Cruising Barcelona

Cruising around Barcelona was the best way to tour the city! With limited travel time, we loved taking a bike tour to cover more land than on foot. Plus, we got to burn off all the tapas we've eaten throughout the trip. Biking in Barcelona was very safe! With protected bike lanes and various parks to ride through, I believe Barcelona is a bike-friendly city. Today, there are over 180 kilometers of bike lanes that help you sightsee efficiently! SO happy that we booked our tour with Cruising Barcelona!

We woke up on Monday and got ready for our bike tour. We were running a little late because of the holiday traffic, but the guides were accommodating and waited a few minutes for us to get there. They had a number of bikes to choose from, cruisers, city bikes, e-bikes, single speed and even tandems! I picked a pink cruiser with festive flowers attached to the basket. One of the locals took a photo of my bike while we were at the beach and she absolutely loved the flowers! Cruiser bikes were perfect for the tour, they’re easy to use and the seats are super comfortable! They also provided water bottles so that we stay hydrated during the ride.

On our "Original Tour" we got a taste of every part of Barcelona. It was definitely on our list to see famous points of interest, but we also explored different neighborhoods around the city and even biked through the tiny, but picturesque alleys in the older part of town. Here's an overview of what we experienced on our tour.

We began our journey from the shop near La Rambla and La Boqueria. We rode through Rambla del Raval and found El Gato de Botero, a large bronze cat statue. If you rub its whiskers you'll have good luck! Then we stopped at Port Vell, right in front of the Statue of Christopher Columbus. You can go in an elevator to the top of the statue for amazing views of the city. We also gazed at the port cable car that was built in the 1920's for the International Exposition. Next, we biked along Barceloneta Beach, fun fact, the beach is artificial and was created for the Olympics. Then we stopped at Vila Olympic, a neighborhood constructed for the Olympics, for a stunning view of the beach.

After that was a visit to the beautiful Parc de la Ciutadella. We got to see the front of the Cascada Monumental and soon after was the path where you can see the Arc del Triomf in the background. Next, we entered the hip Al Born neighborhood (my absolute fave!). For a change of scenery, we cruised down Passeig de Gracia, Barcelona's big shopping street and we caught a glimpse of Casa Batllo, which was adorned with roses for Sant Jordi Day.

At the end of our journey, our tour guide gave us a map of the city highlighting our route and pointed out her favorite spots to eat too! Afterwards, I had a good idea about where I wanted to visit again for the remainder of our visit. It’s nice not having to look at our navigation for every turn. Having a personal guide take you through a new city is so worth every penny. We had an amazing time discovering Barcelona on a bike.

Pro Tip: Book a Cruising Barcelona Bike Tour at the very beginning of your trip. This will help you familiarize yourself with the city streets and points of interests!

Japanese Food Festival

An afternoon filled with Japanese food and drink is a great way to spend a day in LA. Held in the grand ballroom at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, the Japanese Food Festival should definitely be on your foodie bucket list. It cost $50 for admission and you get 3 hours of unlimited tastings. To make your food adventure more efficient, I suggest going with a friend! Some lines are longer than others because it takes time to prepare the dish. While my boyfriend waited in line, I went out a got some samples to bring back and enjoy while queuing up. Pro tip is to try to eat all the food first then make your rounds for drinks. This festival is a great way to learn about Japanese food and culture without having to go to Japan.

 

THE DEMONSTRATIONS

Throughout the afternoon, there are various demonstrations happening on the main stage. When we first walked in there was a drum performance, called taiko. After that, they showed how to properly fillet tuna, which would then be used for the sashimi station! The biggest spectacle was the preparation of the mega sushi roll. With multiple chefs working together, the end result was a giant roll that could feed a village! After that, they had traditional Japanese dances and tutorials on how to create cute characters out of rice and seaweed.

THE FOOD

There were so many types of food to try! One of my favorites was the fresh cut sashimi, they used the fish from the filleting demonstration. We first stopped at the okonomiyaki station, a savory pancake grilled right in front of you. Then right after that, we tried some yakisoba noodles and takoyaki, a ball-shaped snack with diced octopus inside. We also got to try hand rolls prepared by the up and coming chefs from the Sushi Chef Institute. There were also vendors that were serving up some ramen and karaage, which is Japanese fried chicken. We ended the afternoon with some yummy dessert samples, red bean and matcha ice cream and aloe yogurt.  

THE DRINKS

While eating all that good food, we got to taste many different types of sake and beer! You can definitely get your money's worth by drinking samples. I didn’t know much about sake, so when I tasted the various kinds, like filters, unfiltered, or premium, I was sure to ask the brand reps to explain the differences to me. They also told us what kind of food pairs well with each sake! There were also two beer vendors,  Orion and Kirin, they kept the beer flowing. We sipped on our beverages while waiting in the food lines. If alcohol isn't your thing, they also had bottles of yakult, ramune, and a whole line of juices from Aloha Maid.

Essentials Packing List

Here's one thing less to worry about for your next getaway! This is my personal packing list that i use for a base for all my trips. Of course this will change dependin on your destination. Feel free to use, print and share! Safe travels!

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