Solace in Spain

Spain has been in our bucket list for a long time. The country brings to mind an eclectic (and contrasting) mix of images — its rich heritage, the flamenco dancers, tapas bars, beautiful architecture, bull fights, and, not to forget, football! Our son, Deepak, being in Barcelona, provided the additional incentive for us to go there. It was our first time in the country, and my wife and I spent six days there.

Barcelona is a beautiful,vibrant city with a mix of tradition and modernity. But Granada, the other city that we visited, is more like an old world. The majestic fortress, Alhambra, is the pride of Granada. The Albaicin (a district of Granada), with its winding streets and old traditional houses, is earthy. Each and every part of Spain has different aspects of
culture to learn about.

Deepak, Saroj and Ramanujam

Walking down the streets of Barcelona — from Plaça de Catalunya to the touristy La Rambla with its beautiful buildings, street fairs, and food stalls — was a wonderful experience. One memorable pit stop during our trip was at Boadas, a cocktail bar, which was told to be frequented by Hemingway! My wife Saroj thoroughly enjoyed the Gothic quarters with its old-world charm, intricate architecture and the Gothic Cathedral that was built in the 14th century was another attraction. We also enjoyed the city of Gracia with its quaint narrow lanes, cosmopolitan and bohemian style. The scenic view of Barcelona from Tibidabo mountain, is breathtaking. The exquisite filigree work in marble (reminiscent of Taj Mahal) on the magnificent fortress of Alhambra — with both Gothic and Islamic overtones, is remarkable. The fortress is surrounded by an amazing beautiful gardens called Generalife.

Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia (a Catholic church), is another tourist attraction known for its rich designs. The artist has tried to weave together nature and spirituality. The structure is awe-inspiring with its imposing columns like trees, light streaming in through coloured stained glass, quaint circular staircases and intricate sculptures.

A Flamenco dancer

The one interesting aspect we came to know is that the concept of ‘old’ has been so beautifully woven with the ‘new’. Much like India, they too have different languages and preferred cuisines depending on the part of the country.

Locals were extremely friendly and helpful. Their smiling ‘holas’ and ‘gracias’ greeted us everywhere. Not knowing the language could be a bit of a problem, but a local guide and translator in our son helped! Learning a few basic phrases in Spanish can help to a great extent to get more out of travelling.

La Sagrada Familia

Being vegetarians, we couldn’t dig into some of their famous local dishes. We, however, sampled their Tapas, Paella and Sangria in Barcelona. Some dishes that were memorable were the Padron Pimientos, Patatas Bravas, and the Tortillas. I recommend sampling the Estrella beer as well.

Though local transport is good and cheap, it is good to walk. You’ll get to know more about the local history. There are many beautiful buildings, churches, mosques, etc., which are not listed in tourist guides. Each region in the country has something unique to offer be it Andalusia in the south or Catalunya in the west.

Before heading to Spain, do your research based on what you want to experience, be it beaches or historical places like Granada.

We went to Spain in May and I feel that is the best time to visit. The tourist season had not begun fully and the weather was just right. It may also be expensive in the peak summer season. I think April-May and September-October may be less crowded.

I love to travel with family and the next on our travel checklist is Portugal and Morocco for the Mediterranean experience.

(As told to Merin James)