biking barcelona
Loryne Atoui is embarking on a fantastic adventure in Europe and here’s a snippet from her blogging about the real life experiences she’s enjoying in Spain…
“The highlight of day two in Barcelona has to be the four-hour bike tour. The meeting place was two blocks away from my hotel and I got there with plenty of time to spare. I’d have to wait a little before we’d leave, so I wandered around the quaint neighborhood.
Sitting right outside the bike rental shop were three of the feistiest little old ladies I’d ever met. They have a little spot they always sit, each sporting her own colorful sunglasses. Elders in Spain put a lot of effort in looking good – more so than the twenty-somethings. Sometimes it’s too much and they end up like drag queens, but otherwise quite cute. It’s refreshing that they still want to feel attractive. They are trying to keep up with the younger generations the best way they know how.
I managed to take a few photos of them. Using the “I’m a photography student” explanation. Instead of grunts, I receive poses. After I took pictures of two of them, the third one got jealous. The last one must’ve been really pretty when young, but was sitting in the bright sunlight which isn’t flattering for portraits. I took her photograph anyway.
At the start of the bike ride, I met a Dutch family who were in Barcelona for the week. They were so vivacious and friendly – and of course, the fastest ones on the bikes.
We started biking through the smaller neighborhoods in Barcelona, making a few stops along the way. Our guide was a German girl, who’d been living there for almost a year now. It must be a nice experience touring people around while living in a foreign country. You leave there knowing the history of the city and meeting a ton of internationals.
At around 1pm, we stopped at the Barceloneta (Barcelona public beaches) for drinks. We got to know each other better over a refreshing cerveza. The rest of the group was from Italy, Belgium and the USA.
The rest of the bike ride was through a park and to La Sagrada Familia – a brilliant cathedral by Gaudi. The way there was brutal and one of the riders had to stop to catch her breath. The cathedral is still under construction, but they’re hoping to finally have it done in 2026, the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death. Way to leave a legacy behind Antoni!”
Tour Spain with Intrepid on trips like these great small group adventures:
Moorish Spain – 15 days
France and Spain – 29 days
beautiful piece
i took the hop on hop off bus instead of biking