After the epic 34 hour bus journey, I arrive in Barcelona and head to my first host on the road. Sjaak, originally from Holland, has been using various hospitality sites for 20 years and is interested in how I dare/ fare on my bike on sometimes overcrowded Spanish roads. We hang out for the day, conversation ranging from acclimatising to a new culture, to our experiences and opinions on Couchsurfing, and the now preferred BeWelcome platforms. We meander the neighborhood and I get to see Camp Nou, Barcelona's football club's stadium, currently undergoing renovation and the impact of unseasonably dry conditions - Barcelona has decreed a water shortage emergency and it is barely springtime here. It is early March and the daytime temperature is approx 20C, dipping down to approx 8C at night - luckily I have brought my alpine sleeping bag for any wild camping occasions. Also as I head south and spring progresses, the temperatures should become even more comfortable for daytime biking and nighttime camping. Later in the evening we have a beer and patatas bravas outside on a nearby piazza.
The next day after coffee al fresco in a stunning cafe courtyard, I hit some touristy spots on my bike - the beach (too cold to swim), Sagrada Familia (Gaudi designed cathedral: beautiful architecture but no obvious progress since 2001) and Park Güell (Gaudi park, overlooking the city).
Sjaak has warned me that cycling can sometimes be precarious and the bike infrastructure inconsistent and confusing, and boy, was he right. At least they made an effort on some roads more downtown, but cycle lanes in the middle of the road are a weird choice and sometimes the cycle lanes shift to the other side of the road or simply stop abruptly. There is no real consistency, and as a foreigner, it is difficult to navigate quickly and safely.
Another lively evening on a nearby piazza with Sjaak, we amble through his district and then retire home.
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