The ferris wheel at Tibidabo theme park, Barcelona.

At the top of a mountain in Barcelona sits a church and a theme park — Tibidabo. We’d not planned to visit but overheard a few others discussing the place after they’d been there a previous day. We decided to head up on a whim and after walking to a bus stop we waited for the bus to arrive.

A bus pulled up to another stop and we realised we — along with several others — were waiting at the wrong stop. We finished our icy poles and climbed aboard.

After we disembarked from the bus, we still required a long and steep funicular ride. It offered some good views and when we arrived at the park, realised it was about to close in only 45 or so minutes. Since entry is free it wasn’t a big deal. Some of the rides go out over the mountain so you have a large drop below but we didn’t bother going on any of the rides.

Though the park is in a much more interesting location, the size reminded me of Luna Park.

Day Thirty-Seven
Barcelona
13 September 2007 22:07

Last night’s sleep was punctuated by an unwelcome visitor.  A mouse had crept into our room — probably through an open window, even though we’re on the second floor — and was exploring quite loudly.  I tried to “shoo” the mouse and thought I’d succeeded.  Just as we drifted off to sleep our friend leapt into action.  The second time seemed to scare him off.

When we told the owner in the morning, he seemed quite annoyed; at us or the mouse wasn’t clear.  He went up to the room with us and did a sweep the bomb squad would be proud of and we agreed it must be gone.

Our first destination today was the Museo di Xocolata (Chocolate Museum).  Inside was a history of chocolate from the Aztecs as well as some amazing chocolate sculptures.  As we left we went to buy some bonbons and Justine couldn’t tell what one was.  It was a salty hazelnut praline.  As she wasn’t sure they gave us a free sample (they’re about $2.50 each) and it was actually really good.  We bought a few and headed off.

Lunch was at an “Udon” restaurant, basically a ripoff of “Wagamama” which we like back home.  I had chicken udon noodles and soup.

As we headed to the metro station, we stopped of at a “Xocoa” shop (we’d bought some stuff from one yesterday elsewhere) and got another small bar of chocolate — white with raspberry — and a brownie.

I’d guessed the wrong metro station by using our map so we roamed the back streets of a suburb which seemed at least partly safe, with a partial knowledge of where we should be on the map.  Give or take a few blocks.

After a lot of criss-crossing we arrived at the base of a hill where we caught a bus up to catch a funicular to Tibidabo, which is an amusement park of sorts.  The park itself was closed but we could wander next to it and the view was great.  Rides were working, but only a few, but we weren’t interested.  We’d gone up at 5:30pm and the last funicular down was at 6:15pm.  We caught it back down.

Back at the docks we went to the shopping centre we’d visited yesterday as Justine wanted something but had been up able to get it yesterday.

The place was again closed (”back in 5″) so we went outside and grabbed dinner at a tapas bar on the docks.  The food was really good and as our 5th, 6th and 7th plates came Justine popped into the shop and got her stuff.

We couldn’t finish all the food so with full stomachs headed back up Las Ramblas and to bed.