Shit got real

After telling C for weeks that shit was getting real it finally came around including a bout of food poisoning. So after going to early to Wellys then finding plane was 1/2 hr delayed we made it to Auckland

Never have I been so pleased to be beside a toilet in a plane but after a half of granddads blue pills managed a fitful sleep. So we arrived in LA at the same we left home very easy through customs and hotel.  Hotel a typical airport hotel with everything and nothing. 

Went out straight away ubered down to Venice beach $10.67 US a distance maybe Wellington to Upper Hutt. Even cheaper on way home

First impressions all the large cars have gone except the big Utes the driving is very courteous and easy nothing like say Auckland traffic

Venice beach pretty cool 

After another pill to get into routine woke at 730 am.  Decided to do hop on bus tour which picked us up from hotel. Did 2 legs of it both sick of then not really a o there was where Shirley temple was born sort of person but as always a really good way to see the city and get your bearings. Got off down at Santa Monica and walked down pier where Route 66 finishes 

Shit got real

After telling C for weeks that shit was getting real it finally came around including a bout of food poisoning. So after going to early to Wellys then finding plane was 1/2 hr delayed we made it to Auckland

Never have I been so pleased to be beside a toilet in a plane but after a half of granddads blue pills managed a fitful sleep. So we arrived in LA at the same we left home very easy through customs and hotel.  Hotel a typical airport hotel with everything and nothing. 

Went out straight away ubered down to Venice beach $10.67 US a distance maybe Wellington to Upper Hutt. Even cheaper on way home

First impressions all the large cars have gone except the big Utes the driving is very courteous and easy nothing like say Auckland traffic

Venice beach pretty cool 

After another pill to get into routine woke at 730 am.  Decided to do hop on bus tour which picked us up from hotel. Did 2 legs of it both sick of then not really a o there was where Shirley temple was born sort of person but as always a really good way to see the city and get your bearings. Got off down at Santa Monica and walked down pier where Route 66 finishes 

La to London

Impression from la : American people very friendly, the driving easy and considerate   Uber very cheap for getting around. Time didn't allow us to discover Korea town which we believe is a very foodie area

Would stay in air BnB in Venice or Santa Monica next time even though our hotel was perfect just not a lot walking activities around it

Went to airport to soon as plane was delayed finally made it there , then huge queue to get through customs.  Only Eu members have epassport. So much slower than la which was super quick 

Talked to girl on plane who worked for lic in chch she confused us (me) as sian Jo had given good instructions to get here   But in the end Heathrow express 2x2 was a eye watering £72  and oyster purchase for the 2 change of line £27 for for day. Will get Liam to show me which one

After Crowne plaza we have slid down the snake a fair way but it's really central and has full English included

Ma and I had a wander round after feeling pretty drained. Had a pint in English pub then met sian and a lovely surprise Marg as well both looking gorgeous esp as Marg had just flown back from Singapore this am where she had been working for 2 weeks 

Had lovely Spanish meal with them then collapsed into our tiny double

La to London

 

Didn't we do well

Left hotel at 3.00am for airport unable to book taxi but no worries had a cab within 30 seconds of going out side the door. On arriving at airport found it deserted except OEers sleeping on the floor every where.Made it to Frankfurt to board straight away.The flight went quite quickly but I would be unlikely to fly with Lufthansa again unless it was a lot cheaper, pitiful movies and just the one monitor.Better food this leg though.Arrived in SF 2.00pm their time but around 12 Barcelona .We found Lorries shuttles and the asian driver who drove the large mini bus 75mph with one hand on the wheel and the other on of course cellphone yabbering in chinese ,while a wheel alignment problem sent a shudder through whole vehicle.The person next to was a very large transsexual who sat a la Dulcie Routhan.The first impressions were that compared to Europe the vehicles were of course much larger and there also a much wider spread of age of them.Going through customs we found them very friendly even after I had cocked up the the form with help from the air line steward.
The last hotel very comfortable and seems to be near things.On the drive delivering people we went to the famous Haight-Ashbury area of the 60s ,actually looked very small and rather ordinary .After checking in we went up for a rest but set the alarm 6.00pm.When the alarm went off I turned it off and we slept through till about 12.30am.Watched CNN and American elections for about an hour .Then slept on and off till 530. Booked city tour ,very good guide .We are finding we really like the americans ,extremely polite and great service.That is quite a change from the rather aloof manner of especially the spanish shop assistants who seemed to find the distractions from their cellphones a real nuisance .The city reminded us strongly of Wellington ,built around a harbour with dodgy weather.Unfortunately not nearly as nice looking ,that may be because of the earthquakes and fires that have bedevilled this city. The scots man who designed the 1000 acre park should have been shot planting only pines macrocarpas and gums for one of the most ordinary parks I have ever seen.The afternoon we went to Muir park over the bridge to see a redwood forest remnant ,although the trees are truly massive ,you can see why tourists love NZ.Then to Sausalita the villagey harbour town that definately has far superior weather than over the bridge.SF is conference town and there are several on at mo .One of the most popular seems to Rumitologists (spelling looks a little dodgy)around 10000 of them in town.

spent a last great day in Barcelona. Sunday in Spain is family day no shops open .We went up to Guell park .This upperclass residential development was designed by Gaudi but was a financial failure and only one house was built that being lived into by Gaudi for 20 years.The area was bought by the council and now is a favourate place for Barcelonians to hang out with their families.It was a good 1.3km stroll from metro and the day had dawned warmer than CNN weather had predicted and we soon regetted clothes choice as temp neared 25+c.The park is a wonderful haven in the city full of Gaudi's humour in his design and detail.Wonderful areas for performers to entertain in and for real artists to show off work that is really exceptional.In the afternoon we went to Barcelonetta ,the beach where the rest of the city seemed to be .Where in the Lux book you can see busty babes and budgie smugglers but we arrived a little to late for that but still a great place with bars and restaurants galour. We then went back to hotel to pack for early start in morn.I need to mention Villy the german who owns the guest house we were staying at.Firstly we thoroughly endorse this place as willy said 4 star clean for 2 star price.He really was crazy with addiction to clean (is this german mike a).He said the girls vot you say flish flish with cloth ,instead how you say vacuum then wipe. This place has three keys to get into so very safe and own parking for car and right next to metro and most importantly a great little bar where we had our little morning fresh squeezed orange (pretty good with shot of voddy too)

 
 
 
 
view from cable car

 
C's arty shot on roof of pedrera with familia framed

 
 
 
 
more pedrera

 
 
 
 
casa batllo plus la padrera

 
 
 
 
the audacious sagrada familia

After attempting a coastal route the plan was abandoned when we ended up on a small new road that tomtom didn't know about.It was apparently built as there is new motorway going through and I think this is to supply it .We passed through one village and as C said it looked an atomic bomb had gone off ,not a single sign of life in it.
We find the Spanish villages a pretty grim sight in the main.
Made it safely to Barcelona and found that our hotel is on the Grand Via (Main way)and after a bit of searching for it (forth floor ) and C waiting in car with hazards on and locks bolted all turned out well.The hotel is German owned and the manager is also.So every thing works and is very nice.After parking car and taking bags up to room we wandered into town.Headed for the iconic street of Barcelona called La Rambla,which is actually lined with souvenir shops and tapas bars.
Today my first job was take the dear little pug back to Barcelona airport to drop it off.It went smoothly and that ended our relationship after nearly 8000kms and the only problem was someone taking the park light out in Madrid .Caught airport bus back into town and as there are three keys to get in had arranged to meet C in town.All well.After a spanish lunch we decided to do our last cultural stop and that was the Picasso museum which we both really enjoyed ,in spite of getting abit over loaded now.After that we walked in the Gotic area one a rabbit warren of tiny streets opening up into lovely plazas.One of the little enjoyments we have is working out the transport system and Barcelonas is one of the best with many lines and lots of stations similar to Paris .We bought ten trip tickets and you can literally go any where in the city by swapping lines and just following the what the end station is.Our Hotel is right next to a station .
The next day ,Saturday we caught hop on hop off bus which comprises of 3 routes.It was the first time we ave had to queue as it has a very good reputation.Also very close for all of Europe to pop down for weekends.I can imagine Neil Mc enjoying Barecelona the wonderfully imaginative Gaudi buildings .I will post some photos rather than try to pathetically describe them save to say it is remarkablehow they have stood the time test and look modern now and look bizarre when you see old black and white photos with 1920s cars beside. The church Sagrada Familia he spent 40 years of his life (ended at 74 by a tram)working on is like an incredible disney temple .It is as yet still unfinished but that is not unusual we have seen buildings that have taken 400 years to build.We stopped of and looked at La Pedrera an appartment building finished in 1912 .
The other route took us around the port area ,past the Olympic area .We took a trip on the chair lift up to old military fort which had a great view of city.Then back home absolutely buggered

After all this time I have discovered that I could change something so any one could comment on blog without needing to register.
On arriving in Valencia we were confronted with the sight of hundreds of acres of oranges.as we drove into the city we saw the irrigation that the arabs had setup when they made it an agricultural and industrial center 2000 yrs ago.
We caught the hop on hop off bus and the driver thought he was a competitor in the F1 motor race that is held here on street course on the water front.With motogp and Valencia FC and very popular bullfighting they have a lot going on here .Oh and americas cup which is quite hard to find any mention of.There is a cup village on water front ,we didn't manage to get out there though.
The city , as all Spanish cities we have seen so far a re a huge sprawl and have a mass of building going on ,with cranes working every where.I not sure if the ever present credit crisis is stopping this as they really only have an economy based on agriculture and tourism , sound familiar?
The city is bounded by a dry river bed.The river was diverted in the 1960s after a devastating flood .This area has been turned into a green area that travels right through the city.I think the metro also is under it.Also on it are the astonishing city of music basically opera house and science museums. On the drive out of valencia we were confronted with alot of traffic again roundabouts with no lines and many exits also in the mix traffic lights ,but we prevailed in the end arriving back to a hotel again in darkness .Thankfully lights resumed soon after.
Spent the night yakking to Dutch guys who are working on contracts in Spain and live in hotel during the week and go home every second w/e.
On our way to Barcelona this am and returning little pug tomorrow after nearly 8000kms.She was defiled in Madrid carpark when someone obviously wanted the park light more than we did. This was in a park that had manned 24 hr security.

 
 
 
 
top of tower very big city as all spanish cities have a huge sprawl

 
 
 
this just the top of the car park

 
 
 
 
sorry more

 
 
 
 
Bull ring and railway station

 
we seem to following bloody Napolean around these are his cannon shells in towers valencia

 
But cool dudes too glasses ray ban jersey from florence pantallons from gubbio