencia.
- Clothing: On women, I'm seeing mainly black, gray, ivory, and mauve, as well as lots of ruffles, loose-fitting/flowy tank tops and vests, fitted tube tops, skirts of all varieties, and dresses of all lengths. Surprsingly, I'm seeing a lot of MC Hammer-style "harem" pants on women, usually in some kind of print. I'm not seeing a lot of leggings but instead some lightweight denim pants (in bright colors) that are very fitted in the leg. People tend to pull these pants down over their heels, almost to the soles of their shoes. On guys, I'm seeing lots of slim-fitting v-neck shirts with equally slim manpris or short shorts (there seems to be no in-between) made out of some poly/nylon parachute fabric. Everything feels very urban, piecemeal, and somewhat wrinkled, ripped, or distressed in some way.
- Accessories: I'm seeing lots of watches in bright colors with big faces. Necklaces are long and worn in multiples, and they fit in with the urban piecemeal/distressed theme. Surprisingly, I haven't seen a lot of people wearing sunglasses. But of the ones I have seen, Wayfarers aren't really big here; most people wearing them are Americans. The sunglasses I'm seeing on native Barcelonins are generally large and have bright-colored frames. A few people are wearing loose-weave, cotton, summery scarves. Some people are wearing Fidel-style hats turned slightly to the side, but for the most part it's kind of too hot for hats right now in Barcelona.
- Also of note: Only Americans are wearing t-shirts, athletic shoes like Nikes, TOM'S, any kind of collared shirt, and/or any kind of khakis. If you want to look like a native Barcelonin, just wear your wrinkliest piece of clothing and pair it with something ripped that's either black or doesn't match AT ALL. Then put a black belt over it and then a ratty, flowy rag of a vest that hardly stays on you. Wear flat sandals or sleek loafers, and BAM! Instantly Barcelonized.
Today I'm off to the Boqueria again to take some photos because I forgot my camera last time. I think I might also go to the city history museum, which has the most complete subterranean Roman ruins anywhere in the world. Exciting!
Tomorrow afternoon, we say goodbye to Barcelona and fly to Zurich. So I probably won't be posting until we arrive there. I hope you all have a great Wednesday and Thursday!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Barcelona: night 1, day 2
Hello everyone! Last night for dinner, we went to this dive called Cat Bar in the El Raval/Sant Pere neighborhood (a stone's throw northeast of the Barri Gotic, where our apartment is located). Cat bar features all vegan food and beer, and as one might expect, they serve greasy bar fare. It was all right -- cheap, filling, and a ton of food. Will I go back? Probably not. The thing that really turned me off was the chair perched right outside the front door (on the stoop, really) with a huge portable ashtray next to it, which rendered the "NO FUMAR" sign inside virtually worthless.
But I know the vegans want to see my food, and all you other people need to see all the different kinds of amazing food vegans can eat while traveling through Europe. So I took some photos of my food that you can see among my other Barcelona photos.
(Sorry guys, I would add a ton of photos here, but Blogger is being crappy with my browser and not letting me. I might come back later and add photos to this post, but in the meantime, check out the link to my Barcelona album on Picasa.)
Today, after having breakfast on our terrace (in the shade with a cool breeze!), I walked around the Barri Gotic and went into the Barcelona Cathedral. The Barri Gotic is amazing because it's one of the few [largely] intact, surviving medieval town structures in a large European city. It was built on a truly human scale and is thus completely pedestrian-oriented -- it's just wide enough for a few people to walk side-by-side. I can only assume that much of Paris, for instance, especially near the Seine and Isle de la Cite, was also structured like this but was torn down in the 18th and 19th centuries to widen the streets and make it the beautiful, planned city that it is today.
But back to Barcelona: There are a few things I find shocking, in a good way, about the Barri Gotic. Once you get over the fact that the streets are kind of dark and only about six feet wide, you notice first how utterly quiet it is. Of course you can hear people talking, children laughing, and dogs barking from the apartments whose wrought-iron balconies you could literally reach your arm out and touch -- but there is absolutely zero traffic noise. It's uncanny. It's actually... quiet. This is what cities used to sound like before there were cars. I've never been in such a densely packed urban area that doesn't feature a background soundtrack of beeping car horns, wailing sirens, and chugging gas engines.
The second thing that I find shocking is just how quickly you can get from one place to the next in the Barri Gotic. The map makes it look as if it will take me a full, oh, 10 minutes to walk from my apartment to the Barcelona Cathedral. But no: I can get there, walking at a normal pace, in about three minutes. I can get to Plaza de Sant Jaume in about 90 seconds. The streets are so narrow, it's like having only sidewalks between the buildings. In the US, these would never "count" as full-on streets. And I love that about Barcelona. The Barri Gotic is a human city.
This afternoon, I found an Italian gelato shop that sells vegan gelato and sorbet! I can't even tell you how excited I am about this. I'm going to go back there every single day we're in Barcelona. They have avocado sorbet! AVOCADO! But today I got a waffle cone with cherry-vanilla cream and chocolate gelato, both made with rice milk. We'll see what I get tomorrow. ;)
After gelato, I walked north along La Rambla (aka Tourists-R-Us, heaven for pickpockets, and a place where you can always find at least one other American at any hour of any day). Sadly, the huge Boqueria market in the middle of La Rambla was closed (it is Sunday, after all; boo), so I'll have to go back tomorrow to check things out and get some fresh veggies. I kept walking north through Plaza Catalunya and into Eixample (pronounced like "ay-shom-play") along Passeig de Gracia to see Casa Batllo and Casa Mila/La Pedrera, arguably Gaudi's two most important residential works. I really wanted to see them the last time I was in Barcelona but wasn't able to, so it was very fulfilling to be able to see them now. Casa Batllo is definitely my favorite because the roof looks like a dragon's back and the front is covered in mosaic tiles. I love its social implications too, because as you stand there and take it in, positioned between two very normal-looking buildings, you can practically hear Gaudi shouting "screw you!" at conventional thought of the times.
Afterwards, I took a brief siesta, and then we went to dinner at Juicy Jones, a tiny, hidden gem of a restaurant near La Rambla that has a juice bar (set up just like a sushi bar) in the front of the house and a cellar-turned-dining room at the back of the house. We each ordered the menu del dia for 8.50 euros, which came with an appetizer (I had no choice but to get the gazpacho), an entree (I got the veggie burger, which was more like two thin veggie latkes), and a dessert (I got the hazenut halvah). Everything was delicious! Such a welcome and happy change from last night's greasy-spoon bar fare. Oh, I also got a green smoothie with spinach, avocado, celery, apple, and lemon -- and holy mother of maude, it was amazing! I would never think to put lemon or celery in my green smoothies, but they totally worked, and I'm going to try it when I get back to the States.
After dinner, we walked along La Rambla again just to take in all the sights and sounds. It was a great day!
But I know the vegans want to see my food, and all you other people need to see all the different kinds of amazing food vegans can eat while traveling through Europe. So I took some photos of my food that you can see among my other Barcelona photos.
(Sorry guys, I would add a ton of photos here, but Blogger is being crappy with my browser and not letting me. I might come back later and add photos to this post, but in the meantime, check out the link to my Barcelona album on Picasa.)
Today, after having breakfast on our terrace (in the shade with a cool breeze!), I walked around the Barri Gotic and went into the Barcelona Cathedral. The Barri Gotic is amazing because it's one of the few [largely] intact, surviving medieval town structures in a large European city. It was built on a truly human scale and is thus completely pedestrian-oriented -- it's just wide enough for a few people to walk side-by-side. I can only assume that much of Paris, for instance, especially near the Seine and Isle de la Cite, was also structured like this but was torn down in the 18th and 19th centuries to widen the streets and make it the beautiful, planned city that it is today.
But back to Barcelona: There are a few things I find shocking, in a good way, about the Barri Gotic. Once you get over the fact that the streets are kind of dark and only about six feet wide, you notice first how utterly quiet it is. Of course you can hear people talking, children laughing, and dogs barking from the apartments whose wrought-iron balconies you could literally reach your arm out and touch -- but there is absolutely zero traffic noise. It's uncanny. It's actually... quiet. This is what cities used to sound like before there were cars. I've never been in such a densely packed urban area that doesn't feature a background soundtrack of beeping car horns, wailing sirens, and chugging gas engines.
The second thing that I find shocking is just how quickly you can get from one place to the next in the Barri Gotic. The map makes it look as if it will take me a full, oh, 10 minutes to walk from my apartment to the Barcelona Cathedral. But no: I can get there, walking at a normal pace, in about three minutes. I can get to Plaza de Sant Jaume in about 90 seconds. The streets are so narrow, it's like having only sidewalks between the buildings. In the US, these would never "count" as full-on streets. And I love that about Barcelona. The Barri Gotic is a human city.
This afternoon, I found an Italian gelato shop that sells vegan gelato and sorbet! I can't even tell you how excited I am about this. I'm going to go back there every single day we're in Barcelona. They have avocado sorbet! AVOCADO! But today I got a waffle cone with cherry-vanilla cream and chocolate gelato, both made with rice milk. We'll see what I get tomorrow. ;)
After gelato, I walked north along La Rambla (aka Tourists-R-Us, heaven for pickpockets, and a place where you can always find at least one other American at any hour of any day). Sadly, the huge Boqueria market in the middle of La Rambla was closed (it is Sunday, after all; boo), so I'll have to go back tomorrow to check things out and get some fresh veggies. I kept walking north through Plaza Catalunya and into Eixample (pronounced like "ay-shom-play") along Passeig de Gracia to see Casa Batllo and Casa Mila/La Pedrera, arguably Gaudi's two most important residential works. I really wanted to see them the last time I was in Barcelona but wasn't able to, so it was very fulfilling to be able to see them now. Casa Batllo is definitely my favorite because the roof looks like a dragon's back and the front is covered in mosaic tiles. I love its social implications too, because as you stand there and take it in, positioned between two very normal-looking buildings, you can practically hear Gaudi shouting "screw you!" at conventional thought of the times.
Afterwards, I took a brief siesta, and then we went to dinner at Juicy Jones, a tiny, hidden gem of a restaurant near La Rambla that has a juice bar (set up just like a sushi bar) in the front of the house and a cellar-turned-dining room at the back of the house. We each ordered the menu del dia for 8.50 euros, which came with an appetizer (I had no choice but to get the gazpacho), an entree (I got the veggie burger, which was more like two thin veggie latkes), and a dessert (I got the hazenut halvah). Everything was delicious! Such a welcome and happy change from last night's greasy-spoon bar fare. Oh, I also got a green smoothie with spinach, avocado, celery, apple, and lemon -- and holy mother of maude, it was amazing! I would never think to put lemon or celery in my green smoothies, but they totally worked, and I'm going to try it when I get back to the States.
After dinner, we walked along La Rambla again just to take in all the sights and sounds. It was a great day!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Video of Barcelona apartment
I'm a total HGTV nerd and love House Hunters, especially the international episodes. So I wanted to share with you guys a quick video of what our Barcelona apartment looks like. Make sure you turn your sound up at 3:22 so you can hear the city street noise and church bells (from the Barcelona Cathedral) in the distance. Enjoy!
Vegan FTW!!
A few minutes ago, as I was putting groceries away, to my utter surprise and squeeing delight, I saw this sticker on the fridge. I can't even believe it! It's a sure sign from the tofu gods that I am in the right place and that this trip is going to be awesome.
Also, I am pleased to report that the health food store a five-minute walk away on Via Laietana, while covering about 1/10th of the square footage of our HFS back home, easily has 10 times more flavors and varieties of tofu, seitan, and soy yogurt! Damn it feels good to be a gangsta.
Te dejo Madrid
Something unbelievable happened at the Charlotte airport: I upgraded to first class on my flight to Madrid! It was amazing, like being in a hotel and then a fancy restaurant and then a hotel again. I had three windows to myself and one of those seats that reclines almost completely horizontally. (I won't even go into detail about the champagne, personal TV, and steaming hand/face towel before both dinner and breakfast. I felt like royalty!) The stewardess who was assigned to my side of the aisle went out of her way to make sure I had a vegan meal, too -- she swapped my salad (which annoyingly had chunks of shaved parmesan in it) with one of the crewmember salads, which had spinach, romaine, red onions, and yellow peppers. And then for dinner, when she set my plate down (on my little collapsible table covered with a tiny tablecloth), she said, "I know you're a vay-gun and you don't eat cheese, so when you get back to the States, you need to call the airline because they gave you a piece of cheese! I figured you wouldn't want to see that on your plate, so I took it off." I wanted to hug her!
Dinner was a deconstructed paella of sorts, with Spanish rice, peas, a roasted tomato, and artichokes. It also came with a fresh fruit salad on the side, covered with shredded coconut. Yum! Breakfast was an oatmeal/wheat roll with a simple granola and another fresh fruit salad.
I was able to sleep for a few hours on the flight. I looked out the window a few times and couldn't believe all the stars in the sky, since there's virtually no light pollution over the Atlantic. I actually saw the hazy pearlescent strip of the Milky Way, something I've never been able to see before as a city girl. I caught a few ZZZs and woke up just in time to see the Atlantic end at the Portugal coast and then watch the sun rise over the continent that my ancestors left hundreds of years ago to create a better life in the New World. I'm not gonna lie: it was beautiful, and I cried a little.
So, anyway, that was hands-down the best flight I've experienced thus far in my life. It was actually -- dare I say it -- enjoyable! The flight to Barcelona was meh, just like every other flight I've ever been on. But now I'm here in Barcelona, and our apartment is sunny and clean and cute and bright. I'm about to wind my way through these ancient streets (they're not even wide enough to fit a golf car) and find the closest health food store in hopes of scoring some soymilk and a few snacks. I'll post later with a video of our apartment! From Barcelona with love. <3
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