Archive for December, 2005

Bar Kasparo, Plaza Vincenç Martorell

Thursday, December 29th, 2005

It’s often tricky to find spot where the kids can run around while the parents can do something other than mind them (other than the beach of course!). Which is why I often find myself at Bar Kasparo, just off the top of the Ramblas. In the plaza there’s a small playground, with the usual […]

Transferring money out of the UK

Monday, December 19th, 2005

Top tip for transferring money between currencies, i.e from the UK to Spain or vice versa - use a dedicated forex service like XETrade. Using your bank results in less funds arriving, as the banks use less competitive exchange rates AND they add charges for the privilege. Signing up to XE Trade takes a couple […]

Lazy Saturday lunch at the Santa Caterina market

Saturday, December 17th, 2005

Today I meandered down to the recently opened Santa Caterina market, just off Via Laietana. There’s a great little eatery in there, who’s name escapes me, where they make fantastic dishes every day, the menu changing according to what they get from the market that day. Um um…I’d skipped breakfast, so I started with a […]

Great gym in Barcelona!

Friday, December 16th, 2005

I know that Tom Hogkinson, Idler author, argues that going to the gym is the modern equivalent of the torture chamber.

Clearly he’s never been to the kind of idler-friendly gyms I go to! After a hard night’s idling, which lets face it usually involves excessive quantities of some sort of narcotic, mornings can often […]

Best paella in Barcelona

Friday, December 16th, 2005

Now, I’m sure this is a contentious subject, as everyone has their own opinion on this one. Well, here’s mine, based on extensive paella eating around Barcelona…my vote goes to Can Majó, right on the Barceloneta sea front. In fact, all the seafood I’ve tried there is fantastic, right down to the cod buñuelos, which […]

Winter beach

Thursday, December 15th, 2005

Cycled down to the beach today, I love being by the sea even if it’s too cold to contemplate getting wet. You get a different kind of person on the beach in winter than you do in summer - many more loners, oddballs, and idlers Or maybe they just stand out more […]

Relaxed as usual

Thursday, December 15th, 2005

Of course, I’ve been meaning to do this for years, but somehow never got round to it…