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Europe 2019
  • The Off Grid Odyssey
  • Rebecca Mattocks
  • The Off Grid Odyssey
  • Rebecca Mattocks

Europe 2019

Matt and Becky's Europe vacation Read more
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  • Europe 2019

    Hieroglyphs Anyone?

    September 19, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Last thing you expect in Madrid is an Egyptian Temple, yet here one is... obviously I need better friends as this was a present from Egypt to Spain.
    Amazed that a building over 2000 years old is still standing even after being sunk when they built a dam and then moved 2855 miles ish.... even in 1965 that was a lot of lorries!!Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Apparently the biggest in Europe.

    September 19, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Palacio Real De Madrid
    Apparently was built and then the king decided it wasnt big enough so had it made bigger.
    Truly enormous.
    Be prepared to queue and be heckled to buy water, tours and fans...
    Definitely the biggest I have even seen!    Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Lunch in Madrid

    September 19, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    As with all cities lunch is best found off the beaten track. Retrogusto in Plaza del Biombo is our stop for today. Sitting in the courtyard under the shade of a tree eating beautifully prepared and reasonably priced food. Lunch plus a glass of wine is about €9Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Cathedral and Crypt Visit

    September 19, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Had an amazing walk around the cathedral and then then crypt.
    Both are a donation of €1 which I felt was a bargain.
    Now enjoying a cheeky glass of rose next to the river...

  • Europe 2019

    Tapas Tour

    September 19, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Now... I love food... this we all know and.... I love wine... also something we all know, so, when someone offered me the opportunity of both for 3 hrs for a few Euros then obviously I jumped at it.
    Last night we enjoyed a very good local tour with a very experienced guide who showed us the city, it's people and its cultures through his eyes.
    At stop 1 we ate squid and garlic prawns with bread and white wine. At stop 2 we had bread and chorizo and iberian ham and manchego cheese with red wine and the 3rd stop we had Spanish Omelette with mushrooms and small green peppers with sangria.
    Finishing off with a stroll through the city.
    We both had a fabulous experience that we would both highly recommend even if it means I have to walk even more today to burn it off.    Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Loving the view this morning....

    September 20, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Spending a while in Parque de El Retiro. Madrid has so many beautiful parks and open spaces.
    Why wait at the train station when you can wait here.
    Off to Barcelona today... next step in our journey.

  • Europe 2019

    Leaving Madrid

    September 20, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We have had a lovely time in Madrid but we must now leave now for Barcelona. A quick beer and cake whilst we wait for a platform is a must. We had Churros for breakfast which you must try if you come here.
    The trains can be very confusing and different ticket desks only sell tickets for certain trains. The local short distance trains arec Renfe Cercanias. The long distance trains are Renfe trains from the Botanical Gardens.    Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Style and comfort

    September 20, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We are hurtling through Spain at 186 mph (300 kph) on the quietest, most comfortable train we have ever been on. It is 32 degrees C outside but it is comfortable in the air conditioned train. The scenery consists of lots of empty space. A lot of it dry, rocky and barren but some green, agricultural land now and then. With almost constant mountains in the background it is a very pleasant view from the trainRead more

  • Europe 2019

    The meaning of private

    September 20, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We arrived to our accommodation in Barcelona to discover that private room has a slightly different meaning here. What is meant by private is "not a dormitory", so you get a door o your room but no lock. Be caèful booking self catering in Barcelona and unless the listing specifically mentions door locks the room probably doesn't have any. A quick search on Booking.com and a much better place was found and booked just 9 mins away and although it is a hotel it will do for our stopover in Barcelona.Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Happy but damp!!

    September 20, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Honestly when they said " a towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have" they obviously meant the magic fountain in Barcelona.
    We have just spent a fantastic if not very damp evening watching the Fount Magica de Mont Juic in Placa de les Cascades.
    Honestly the most spectacular sight I have seen.
    Dont stand at the front though as you get soaked!!
    Off to eat pizza and dry off....    Read more

  • Europe 2019

    The Gothic Quarter

    September 21, 2019 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    We visited the gothic quarter this morning and it really is very beautiful. Narrow streets with tall buildings make for a very imposing feel but the residents have planted everywhere they can and some of the facades are exquisitely painted.Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Amazing Churches

    September 21, 2019 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    The Basilica de la Merce was a beautiful find in the heart of the Gothic quarter. Well worth a visit if you have time

  • Europe 2019

    Funicular Railway

    September 21, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We rode a very nice funicular railway up to the overground cemetery today. The tickets are covered on the Barcelona travel pass as well which is good. After that we got onto a completely empty underground train which was quite surreal.Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Eerie but beautiful

    September 21, 2019 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    We travelled from the funicular railway through the abandoned Olympic village to the Montjuic Cemetary.
    This is unusual as they bury the dead above ground. The cemetery is open to the public to wander through and the whole place has a quiet, respectful nature about it.
    Interned here are over 1,000,000 people in over 150,000 graves and you needed to have purchase your plot at least 30 years ago to be buried here.
    The cemetery does however have 1 commonwealth war grave of British Army Private Charles Hill of the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders who died during WW2 in 1941.
    Each grave is an entire family and whilst a bit morbid we were completely fascinated.
    Definitely worth a visit.    Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Spooky trains

    September 21, 2019 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    We got onto a subway train today at Foc station and the doors closed with only us on it. No driver, no othe passengers we left the station and walked from one end of the train to the other before returning to the station and picking up more passengers. A truly odd experienceRead more

  • Europe 2019

    That's how you do lunch

    September 21, 2019 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    The Mercat (market) Josep. This market had been trading on this site for 200 years. Hundreds of stalls selling every food you can think of. You can just buy a little snack from each one with most being between 2 and 5 euros. Just walking around being submerged in the colours and smells is amazing but tasting the food on offer is just the most wonderful experience. The market is on la Rambla not far from Liceu metro stationRead more

  • Europe 2019

    Evening sustenance.

    September 21, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Enjoying the nightlife around an illuminated Gaudi Cathedral. Rioja wine at £10 a bottle and mixed tapas are a must.

  • Europe 2019

    Today is Gaudi day!

    September 22, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We started our day with a 4 km walk through the heart of Barcelona to see 5 of the houses that Gaudi designed. Apart from it being a wonderful walk through parks and down wide avenues, the architecture at each stop was just incredible. The walk took about 90 mins and if you start at Casa Vicens then the entire walk is down hill. We visited Casa Vicens, Casa Batlo, Casa Calvet, Casa Mila and Guell Palace. All stunning and well worth a visit.Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Arc De Triomf

    September 22, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Another stunning piece of architecture. Barcelona is very busy though when the Merce Festival is on so it might be best to avoid this in mid September if you do not like crowds. The music is everywhere though and it a very happy place to be at festival time.Read more

  • Europe 2019

    In total awe....

    September 22, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    La Sagrada Famila was without exception the greatest building that I have ever stepped foot in.
    From the moment you arrive on the street below the towering structure you cannot help but be blown away.
    We entered through the Nativity Facade which was mind blowing in itself. We then took a tour up the Passion Tower.
    Lift up and 400 + steps down, breathtaking views of the city and the cathedral itself.
    After our tower tour we resumed our tour of the cathedral and continued to be awe struck.
    If you do nothing else in your lifetime, hop a flight to Barcelona and visit this amazing place.
    The project is ear marked for completion in 2026 and we will definitely be returning to be amazed once more.
    You must book in advance as you cant buy at the cathedral and add a tower tour for a few more euros. It's completely worth it.
    Photos wont do it justice, go and see for yourself.    Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Our final form of transport in Barcelona

    September 22, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Our final form of transport was El Tram. Another facility added for the Olympic games but unlike the Olympic village this is still used to this day. We did get a driver and a good job too. There was definitely one Muppet on a scooter, wearing headphones, that needed clean underwear after crossing our path. The driver gave him a good sound thrashing with the horn. He won't do that again.Read more

  • Europe 2019

    Randomness at it's best...

    September 22, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    So.... we are riding along on the tram, just having a little mooch, when we fall over a group of people and what looks like a car boot sale... so we decide to hop the tram and have a look... what we found was a huge flee market selling everything vintage including some rather fetching 1980's shell suits.. had a thourally good look at all the stalls and lost an hour. Honestly cant believe some of the things you can find just mooching along. Wish I had kept my shell suits and my, My Little Ponies though... worth loads!!Read more

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