Tired of pick pockets in Barcelona!! Some security tips…

I am tired of hearing everyday, new cases of robberies, pick pocketing, thiefs, etc. in Barcelona! We need to do something, and I propose to collect signatures to present them in the City Council.

Everyday, thousands of tourists in Barcelona get the vacations ruined because of the lack of security in the city center, while goverment just car about ticketing bad parked cars or even the most evil danger of fast bicicle riders…

Since nor the police, nor the goverment are going to do anything by the moment, here goes some secuity tips to be followed if you dont want to contribute with your savings to the thiefs collective of Barcelona:

1. Never carry with you a lot of money. The risk to be a victim of a pick pocket in Barcelona is extremely high. Bring just some Euros for the day, and leave the rest at the security box of your hotel.
2. Pay a lot of attention to your personal things in places with a lot of people, as Las Ramblas, the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, subway, etc…
3. Keep a meter of distance between and ANY stranger who comes to you for ANY reason. Pick pockets thiefs are not very clever, and they use stupid excuses to get in touch with you, like playing a ball between your feed, and meanwhile, they take your wallet away; also I saw once in Park Guell a couple of thiefs that threw something similar to a bird shit, and then tried to clean it, and the pockets of the tourists… I advised them, and avoid the action, thought.
4. If driving, NEVER STOP by any excuse. Sometimes, someone will tell you that you have a flat tire. NEVER, NEVER stop! If you do, probably you will lose the luggage, and it is a really bad inconvenience.
5. Dont explore the RAVAL neighbourhood. It is VERY dangerours. Zones to avoid in the center: RAVAL, and everything at the left of the Ramblas. The are inside the streets Via Layetana, Princesa Street, Sant Pere Mes Alt and Comerç st. I will soon publish a map with the DANGER areas of Barcelona.
6. In restaurants, bars, cafes, never leave the hand bag behind you. It is better to fire the bag…

I will propose to add your comment about how you were robbed in Barcelona, the street name, and explain what happened. I will send it to the City Council when I have some of them.

Good luck!!

Tibidadbo opens a new roller coster in Barcelona

The Tibidabo is preparing the big premiere of the last few years. Back in the month of April will begin construction of the new roller coaster in the amusement park, which will be operational in October and November this year, as has assured the councillor of Sarriá-SantGervasi and president of Tibidabo Amusement Park, Inc. (PATSA), Sara Jaurrieta.La nueva atracción sustituye la antigua montaña rusa de los años sesenta y promete sensaciones espectaculares. The new attraction replaces the old roller coaster of the sixties and promises spectacular sensations. Para empezar, desde su punto más alto, a 522 metros sobre el nivel del mar, disfrutarás de unas espectaculares vistas de la ciudad de Barcelona y su litoral y de la zona de El Vallès. To begin with, from its highest point, at 522 feet above sea level, enjoy the spectacular views of the city of Barcelona and its coastline in the area of the Vallès.

La intriga empezará en la subida, que supera a motor 33,2 metros de desnivel hasta llegar al punto más alto, es entonces cuando empieza la aventura. The intrigue starts on the rise, which exceeds motor 33.2 metres to reach the highest point, that’s when the adventure begins. Una bajada de 37 metros con una pendiente del 66% te ayudará a conocer los efectos de la gravedad. A letdown 37 meters with a gradient of 66% will help you understand the effects of gravity.La emoción continuará durante un recorrido de 718 metros, la mayoría de ellos a ras de suelo y atravesando una arboleda que amplía el efecto de velocidad. The excitement will continue for a distance of 718 meters, most of them at ground level and through a wooded area which extends the effect of speed.

Aunque no llegue a velocidades punta similares a las de algunas montañas rusas europeas ni de vueltas o loopings , durante el trayecto, que tiene una duración de 85 segundos, llegarás a los 80 km/h. Although not reach peak speeds similar to those of some European roller coasters or turns or loops, during the trip, which lasts for 85 seconds, you will reach 80 km / h.La atracción, que tiene un coste de tres millones de euros, es apta para todos los públicos, aunque los niños tendrán que ser mayores de cinco años (o superar los 110 cm) para poder subir. The attraction, which has a cost of three million, is suitable for all ages, although children will be older than five years (or exceed 110 cm) to upload. Además, es totalmente accesible para personas con movilidad reducida o discapacidad. Moreover, it is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility or disability.

Sus dos trenes son capaces de transportar a 1.010 personas cada hora. Its two trains are capable of transporting 1,010 people per hour.Plantación de 190 nuevos árboles Planting 190 new trees

La construcción de la nueva montaña rusa supondrá la afectación de 58 árboles, 50 de los cuales se tendrán que talar y 8 serán trasplantados. The construction of the new roller coaster will involve the allocation of 58 trees, 50 of which will have to speak and 8 will be transplanted. Además, se plantarán 190 nuevos árboles y se creará una comisión de seguimiento medioambiental de las obras. In addition, 190 new trees will be planted and create a commission of environmental monitoring of the works.Asimismo, la obra se llevará a cabo con maquinaria reducida y se protegerá la capa de tierra vegetal. Likewise, the work is carried out with reduced machinery and protect the topsoil layer.

No more taxi, more “bicing”!!!

 Do you know “bicing”?

 It’s a new public transportation inBarcelona city. Some friends from other countries asked me if they can use them. I’m afraid the answer is “NO”.  That’s a shame but they are only for residents. 

To use this bike, you have to register by internet( bicing website) and pay 24 euros/year with the credit/debit card. You can use 5am to 0am from Sunday to Thursday, and Friday and Saturday you can use them for 24 hours. Once you take the bike, you can use it during 2 hours. If you use more than 2 hours, you have to pay extra charge.

and there are some hotels or hostals they offer bike rental like,  Barcelona Apartments

La Mercè festival 2007 in Barcelona

  The Mercè festival(from22 to 24 Sep.) is just around the corner.

You can check the event program here.

http://www.bcn.cat/merce/catala/home.shtml

 Though the site is only in Spanish or Catalan…

As I explained before, during the festival it’s difficult to book the hotel. If you come to Barcelona next week, it might be better to book the hostal/hotel in advance. I recommend you the following site:

http://www.chicstays.com

There are cheap Bed and Breakfast in Barcelona and apartments in Barcelona.

After holidays, festival again!

In Barcelona, the new academic year starts in September.  Most people returns from holidays with sleepy eyes, without any motivation for work this week.

In this month, the most important festival is the “la Mercè”.

The Merce is the patron saint of Barcelona. The Merce day is the 24th of September. There will be the live performance, concerts, castellets, gigantes(giants parades) and so on all over the city of Barcelona. The official site of this festival is still under costruction, so when it’s finished, I will talk about that again.

 If you have already planned to come to Barcelona between 22th(Sat.) and 24th(Mon.) of September, it might be better to book the hostal or hotel ASAP. Because every year there are many tourists who can’t get the room to stay and they have to have a sweet dream in the street or to go clubbing all night long. Well, that is the another way of enjoy and the feel the real Barcelona life, though… 

 And watch out! The 24th of September, most of the shops in Barcelona will be closed!

I recommend you the following sites: Barcelona Apartments  you can enjoy your stay as if you were the one of citizen of Barcelona with full-equipped kitchen, living room and bath  etc…  You can also book only one room.

All roads lead to… Rome or Barcelona?

If you are on holidays and have any plan to rent a car and drive in Spain this weekend, I would say, “Don’t go now, postpone it till next weekend”.

Because you know, 31 of August, and it’s Friday, I mean it’s a “Operación Salida”

(Return Rush). Everybody comes home, oh sweet home, from summer holidays.

If you can’t  to avoid to drive highways this weekend in Spain, and to know how is the traffic, you can check by the following website:  Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) and choose the section “Estado de la circulación”  (means “traffic situation”). 

And also you can check the roads under construction and where exactly it is by map from this site: eTraffic

I know, the traditional way to get the traffic information is the radio Nacional de España  they have various channels

Radio 1 and Radio 5 “Todo Noticias”  by regional and local stations, though they speak so fast and difficult to catch…

You can use the podcast service as well.

I may sound like I’m repeating myself, but I don’t recommend to drive this weekend in Spain, if possible, you may change the travel plan and visit and stay one more night at Barcelona Apartments and move next week when there will be the less traffic and you would enjoy the beautiful scenary in Spain as much as you want.

Music Festival in/near Barcelona Summer ‘07

If you visit Barcelona this summer, there are wonderful summer music festivals in the city of Barcelona and the around of the city.

Let’s check it out!

In city of Barcelona———-

Masinmas Festival (24 Jul- 5 Sep)

Location: various in city of Barcelona include. Moog, Jamboree, la Pedrera, Tarantos

all kinds of music and dance events

http://www.masimas.com/festival/

Festival l’Hora del Jazz (September, every Sunday).Memorial Tete  Montoliu                                                                                                               Location:Plaça Rius i Taulet ,Barcelona

http://www.amjm.org

Near Barcelona ——————

Festival Peralada (20 Jul- 19 Aug)

Location: Peralada Castle, about 7kn from Figueres, in small town of Peralada, classical music.

http://www.festivalperalada.com/

 Maçart Festival de cultura contemporània (24-26 Aug)Maçanet deCabrenys

http://festivalmassart.org 

Festival de Guitarra Girona  (22 Jun-13 Sep)Location:GironaCostaBrava  

 www.jmanzano.com 

Festival de Música de Sitges ( 9 Jul – 5 Sep)              

Location:Sitges                                                           

www.festivaldemusicadesitges.com

Amazing!! Barcelona in 3D

A map company has created an amazing 3D Barcelona. You can move around the streets, visit the Ramblas in 3D, the Gaudi buildings… It is fantastic!!

 You can visit the site:

http://www.qdq.com/

Double Party (2-0) FC Barcelona 2-0 Racing de Santander

 News from: FC Barcelona News

A better Barça won their encounter against Racing Santander. Two goals from Ronaldinho allows Barça to increase their lead at the top of the table. Leo Messi played his first part in a game for three months following his recovery from injury.A penalty save from Valdes, two goals from Ronaldinho and the return of Leo Messi gave the home support something extra to cheer about. Frank Rijkaard has continued to help the team evolve as he has done in the last few games; in as much as the team’s physical display as well as their efficiency. The blaugrana continue to lead la liga and even increase their advantage a little.Movement and consistency
Following the adjustments made in
Pamplona, Frank Rijkaard again put Rafa Marquez in the centre and paired up Edmilson and Puyol in defence. Other changes saw Belletti and Iniesta team up on the right flank. Barça played with fluidity and piled the pressure on the opposition, with Deco and Xavi dominating in the centre of the pitch and creating many opportunities for the attacking players. The first occasion opening up in the 12th minute when Zambrotta made a run into the area, however, preferred to play the ball back.Penalty Racing were beginning to find their feet in the game, but by no means were they causing Barça too many problems. However, in the 25th minute, the referee pointed to the spot for the visitors following a foul by Belletti on Juanjo. The home crowd was silenced, however, it did not last long as Valdes chose correctly and saved Garay’s spot kick. This save was Valdes’ second penalty save of the season.Barça raised their game following the penalty incident and in the 26th minute, Barça created two chances, one for Belletti and Ronaldinho and another for Iniesta and Saviola. Iniesta himself finished the half with a powerful long range effort which brought about a good save form Calatayud.Stars Barça had it clear in their minds that they wanted goals, while at the same time they had no time or space to relax. Ronaldinho tried from distance shortly after the break, however, the Racing defence held together well and denied the blaugrana easy passage through to goal.Persistance paid off in the 51st minute. Ronladinho was fouled a few metres outside of the area, which he executed the free kick with precision to break the deadlock. His free kick demonstrating the Barça ‘10′ is one of the best free kick takers around, if not the best. Ronaldinho appeared very up for the game and it was the Brazilian again who doubled the advantage with a header from Deco’s free kick. The celebrations were complete when Messi came on for Saviola; the home crowd voicing their appreciation.Denied the third In the closing stages of the game, a new party began following the arrival of news from
Malaga . Barça looked for the third goal, Ronaldinho coming close following a darting run into the area where his shot grazed the inside post denying him his hat-trick. A short while later, he made a similar run; this time his cross being just a little too high for Giuly to guide his header.Amongst the chants of ‘Champions’ in response to the Copa del Rey victory for the basketball team, Rijkaard brought on Oleguer, who received a rapturous welcome from the crowd. Barça came away deserved victors, stretching their slim advantage over the chasing pack.Click HERE for details of the matchThe goals1-0, Ronaldinho (min 51)
2-0, Ronaldinho (min 67)

FC Barcelona Tickets

Best places to eat paella in Barcelona

Barcelona’s many restaurants and bars offer the best of Catalonia’s diverse cuisine. Other Mediterranean countries, like France and Italy, have heavily influenced Catalan cooking, which features lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood, pork and veal.

Catalans love cold meats (embutidos) of all sorts, especially pork sausages (butifarra). The staple dish is butifarra amb mongetes, a stew of pork sausage and white beans. Escudella is a traditional stew made with sausage, chickpeas, pasta and a giant pork meatball. It’s generally eaten at Christmas time and followed by crema catalana, a sweet egg custard topped with caramelized sugar that has become a popular dessert throughout Spain.

Fish is a major part of the diet. Zarzuela is a tasty seafood casserole that originated in Barcelona and spread to other parts of the country. Bacallà a la llauna is cod cooked in a tin dish.

In summer, you can enjoy lighter dishes like escalibada (red peppers mixed with aubergines and onions) and esqueixada (red peppers with cod and onions). Or head for one of the many farmhouse (masía) restaurants on the outskirts of the city and try some traditional dishes. If you’re lucky, the restaurant will serve calçotada, a sauce (calçots) made from tender spring onions served on an oven-fired tile, followed by grilled meat.

Catalan dishes are always accompanied by pan con tomate, country-style bread smeared liberally with ripe tomato, olive oil and salt.

There are eight different areas in Catalonia that produce good quality wines. The region is famous for its white wines from the Penedés area and cava, sparkling white wines. The quality of red wines, particularly from the Priorato area, has improved in recent years.

Where to Go

You’ll find traditional Catalan restaurants along with restaurants featuring regional cuisine from other parts of Spain. There’s also a variety of eating places serving Italian, Chinese, North African, Middle Eastern and Mexican dishes along with more trendy designer restaurants.

Basque cuisine is served in Irati and Zure Etxea. The old town has quite a few Galician restaurants like the famous Bar Celta, which offers a variety of traditional octopus dishes.

You’ll find three famous traditional Catalan restaurants worth visiting in the area around Monumento a Colón (Columbus Monument): Ca l’Isidre, Botafumeiro and Casa Leopoldo.

There’s plenty of reasonably-priced seafood restaurants down by the harbour, in La Barceloneta, that specialize in paella and the Catalan equivalent, fideuà, based on noodles instead of rice. Arròs negre is a kind of paella cooked in a stock of squid’s ink. Can Ramonet, Set Portes and Salamanca are three of the best places for rice dishes in this district.

The seafood restaurants at Port Olímpic (Olympic Port) display their fresh fish in cases by the door and many offer sea views.

There are more seafood restaurants with views in the Maremàgnum, an ultra-modern shopping centre by the harbour, close to the Ramblas.

Tapas are often served as an appetizer along with a glass of beer or wine before lunch or dinner. However, you can make tapas into a meal by ordering a selection to share with friends. Lots of informal tapas restaurants have recently opened up along Paseo de Gracia and Rambla Cataluña. Traditional tapas are small portions of things like pescaíto frito (mixture of deep-fried Mediterranean fish), patatas bravas (chunks of potato, deep-fried and served with spicy garlic sauce), calamares a la romana (squid rings fried in batter) and boquerones en vinagre (marinated anchovies). Try the following places for tapas: Tapa-tapa, Von-Till, Ciudad Condal or Moncho’s. For bullfighting memorabilia, try Los Toreros on Calle Xuclà, close to the Ramblas.