Wednesday 13 March 2013

After Stitches, Barcelona

So, Stitches takes place from a Sunday to a Tuesday, but we are also there on Saturday setting up.  I got home very late Tuesday evening (around 9:30pm). But as soon as I got home I had to quickly unpack my clothes and toiletries, and replaced them quickly again because I was flying next morning to Barcelona.

Barcelona was really at first just a stop over for me as my destination was Zaragoza, the city where I was born and where only Ryan Air flies directly from London. In any other circunstances, I like to travel direct as much as I can as I know it is usually the cheapest all things considered. but you know what? I hate Ryan Air. I really really do. As long as I can I will avoid it like the plague. So, easy jet to Barcelona and train to Zaragoza is the easiest option.

Since I hadn't been in Barcelona for what it feels forever, I thought it would be a great opportunity to spend a night there.


I booked a room at Hotel Barcelo Sans, which is in the main train station. Dodgy, you may think, but I read all the reviews (I am thorough like that!) and they were very positive and more importantly the location is brilliant - the airport train takes 20 mins and the fast train to Zaragoza departs from there too.


The hotel is set up as an Orbital station and all is designed to look futuristic. It is actually really well done and all extremely clean and new.


But that chair is the most uncomfortable armchair I can possible imagine.

After dropping my bags I decided to go to Cromatismes after recommendation of Celine Navarro.


I loved this shop and the owner, Aurea, was really sweet and very talented. The samples along the walls are AMAZING!


The shop has two small floors with a workshop space and plenty of very well chosen goodies.


Next morning, after a lovely breakfast where cake was on offer - we do like our sweet breakfasts in Spain- I met up with Anam Stubbington.


I met Anam for the first time back in 2004/2005, not sure and then kept in touch via Facebook and email through out the years. As she lives with her family in Barcelona it was lovely to spend the day with her.


First stop was Kirei. I have been obsessed with this shop since I was in Creativa Madrid. they make the most amazing flowers and sweets using cold porcelain paste and other air drying clays.


All the samples are fake meaning they have been made with one past or another. Of course I had to buy some stuff to experiment. To be honest I only managed to make a poppy with a decent not great result, probably due to the fact that I didn't follow one very important step!

After that we had some lovely lunch and walked around the Ramblas, Boqueria... and before long we had to say goodbye.


And I had to say hello to the Ave train, a fast train to Zaragoza. One hour and a half to make a journey that usually is almost twice as long, and because I booked very late I had to go first class for which I had to pay all of 55€, mini cava bottle and sandwich included in the price, not bad!
Now, I dont think fast trains are the solution for all the countries, but Spain is a huge country and services like this can revitalise cities like Zaragoza.


Anyway, that is it for today. My adventures in Zaragoza next.

3 comments:

Helen said...

I have only visited Barcelona once and nowhere else in Spain, but would love to go back. The train sounds a great way to get round.

Anam_Kihaku said...

it was awesome to spend some quality time with you once again :)

Lindsay Mason said...

It looks and sounds great. Barcelona is one city that I'd very much like to visit some day. Get you - first class on the fast train...as you say though, not a bad price for what you got. I can only imagine what it would cost here in the UK!
Lindsay x x x

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