11 ways your Cat will punish you for traveling.

Let’s all assume:

“A Dog is your Slave, a Cat is your Master”

And when you, human little mortal being, decide to travel alone without the company of your beloved feline friend… Master becomes upset.

And angry.

And when Master is angry, he’ll show it and punish you for leaving him behind. Oh and do not worry…. Master has many tricks in his bag:

1- Peeing in your suitcase: So you’re all excited about your travel and you are packing up, you didn’t notice Master sneaking in that open suitcase lying open in your bed. Heavens! What a perfect spot to nap! It’s so comfy with all those nice smelling pile of clean clothes. Makes Master so happy he just want to pee everywhere and make it stink for the next decade. How thoughtful! A souvenir-perfume of your cat every time you want to change your clothes! Your fellow traveler friends will love you!

2-Throwing up everywhere: Have you ever faked you were sick when you were a kid to get attention? Or avoid going to school? Cat’s do that too.. Suddenly, that healthy looking Master is suffering from an unknown tropical disease and starts throwing up everywhere. I mean, not everywhere, only expensive everywheres, like on that 700 year old Iranian carpet that your great-great-great-great Grandmother bought in Persia.

But you were clever, you didn’t fall in his traps. You tried to clean up everything and finally left the house.. alone.

Now Master is really pissed, that’s when the fun begins..

3- Ruining your plants: Now how on Earth did that cat get a fake tropical disease? Probably because Master was on a scientific expedition, Experiments consist in chewing all the different plants in your house, analyzing the leaves by shredding them to pieces and fertilizing the soil by peeing and pooping in it. How nice of him!

4- Obliterating stuff: In order to keep exploring jungles and hidden corners, Master has to exercise and stay fit. Suddenly your little house becomes a Paris-Dakkar circuit. Master starts running everywhere, jumping on tables, knocking down chairs, glasses.. everything! And when he’s tired? He’ll just lean against something to recover.. Not a sturdy furniture or a wall of course, but against that expensive porcelain vase on the table.

5- Hiding stuff: Have you ever hidden what you have broken when you were a kid? You sure did! Well cats do that too! Only difference is Master does not hide what he broke.. He hides other random important stuff, like your keys… In places impossible to imagine or reach of course.

6- Scratching everywhere: Hey, the pitiful mortal is not here to give the evil-bad look when Master starts scratching that expensive sofa. So why not experiment other places too? Table legs, curtains, sheets, tapestry.. The Shredder is loose and no Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to stop him!

7- Spilling all the Water and Food: Somehow, when you go on holiday, Master seems to fall back into childhood and is unable to eat or drink without making a mess in the whole kitchen.. I meant apartment. Yes that includes cat food under your pillow in your already locked room.. Don’t ask, Cats can do incredible stuff.

8- Losing hair: Being alone stresses Master. And when he is stressed, he loses hair.. a LOT. So Master needs to rest and sleep to forget his loneliness. And your betrayal. Best spots to sleep on are, of course, anything black, especially black expensive clothing. And he’d sleep on it so long that his hair becomes one with the fabric.

9- Torturing the person catsitting: Of course you are not a heartless person, you have assigned a friend to come and check on Master, feed him, entertain him. But Master does not like that other person. Scratching, hissing, biting, leaving a mess.. Everything is acceptable to make that friend’s life a living hell.

10- Alerting the whole neighborhood: You thought Master had a cute little “meow” to express himself? Well wait till you leave. Suddenly Master will start reaching impossible decibels and alerting the whole neighborhood that you are an animal abuser. It’s of course preferable to start meowing late at night and early morning.

11- Ignoring you: So you are happy, you come back home fresh and all tanned. You kind of miss your little kitty. You reach home, wondering why your friend keeps insulting you on the phone and why the whole neighborhood suddenly hates you. And while you’re at the doorstep, staring in disbelief the mess in the apartment, Master will unleash upon you his last punishment: Ignore you for the next few weeks!

“In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him”

Shhhh - My 3 best kept travel secrets

Thank you Catherine (http://crfranke.com), Sabina (Solo Female Traveler), Nick (Delicious Chaos) for tagging me in the Tripbase Best Kept Travel secrets. I have been a bit lazy and forgot about it until I was tagged again so.. no escape this time!

From time to time, while traveling, we discover new things, places, food, stuff that don’t appear on most guidebooks. So it becomes a little secret, a place still untouched, or a food still kept authentic.. I have discovered a few little secrets along my travels since the past 2 years, sometimes I want to keep them for myself, so it doesn’t spread too much. But Life’s all about sharing right? So here are 3 of my little best kept travel secrets worth discovering!

1- Jabal Shams & the Wadi Nakhr - Oman:

Rising 3048m above sea level, “Jabal Shams” (Mount of the Sun), part of the “Jabal al Akhdar” (The Green mountain) range of mountains is truly one of the jewels of The Sultanate of Oman.

Located only 2 hours drive away from Muscat, this impressive 600km stretch of mountains is home to some of the most exciting activities like canyoning in the Snake Gorge (Yes it is called Snake gorge because there are snakes), trekking in the wadis or climbing up to the highest peak only to be greeted by the most beautiful canyon in the Gulf Region: Wadi Nakhr (also known as the Grand Canyon of the Middle-East).

Tourism is almost non-existent here, and it is a good opportunity to meet and chat with the locals in the tiny villages vertiginously hanging on the cliffs.

 

2- The Geghard Monastery – Armenia

Most people would never think of going to Armenia for tourism. Most people wouldn’t even be able to place it on a map! (And many never even heard of that country).

But if you enjoy authentic old culture, diverse beautiful landscapes, friendly people away from tourists and visiting old worship places (Armenia has some of the most oldest churches in the world, as it is the first country that became Christian in 301 AD)… Armenia is the place to be!

One of the monasteries that I particularly enjoyed is the “Geghard” Monastery. Geghard in Armenian means “Spear”, and it is said that the spear used to wound the Christ on the cross was brought and kept there among other relics.

The complex was founded in the 4th Century and is partially carved in a mountain, surrounded by cliffs all around. Many prayer chambers have been carved on the cliffs and used by monks as a retreat.

It is interesting to notice the contrast between the finely detailed facades of the outside chapel and the rough cave-like interiors carved inside the rock. If you truly want to experience a magical moment, wait for a choir of young teenagers to sing inside the chapel: The acoustic is impressive and the echo inside is unbelievable (and lasts veeeery long!).

There are also many beautiful “khatchkars” all around (crosses carved on a rock in traditional armenian style).

3- Village festival in Triacastela and preparation of Queimada –Spain:

After trekking the whole day between snakes, and reconnecting with your spirituality inside a monastery, what’s better to do than.. party in a tiny village in Spain!

Triacastela is a village along the path of the “Camino de Santiago”, a pilgrimage route. On the 11th of October, a big village festival is celebrated among the locals and any guest (mainly pilgrims) is allowed to participate!

What’s the plan?

-Stuffing your face with free food like chorizos, salchichon, paella and flowing wine… as much as you want!

-Dancing like crazy to Spanish songs next to a Transformer-like truck that turns into a huge stage with laser and light shows.

-Assisting the ritual of preparing an alcoholic beverage that dates from the time of the druids: The Queimada (and getting drunk).

Enjoy!

All photos are taken by me except the Geghard photo in the snow which is from wikipedia.

 

The White Temple (Wat Rong Khun)

What would you think if one day, you entered a place of worship and saw on the walls a drawing of Neo dodging bullets from the Matrix next to Superman, flying to save the day? Crazy? Well, not really!

North of Thailand, near the Burmese border, is the quiet town of Chiang Rai, famous for its jungle treks and many various hill-tribes. But Chiang Rai is also home of probably the most peculiar Buddhist temple ever built: Wat Rong Khun, also known as “The White Temple”.

Just thirteen kilometers south of town, this whitewashed glittering unusual temple is a popular attraction among locals and tourists. It has been visited by over 5 million people (200,000 foreigners) already since the beginning of its construction in 1997.

Unlike most century old temples, Wat Ron Khun is the “dream-come-true” work of art of a famous Thai Buddhist art painter: Charlemchai Kositpipat. The millionaire artist spent his own money to fund the construction of his vision without ever soliciting contributions from the government or anyone else. His creative thinking and love of Art made him return to his home town and dedicate the rest of his life building the temple as an offering to Buddha and, in the future, turn it into a national art treasure.

Under a high sun, the White Wat glitters in all its splendor. Different than the mundane and repetitive style of many Thai temples, it is covered with a combination of whitewash and tiny mirror chips that make it shine like porcelain from afar. The artist used white color to represent Buddha’s purity while the mirrors symbolize Buddha’s dhamma, teaching men to observe their own mind and reflect kindness towards others.

The whole architecture has been carefully studied and is imbued with riddles, teachings and Buddhist philosophy.

The Temple is surrounded by a pond, home of dozens of white fish guarded by dragons.

  

Before crossing the bridge of the “Cycle of Rebirth”, one cannot prevent getting the chills gazing upon the hundreds of sculpted hands reaching up from “Hell”, symbolizing the way to happiness through overcoming cravings.

Once cravings have been eliminated, the visitor finds himself in front of the “Gate of Heaven”, guarded by Rahu (the One who controls men’s fate) on the left and Death (The One who controls men’s life) on the right.

After crossing the Bridge, the visitor reaches the temple (called the ubosot or White bot), the Adobe of Buddha.

Although still unfinished, the paintings on the walls inside represent a mix of traditional Thai Buddhist art and contemporary scenes like a plane crashing on the twin towers, the war for Oil, many movie/comics characters like Neo, Batman, Superman and Star Wars droids. Charlemchai himself refused to be confined within the framework of traditional beliefs and Art. Too bad photography inside the temple was not allowed (I was being carefully watched with my big camera).

Next to the white temple, on the other side of the pond, is also a the “Gharavasa” (the layman quarters) where an Art gallery, a preaching hall and a “golden toilet” are located. This is by far the most beautiful public restroom ever done in the world I guess. This temple-like building is supposed to represent the Body (as opposed to the white temple that represents the Mind). Charlemchai built the two bots (white and gold) in hope to teach people to let go and not cling to substance, or money, and not to perceive the physical body as an assumed identity.

Whether or not his message will reach visitors’ soul, Wat Rong Khun (scheduled to be completed by 2070) remains one of the most unusual and interesting places of worship I have ever visited with a deep meaning behind every statue, corner or architectural design representing the wild creativity and vision of one gifted Thai artist.

“Money and possessions are insignificant. They are not mine but are only make-beliefs. Merits belong to me; therefore, money is of no value to me. Money is valuable only as a way to make merit for further journey of the soul”

~ Charlemchai Kositpipat ~

Fish Massage?

Thailand is the land of massage. An hour of full body Thai massage would cost you around 5$, Who can beat that? I sure am taking advantage every 3-4 days!

There are many types of massages, from Thai massage, Oil massage (swedish massage), Head, Feet (bliss!), Hands, Herbs etc.. But the strangest and most exotic of them all is: Fish Massage!

There are many fish massage centers in every big town in Thailand. Basically, You just go in, take off your flip-flops (who wears shoes in Thailand? Seriously), sit down and put your feet in big aquariums where hundreds of tiny little fish (Garra Rufa fish, also called Dr. Fish) come and nibble merrily your feet. They also feed only on dead areas of the skin, leaving the healthy skin to grow.

No worries! These fish have no teeth and they just suck the dead skin out of your feet. It does not hurt in any way, although ticklish people would feel like they are being tortured.

Fish massage apparently help get rid of smear skin, promote blood circulation and act as a type of acupuncture which helps you relax and release your fatigue. Also it keeps your skin smooth and beautiful.

My opinion? I have tried it, and although it’s fun for a while, I wouldn’t pay for another session. For a few Baht more, I can get a foot scrub with an hour foot massage which is much more pleasant and relaxing.

It’s worth the try anyway! At least once!

Now, I’m going to go have some fish & chips for dinner..

The next step is beginning

First and foremost, It is never too late to wish everyone a happy New Year filled with joy, laughter, love,health and prosperity. May 2010 bring you what you seek.

In December, after the Copenhagen Climate demo, I decided to leave the European continent to head back “home” and spend the holidays with my family and friends. Europe is a great place to be, so much to see and do.. But it definitely is not a cheap place to be. I don’t have an income, I am traveling on my savings.

Except for my mom and a close friend, I decided to surprise everyone and arrive in the UAE without their knowledge while they think I am enjoying the warm beaches of Morocco.

After losing over 400€, getting refused boarding (because I bought a one-way ticket and I did not have an exit ticket from the UAE…) and spending about 40 hours at CDG airport in Paris (not the greatest airport to sleep in), I finally made it to Abu Dhabi with my brother on the 23rd at night.

Christmas was spend as usual with my family. The next few days were spent surprising friends and catching up with all the travel stories.

On the 31st of December, we headed out to the town of Dibba in Oman to camp on a beach under a beautiful “blue moon”. It was an amazing moment with awesome people and I thank them all for being there :)

Now, 2010.. It is time to think about my next step.

It’s been exactly 4 months I left the country for a open-ended travel to discover the world, learn as much as I can and kick start my photography business. When I look back at those last months, I had an amazing personal experience with a lot of inside growth. But I feel a bit disappointed by my lack of self discipline. I did not do anything very useful to realize my goals.

Next week, I’ll be going to the other side of the world: South-East Asia (Thailand). It is a brand new experience to me as I never set foot in Asia and the culture is unknown to me. A friend will join me a week later and we will be traveling together for a while, trying to set up a few projects we have in mind.

For this new year, I have decided to become much more disciplined, and realize my goals and dreams. I will be working on a few documentaries, post more blog posts about traveling and become much more serious about my photography.

If you feel I am not serious enough, feel free to send me virtual kicks so I could move on. I need some motivation from time to time!

Will keep you posted about all my next steps. Until then! Enjoy the New Year!

Once in a Blue Moon

Happy New Year 2010 to everyone! May it bring you abundance of Joy, Laughter, Love, Prosperity and good Health. May everyone find what they seek :)

I spent my New Year's Eve camping on a beach with some friends in Dibba, Oman. We had an amazing time together under a blue moon. What better way to end 2009 and begin a New Year guided by a beautiful moonlight?

"A dreamer is one who can find his way by moonlight.. And see the Dawn before the rest of the world".

The Real COP15 Demo behind the media’s coverage.

On the 12th of December took place the largest international citizen support for climate action in Copenhagen so far.

Next day, those were the headlines:

Euronews: Hundreds arrested at climate change demo

NY times: Hundreds of protesters arrested at climate talks

CNN: Arrests at climate conference.

etc…

I felt confused and angered by how the international media focused on the tiny incident that happened while completely ignoring the hopeful and positive message the mass of 100,000 people tried to convey in a very festive and organized atmosphere.

I know it, I was there.

A few days earlier, I had decided to find a way to get to Copenhagen and join the march, even for a day, to show my support. Luckily I heard about a French left-wing anti-capitalist party that was organizing buses trips for that special event. I jumped on the occasion and bought my ticket.

On the 11th of December, 3 buses left Paris towards Denmark in a 20 hour trip. We were mostly young people, with a big majority being politically active and a few (like myself) just wanting to show their support.

We arrived the next day around noon. Due to a delay on the German border, we missed the first part of the march but arrived just in time to catch up with the crowd on the starting point at 1pm.

In front of the Parliament, in Christiansborg, I watched the streets fill with colors and people from many different countries, together, side by side, marching and carrying their signs with strong and direct slogans.

 

Political leaders, actors, important personalities took turn to deliver their messages for climate justice action. The crowd was roaring louder and louder, showing support cheerfully.

The march started at around 2pm, under a low sun and freezing temperatures that didn’t seem to annoy the happy crowd snaking in the streets of Copenhagen.

I followed the mass during 6km up to Bella center, behind mini-trucks blasting Drum n’ Bass or reggae music all the way. It was a colorful march, festive and well organized. Signs were left here and there for people to take and join in. Other causes were also represented like Tibet or Iran.

Apart from a few helicopters and scattered security guards, the police were very discrete and friendly. The only incident the media focused so much on was the work of an ultra-violent anarchist group all masked and dressed in black that threw bricks at the police and broke a few windows. But they were very quickly arrested and the march continued strong and undisturbed.

The 5 hour long march ended in front of the Bella center where the talks are being held. Thousands of candles were held up high, representing the hopes and support of the international community for climate action. The night continued with concerts in town and people dancing to electro or hip hop music. I also was impressed by how fast the streets were cleaned behind the march!

So I sit and wonder. Why did the media focus on such a small incident, ignoring completely the reality of a 100,000 citizens marching together as one? Why didn’t anybody talk about the peaceful messages and the festive atmosphere that reigned all the way during 6kms?

Do not be fooled by what the media shows… The COP15 “Flood Action” march was a success. It was never done before.

Now let’s hope the message is clearly understood and do our part of the job.

 

Barefoot

What would you say if, every morning, somebody covered you with a cotton sack, suffocated you for a whole day in a tight leather outfit while forcing you to carry your own weight? I guess that would be very unpleasant would it?

Well, that’s what we do to our feet everyday!

The foot is an important part of our body, an engineering marvel. It helps us stand, and move around in the physical plane. It also plays a crucial part in our well being. With so many nerve endings (about 7200), techniques like massage, acupressure or reflexology can heal many of our ailments in a natural way. The foot is a mini map of our body.

Too many people ignore the pleasure of walking barefoot. Walking without shoes stimulates the foot, sending well being messages to the whole body and to the brain. It tones the muscles (19 muscles) resulting in stronger feet and helps pump back blood to the heart! Of course, it also makes you feel closer to Nature.

Do I hear you say “But I already walk barefoot at home!” ?

That is not enough! Forget the flat artificial surfaces we walk on everyday. We need uneven surfaces like grass, sand, why not rocks?

And lastly, for your own good, at the end of the day, make a habit of thanking your feet by giving yourself a nice good self-massage. They carried you all day long, without moaning.

So, take off those shoes, get rid of those socks and go run like wild on the beach with your friends. Your feet and your whole body will thank you for it.

The real solution of the climate issue.

So the climate conference in Copenhagen started today. Many head of states and governments are meeting up for 11 days to come up with a real solution about climate issues.

Millions of people have their eyes focused on the debates, their hopes placed on the future decisions.

I have noticed lately a change in the world. More and more people seem interested in environmental issues, media talks about it frequently and more people are concerned about the future of our planet.

So our hopes are placed on the climate conference. They will fix everything, right?

Wrong.

We had Kyoto before, we had many debates about climate, we had many conferences about environment, weapons, pollution and so on.. Did we see any change during the last few years? In any field?

Most biggest polluting countries in the world can get away with a “No, I refuse” and the deal is over..

Big decisions are supposed to be taken by governments to control and reduce pollution. But honestly, will one person representing a whole country be able to make a change? Especially politicians?

The real solution does not lie in Copenhagen, or Governments. It lies in our hands. Us, the people.

A mass gathering of millions of angry citizens can make any government kneel. Millions of people can make any polluting corporation shut down. Those governments are supposed to represent the people, but do they really?

This could appear to be a call for a revolution. And yes there should be a revolution. A peaceful one, with people showing they are fed up and want real decisions.

Put the pressure, show the world we care about our future.

But, that is not the only solution too.. I don’t think big corporations or a few handful of companies are the biggest cause of the climate issues. The biggest cause is again: Us, the people.

Gather all the millions of people in their daily lives and add the carbon footprint of every citizen. The wasted energies, the cars, the garbage, the over-consumption.. All these added together make all of us the biggest polluters. So it’s not a simple climate conference that will solve the issues, but changing our habits, and participating in creating a better world.

So, why not:

-Find tips to save energy. There are many out there, on internet, and many logical and obvious habits like turning off lights when leaving a room, or using solar panels..

-Drive less. Use more public transports, use bikes, buy a non-polluting car.. or simply walk. Why be concerned about climate issues if we spend most time in a car not even enjoying the weather?

-Buy less, recycle more. Why throw away stuff that are still in working condition? Why buy new stuff when the old one works perfectly fine?

-Educate children. We are creatures of habit. Educate the children and they will get the habit of preserving our planet.

We, the people, are responsible for letting our planet turn into a waste. And we are the ones who can do something about it. Change YOUR habits, and pressure your own government together with everyone else, in a peaceful way, to show them you care.

Let’s get to work, we have a home to save.

Sad news for the Travel Community..

Sad news for the travel and adventure community.

The famous "National Geographic Adventures" magazine is shutting down, their last issue being the December/January (the one currently on newsstands).

It was a great magazine accessible to most people that wanted to jump into the adventurous world and create one for themselves. Not only for the hardcore adventurers but also for the random person who never traveled alone.

Another victim of the crisis, another good magazine that disappears.

Apparently, they claimed that Nat. Geo Adventures will continue on different supports like e-mags or webpages. Let's hope they continue to survive that way!

"Dream it, plan it, do it"...

A Beverage of Druids

Witches, Demons, Evil spirits and nasty leprechauns! Behold! Read no further for you will find here only your doom…

One of my favorite regions in Spain is Galicia, located on the North-Western tip, right above Portugal. It is the wettest part of the country and also home of Celtic traditions and culture. Yes.. Celtic.

Some even dare say that Celts originated from that region in Spain and colonized later Ireland and Brittany (no wonder as the weather and landscape are very similar in those places).

Anyway, while walking on the Camino de Santiago and after reaching Galicia, I made a very fortunate discovery: The local traditional alcoholic beverage… Queimada!

This ancient beverage was prepared during pagan festivals and gatherings by the Celtic druids. It is a kind of punch made from Orujo (a distilled spirit prepared from the remains of grapes used for the wine) mixed with lemons, coffee beans, cinnamon and sugar. All these ingredients are then mixed together in a big container and set alight while the druids recited a magical incantation.

The purpose of this drink (other than celebrating and getting wasted) was to keep evil spirits and witches away from the villages.

I was lucky to be able to attend a town celebration with plenty of Spanish grilled food like chorizo and churrascos given away for free, as well as a Queimada incantation. I was entirely mesmerized by the blue flames while the whole town was dancing next to a transformers-like truck that turned into a huge concert stage. The preparation took a while, roughly about 30 to 40 minutes.

Lucky enough, the townsmen were already pretty drunk from beer and wine so nobody was interested much in drinking the punch, which we gladly finished between us! It was DELICIOUS! (and strong.. wow..).

And yes, It did work, I did not cross any witches during the next month! *hips* Cheers!

Here is the translated version of the incantation, looks like it came straight out of a fairytale!

“Owls, white-owls, toads and witches.
Demons, goblins and devils,
spirits of the misty vales.
Crows, salamanders and mages,
charms of the medics.
Rotten pierced canes,
home of worms and vermin.
Wisps of the Holy Company,
evil eye, black witchcraft,
scent of the dead, thunder and lightning.
Howl of the dog, omen of death,
maws of the satyr and foot of the rabbit.
Sinful tongue of the bad woman
married to an old man.
Satan and Beelzebub's Inferno,
fire of the burning corpses,
mutilated bodies of the indecent ones,
farts of the arses of doom,
bellow of the enraged sea.
Useless belly of the unmarried woman,
speech of the cats in heat,
dirty turf of the wicked born goat.
With this bellows I will pump
the flames of this fire
which looks like that from Hell,
and witches will flee,
straddling their brooms,
going to bathe in the beach
of the thick sands.
Hear! Hear the roars
of those that cannot
stop burning in the firewater,
becoming so purified.
And when this beverage
goes down our throats,
we will get free of the evil
of our soul and of any charm.
Forces of air, earth, sea and fire,
to you I make this call:
if it's true that you have more power
than people,
here and now, make the spirits
of the friends who are outside,
take part with us in this Queimada”.

 

Here is also a video of the ritual:

Need a hug?

“We made it!”

Backpacks and walking sticks crash loudly on the floor as pilgrims, young and old let go of the burden they have been carrying along for the past month.

We are in Santiago de Compostela, in front of the cathedral on the Plaza del Obradoiro. We have made it, we have walked about 800km to reach this point, all the way from the French border. The St James way.

Sitting in the shade under the arcades of the Town hall, I observe the flow of pilgrims spreading in the vast square with a smile. Some look exhausted, some look happy, ecstatic, some have a sad face. Everyone its emotions.

Arriving here can be overwhelming: It can represent liberation after days of struggling, fighting against the physical pain or mental torture while crossing long stretches of emptiness in the Spanish “Meseta”. It can also symbolize the end of a long adventure, a beautiful human experience with encounters and spontaneous friendships.

I have lived both sides. I once hated this city but I learned to love it again on my second camino. Two different experiences that helped me grow.

It was almost noon. Most pilgrims started heading to the cathedral where the daily pilgrim mass is held. Arms around shoulders, singing, laughing loudly. All the sounds expanded to fill the square, making it a place of celebration and love.

Except for one pilgrim that caught my attention. A lonely old woman leaning on her walking stick avoided the crowd and sat in a corner. She had a confused look and a tired face.

From under my hat, I kept looking at her, wondering what she was thinking about, how she was feeling. She seemed to have walked a long distance according to the tan lines she had.

Minutes passed and she was still sitting alone, staring at the cathedral without moving.

I stood up and approached with a smile.

“Good day peregrina! You made it! Congratulations!”

A shy smile enlightened her face as she tried to mumble in a broken English “Thank you very much”.

I looked at the crowd heading towards the entrance of the cathedral while she started packing her backpack to attend the mass.

“I have noticed something since you arrived here. You are alone, and something bad happened”

She gave me a puzzled look as her smile slowly faded away.

“Do you know it is considered a crime..” I paused a few seconds, looking deeply in her eyes. “.. to enter Santiago after all this walk and not receive a hug?”

She hesitated for a moment, trying to understand the sentence then smiled as I took her in my arms for a warm loving hug. She needed it, I felt it. She held me close to her tightly when the bells pounded the beginning of the mass.

Her eyes were filled with tears of gratitude as she took my hand and pronounced something in a language I didn’t understand. I didn’t need to ask, it was all in the eyes. I just smiled and let her go.

“Buen Camino of Life” I whispered to myself. A little human warmth can make a great difference sometimes.

My Barcelona top 10 places to visit

During my short (almost 2 week) visit in Barcelona, I took some time with a friend to wander around and visit this city everybody seems to talk about yet few have visited. I actually loved it and it won a place in my “List of towns I could live in”.

Here is my top 10 places not to miss in Barcelona (in no particular order):

1- La Sagrada Familia:

Maybe the most famous landmark in Barcelona. This unfinished cathedral designed by Antoni Gaudí in 1883 (and supposed to be completed in 2026, on the 100th anniversary of his death) is seen from everywhere, sitting like a spiked beast in the center of Barcelona.

Describing the cathedral would take me ages, I’ll leave that to more adequate websites. However, it is not possible to just pass by next to it without stopping to stare at one of the millions of details ornating the many facades of the structure. It just makes you feel so small..

Also as people always ask: “Chose your favorite side”: The modern and abstract-like facade resuming the history of Jesus in very cubic style statues? Or the “organic facade” that seems like a jungle of stone plants with many reference to mythologies. I personally prefer the latter one but would love to see the whole cathedral completed and rise in all it’s glory to the sky with no less than 18 towers.

(Oh and don’t be fooled by the postcards of the cathedral without cranes.. they are photoshopped.. Cranes have always been there for yeaaaars!)

2- Park Guell:

There are many parks in Barcelona, but by far the most interesting and impressive is the garden complex designed by Gaudi again (originally meant to be a housing complex). It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

This maze like park is so rich in architectural designs and elements easily identifiable as Gaudi’s work that you definitely need many hours to just enjoy every detail, every corner... Or you can just sit on the grass and let Barcelona’s sunshine caress you while reading a book… Or maybe sit on the Terrace surrounded by mosaics and listen to the different bands playing around while socializing… How about climbing to the highest point where a cross stands overlooking the city.. In any ways, you will never be bored in that park.

3- Santa Maria del Mar:

A cathedral built “by the people, for the people”. It’s an imposing and austere structure from the outside as well as the inside comparing to most cathedrals in Spain. It was built in the XIV century in a Catalan Gothic style.

The cathedral is huge and the interior appears surprisingly luminous. The lack of decorations and golden facades which the Spanish are so fond of make it seem cold but gives a sense of peace and purity. The acoustic is also impressive and I wish i had the occasion to hear someone play the organ hanging on one of the walls.

A virtual tour of the inside of the cathedral.

4- Palau de Musica:

One of the gems of Europe. This Palace (concert hall) located behind buildings, hidden from sight was built in only 3 years with a starting budget of 6000€. It was designed by the famous spanish architect Lluis Domenech i Montaner.

The Palau de Musica transported me into a “victorian style” world, where I could almost feel the rich Bourgeoisie attending an opera while the Phantom is stalking from behind one of the 18 muses that ornate the stage! I was constantly amazed by the richness of the details and the fabulous stained-glass “skylight” representing a Sun in the shape of a drop of water.

The guide (yes, it is a guided tour), instead of trying to explain in words, gave us a taste of what the organ sounded like: I definitely had an eargasm! It was enough to understand how majestic and enchanting this place was.

(Photos were not allowed so I took the skylight from wikipedia … )

5- Hospital Sant Pau:

Built by the same architect that did the palau de musica. This hospital complex is so rich in decorations that it almost made me feel like breaking my leg to be admitted in.

Although the exterior looks beautiful, I was curious to know what the inside looked like. I only was able to trespass and enter the undergrounds where and web of tunnels link all the different sections together.. It looked more like a bunker than a hospital.

6- Montjuic:

(I have already talked about Montjuic on my photoblog so I’ll just repost it here. It also remains one of my favorite places in Barcelona.)

Montjuic, the "Hill of the Jews" is located on a hill in the city, overlooking Barcelona in all its glory.

There is a beautiful fortress located on top of it that served for many inglorious purposes during the war. It was a prison for political prisoners as well as the site of many shady executions.

Later it served as the site of the International Exposition in 1929. It also hosted the Spanish Grand Prix, an Olympic Stadium, a National Museum of Art de Catalunya, a botanical garden and a cemetery.

7- Las Ramblas / Barri Gòti:

Las Ramblas is a 1.2km long street that has become mainly a popular touristic attraction with many shopping centers, markets and artists along the sidewalk eager to distort your face on a sheet of paper and sell it to you for a fortune. If you are into shopping, you definitely have to go there.

Otherwise, why not get lost instead in the maze-like streets of the “Barri Gòti” (the gothic quarter) where hidden treasures appear at every corner and old shops wait for a lucky customer to enter their world and be transported to a different dimension, back in time. It is the oldest part of Barcelona and you can easily feel it. Many of the streets also end up in squares where you can just sit and enjoy and cup of coffee while the flock of tourists stroll up and down the Ramblas a few steps away.

8- the Beach:

How can you visit Barcelona without having a walk on the beach? Although not the best beaches I have seen on the Mediterranean coast, it is still nice to catch up with some friends, have a short walk on the white sand and sit in one of the many chilingitos (mini-bars) while enjoying some tapas and a cool glass of sangria!

9- Montserrat:

While not really IN Barcelona, Montserrat is located 40km outside the city but is a site worth visiting.

A Benedictine abbey built in the mountains, it is home of the famous “Black Virgin” of Spain.

One can only be impressed by those huge stone monoliths guarding the Basilica that only made me lose my jaw..

I did not have the time (or will) to stand for hours just to take a snapshot of the Virgin of Montserrat so I just went in the souvenir shop to see what it looked like. The black color of the skin comes from all the candles that have been burning around for years.

The whole place is also worth the walk and one can only feel a sense of peace while climbing up the mountain, following the yellow arrows that lead the way to Santiago de Compostella.

10- Just Barcelona:

Actually… To be honest… The way all those magnificent structures seem to blend in the city makes the whole of Barcelona a pleasure to be in.

It’s not only the structures but also the many details on buildings, benches, fountains, light poles make it a city where you cannot get bored.

Of course, not to forget the magical atmosphere and the friendliness of the spanish people.. Barcelona is truly a city to visit at least once in a lifetime and let it take you by the hand into a fantastic world of details and history.