​12.-15. maj - Start med komplikationer

Det skulle have været med start i Lissabon, men en række fuckups med speditører ændrer planerne, og det er først da mc'en er afhentet i Hvidovre jeg køber en flybillet. Overvejer at skrive en bog med titlen '101 Uses for A Dead Shipping Agent'. Det bliver nu fire ugers ferie i stedet for seks. Tænker allerede på et par uger i Syd spanien til  september, men på chopperen.

Det er min anden gang i Barcelona - første gang da jeg tog Pyrenæerne på tværs med en mindre flok, hvor vi skulle til Wheels & Waves. Stadig en smuk by, men ellers lidt forskelligt bybillede fra sidst, for alle Montesa mc'erne, der stod bogstaveligt talt overalt, er væk, fjernet af miljøkrav, sammen med alle de andre gamle mc'er. Godt jeg ikke vidste det før jeg kørte ind i centrum i dag - det kunne sikkert være blevet til en flot bøde.

   Turister overalt i den gamle bydel, turgrupper med kinesere i hobetal, men også mange asiater der ser fastboende ud. Langt flere bøsser hånd i hånd end hjemme. 'Nevermind' musikbaren ligner og lyder som sig selv - heavy og punk - men naboerne har klaget, så koncerter må findes andetsteds. Stadig et godt sted at hvile benene, efter de 20K skridt telefonens helse-app siger jeg har gået hver de første par dage.

Husene er som sidst mange steder helt fantastiske, hvilket bemærkes især i vejkryds med de karakteristiske afskårede hjørner. Det er som om arkitekterne ville overgå hinanden. Altanerne og især deres gitre er i designs som får samtlige nye på Vesterbro til at se ynkelige ud. Så går der lidt tid med at få min gamle iPad til at fungere, men ender med at købe en ny, der ikke er afhængig af wifi. Dyrt, men lidt billigere end forventet, i modsætning til byens hoteller, der ellers var ganske rimelige sidst. 

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The trip was supposed to  start in Lisbon, but a series of fuckups with shipping agents changed the plans, and it was only when the motorcycle was picked up in Hvidovre that I dared buy  a plane ticket. Considering writing a book titled '101 Uses for A Dead Shipping Agent'. It will now be a four-week vacation instead of six. Already thinking about a couple of weeks in southern Spain in September, but on the Nimbus chopper.

This is my second time in Barcelona - the first time when I crossed the Pyrenees with a smaller group, where we were going to Wheels & Waves. Still a beautiful city, but otherwise a slightly different cityscape from the last time, because all the Montesa motorcycles that were literally everywhere are gone, removed by environmental requirements, along with all the other old motorcycles. Good thing I didn't know that before I drove into the city center today - it probably could have resulted in a memorable fine.

Tourists everywhere in the old town, tour groups with Chinese in droves, but also many Asians who look like permanent residents. Far more gays holding hands than at home. The 'Nevermind' music bar looks and sounds like itself - heavy and punk - but the neighbours have complained, so concerts must be found elsewhere. Still a good place to rest your legs, after the 20K steps the phone's health app says I've walked each of the first few days.

The houses are, as last time, absolutely fantastic in many places, which is especially noticeable at intersections with the characteristic cut corners. It's as if the architects wanted to outdo each other. The balconies and especially their grilles are in designs that make all the new ones in Vesterbro look pitiful. Then it takes a while to get my old iPad to work, but I end up buying a new one that doesn't depend on wifi. Expensive, but a little cheaper than expected, in contrast to the city's hotels, which were otherwise quite reasonable last time. Certainly not now.

 

Han fik mere end bare småmønter....

He got more than just a few coins

De arbejder stadig på den....

Still working on it, after 100+ years....

Ny førerløs metro syv etager under med almindelige.

 Sci-fi agtig silo derned med seks store elevatorer. 

New driverless metro seven floors below the regular one. 

Sci-fi-ish silo down there with six large elevators.

Nevermind

15. Maj - The Eagle Has Landed

En lille uges nervøsitet stopper da stemmen i røret siger at Nimbussen ankom torsdag, så hurtigt ud til lageret og sætte de afmonterede dele på igen. 30-40 km rundt i fredagens aftentrafik sætter Barcelonas fine offentlige transport i perspektiv, for jeg kunne have skubbet mc'en frem næsten lige så hurtigt på fortovet.

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A little week of nervousness stops when the voice on the phone says that the Nimbus arrived on Thursday, so quickly go to the warehouse and put the thing together. 30-40 km around in Friday evening traffic puts Barcelona's fine public transport into perspective, because I could have pushed the motorbike almost as quickly on the sidewalk.