Shoot First Eat Later

Florence: Il Duomo, Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

I didn’t do much research on Florence so imagine my surprise when we reached the Piazza del Duomo and saw this amazingly beautiful cathedral made with pink and green marble. I’ve never seen any church like that.

Florence’s cathedral stands tall over the city with its magnificent Renaissance dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. The cathedral named in honor of Santa Maria del Fiore is a vast Gothic structure built on the site of the 7th century church of Santa Reparata, the remains of which can be seen in the crypt.

The cathedral was begun at the end of the 13th century by Arnolfo di Cambio, and the dome, which dominates the exterior, was added in the 15th century on a design of Filippo Brunelleschi. A statue to each of these important architects can be found outside to the right of the cathedral, both admiring their work for the rest of eternity. Can you imagine it took two centuries for the cathedral to be deemed finished? source

Brunelleschi’s Dome

Giotto’s bell tower

Going inside the church I was shocked at how big it was.

Clock, painted by Paolo Uccello

church floor

Trompe l’oeil of Niccolò da Tolentino

High Altar

Vasari’s fresco

The Last Judgement

I didn’t bother attempting to climb the Giotto’s bell tower (campanile) since my knees are extremely bad but Rochelle and Sharon did and were treated to an up close look at the fresco on the dome’s ceiling. The next six pictures were from Rochelle and Sha’s cameras.

They got an awesome view of the city.

They told me it was a good thing I didn’t go since the climb up and down the 463 steps was really hard with the steep steps, low ceiling, narrow width and very hot temperature. They were both very exhausted when they came down.

climb up the Giotto's bell tower (campanile)-004

climb up the Giotto's bell tower (campanile)-003

At night the Duomo was well lighted and still as magnificent.

We were lucky the day we went inside there were absolutely no lines. We just walked in.

Its origins are unknown although it is believed that it was built over the ruins of a Roman temple dedicated to Mars dating back to the 4th-5th century A.D. It was first described in 897 as a minor basilica. In 1128 it was consacrated as the Baptistery of Florence and as such is the oldest religious monument in Florence. Up until the end of the 19th century, all catholics in Florence were baptized within its doors.

The Baptistery, dedicated to Florence’s patron saint, has an octagonal plan and an octagonal lantern with a cupola. Outside it is clad in geometrically patterned colored marble, white Carrara marble and green Prato marble that is typical of Florentine Romanesque architecture. source

Florence Baptistry or Battistero di San Giovanni

South Doors

The Gates of Paradise received their name by Michelangelo who is believed to have exclaimed: “they are so beautiful that they would be perfect for the gates of paradise”.

The doors consist of 10 rectangular panels, displayed in two lines. They depict scenes of the Old Testament from left to right and from top to bottom. In each panel, Ghiberti described more than one scene so that there are over fifty scenes depicted. All around the frame of the doors Ghiberti added 24 small bronze busts of famous Florentines, including his own self-portratit.

The original panels of the Gates of Paradise are now displayed at the Opera del Duomo Museum, the ones in situ are copies. source

Gates of Paradise, Lorenzo Ghiberti, 1525

top panel – Noah middle panel – Jacob and Esau
more information on the panels here

We saw a lot of ladies riding bicycles around town.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Piazza Duomo, 17 – 50122 Florence
website

Baptistry
Opening Hours:
11:15 pm – 6:30 pm
Sunday: 8:30 am – 2 pm
1st Saturday of the month: 8:30 am – 2 pm
Admission: €5
website

Florence: Le Stanze dei Medici Bed & Breakfast

In Florence we stayed at Le Stanze dei Medici a bed and breakfast (B&B) located in Via Cavour a street lined with many stores and restaurants. It’s also a short five minute walk to Piazza del Duomo where all the major tourist attractions are located. This place was highly recommended by my cousin-in-law Mary who stayed there before.

We had a misunderstanding with the manager of the B&B about our time of arrival so when we arrived there was no one to open the door for us. We rang the bell for more than five minutes with no results. We finally called them up and the manager came to let us in.

There was a small elevator that barely fit 3 people.

The small lobby had the manager’s table plus a refrigerator filled with water and soda. We thought the contents were free but were told to leave the payment on the table for the things we got. It’s much cheaper to buy drinks from the store next door. The tap water in Florence was potable so I drank that. The manager was kind enough to let us store some food in the refrigerator.

There were also two rooms located here.

Our rooms were located along this brightly lit hallway. The lights were on sensor. The room at the end of the hallway was the breakfast room.

Rochelle and I got room 2. We were given a set of 3 keys. One for the main door of the building, one for the B&B’s door and last for our room. I wish they could have given us two sets of keys for the times we wanted to go our own way.

Our room was pretty basic but clean and the bed was quite comfy. I liked the bedpost perfect for resting my legs on after a full day of walking.

The shower stall was small and I kept bumping into the sliding doors.

Our most valuable resource was this clothesline I bought at the HK$10 store in Hong Kong. It’s probably available in Saizen in Manila since they carry the same things.

Look at how Rochelle tied the clothesline in the small bathroom.

This is what our bathroom looked like every morning. When we come home at night everything is dry. That’s how I packed light. Wash and wear.

This was Sharon’s room. It was smaller but it had a walk in closet.

Breakfast was included.

From their website: milk of Tuscany hills, fresh cappuccino on request, espresso coffee and american coffee made with arabica coffee blends, different range of teas, hot chocolate, muffin, barley, fruit juices, cornflakes, cereals, muesli, single portion jam, butter, honey, nutella, yogurt in assorted flavours, toast, cheese, rusks and biscuits.

On our first day I tried the packaged toast with the individually wrapped soft cheese. The croissant and the other packaged breads weren’t worth wasting my calories.

I stuck to yogurt for my breakfast.

The only thing I liked about the free breakfast was the unlimited Lavazza coffee.

The others drank the blood orange juice.

Remember the best paella we had in Barcelona? We nuked it in the microwave and had the best breakfast.

Via Cavour

In the three short days we were there they finished paving the road.

Next door was a liquor shop. We should have bought a bottle of limoncello to drink at our B&B.

I was quite happy with the accommodations and it was the cheapest in our entire trip. A night cost us €100 inclusive of all taxes. I loved the location but not the breakfast. The others in the group weren’t so thrilled with the ‘masungit‘ manager but I didn’t care. She was helpful in giving us directions and places to go.

Le Stanze dei Medici Bed & Breakfast
Via Camillo Cavour, 42 50129 Florence , Italy
telephone: +39 339 772 9247
e-mail: info@lestanzedeimedici.com
website

Lunch at Annapolis Seafood Palace

There are many good Chinese restaurants in Manila. My dad’s ultimate favorite is Choi Garden and my uncle E’s choice is Peking Garden and Choi too. For my aunt her favorite is Annapolis Seafood Palace in Greenhills.

We had lunch last September for my uncle’s 6th death anniversary with some friends and family.

steamed suahe shrimp

The soup was really flavorful and soothing.

double boiled wintermelon bamboo pith soup P800 (L)

For a healthier version this fried rice used only egg whites and it was still quite tasty specially with the dried scallop topping. The best thing was it wasn’t greasy.

egg white dried scallop fried rice P420 (M)

My cousin Stanley who’s home from Dallas requested his favorite frogs legs. If you’ve never tried frogs legs it really tastes like chicken and this version will make you like it for sure.

fried frogs legs with salt & pepper P800 (L)

I love udon noodles and it was a surprise to see it in a Chinese restaurant. It’s a pleasant change from the usual e-fu noodles.

sauteed special udon noodles P760 (L)

The biggest surprise for me was the roasted duck. It was freakin’ unbelievably fantastic. The meat was very juicy and flavorful. There was barely any fat under the crispy skin. My only gripe was they served it with hoisin sauce instead of plum sauce but this didn’t need any sauce anyway. I must have eaten 4 pieces and I wanted more.

Since then I’ve eaten this duck twice already. That’s how much I love it. There’s no need to fly to Hong Kong to have good roasted duck anymore. If you love duck I suggest you RUN to Annapolis Seafood ASAP and try this duck.

roasted duck P1,800 whole

Hamachi jaw is usually found grilled in Japanese restaurants. This was my first time to try it steamed and it was a revelation. The meat was firm yet buttery and delicate. The caramelized onions on top added a depth of flavor to it. This is another MUST order.

steamed hamachi jaw ancient style P1,800 (P600 per pc)

I’ve never seen taro cubes under crab before. Sorry but I detest taro. The crab was good though.

taro crab P1,680 (3 pcs.)

Uggghh the only dessert I will skip is one made with taro. The others were happy to get my share.

taro soup

Sshhh don’t tell my dad but I think I have a new favorite Chinese restaurant.

Annapolis Seafood Palace set menu

my previous meal at Annapolis Seafood Palace here

Annapolis Seafood Palace
43 Annapolis St., Greenhills, San Juan
telephone: 724-6192

Barcelona: El Prat Airport and Spain Highlights

Goodbye Barcelona! Goodbye Spain! It was a quick 8 day trip that started in Madrid and a quick stop to Bilbao on our way to beautiful seaside San Sebastian and ended with the best in Barcelona.

Barcelona’s airport was nice and modern but the real reason for this post is my most important tip to those planning to travel to Spain. Try to plan your travels on a Sunday. My cousin La and her family remained in Barcelona an extra day while we were in the airport the same Sunday. She told us almost all the stores and restaurants in the city were closed. We were so happy to be in the airport where all the stores were open and we were able to do last minute shopping specially in our favorite store, Natura.

Spain has many famous brands like Mango, Zara and Massimo Dutti which have branches in Manila. We discovered Natura which our tour guide Marta said was her favorite local brand. The clothes in Natura are made of the finest and lightest woven cotton which we all loved. We tried to visit as many branches as we could since each store sold different merchandise.

We took a Vueling flight to Florence which was our next stop.

As with several budget airlines all the meals were for sale. Cute menu.

Highlights of my trip to Spain:
Madrid: Restaurante Botin – the oldest restaurant in the world!
Madrid: Mercado San Miguel
Bilbao: Lunch at Bistró Guggenheim
San Sebastian: Pintxos Bar Hopping
San Sebastian: 3 Star Lunch at Akelaŕe
Barcelona: Day Tour Part 1 – Montserrat
Barcelona: La Sagrada Familia
Barcelona: Best Paella at Sta Maria Del Mar Bar – Restaurant

For a complete list of links click here.

Eight days definitely wasn’t enough for Spain but it gave me a quick overview of the most popular attractions. I’ve already started a list of places and restaurants I want to go to specially in San Sebastian and Barcelona on my next trip. Hopefully I can see more cities around Spain. I loved the food, the culture and the friendly people. I shall return!!!

Barcelona: Tapas 24 & Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

My dreams of dining at El Buli will never be realized now that the famous restaurant of Ferran Adrià has closed it’s doors. I tried desperately to get reservations at Tickets, the tapas bar in Barcelona Adrià opened with his brother. Reservations for a group of 16 was impossible so I tried it for 4 and even just for myself but it was fully booked months in advance.

Left with no hope of eating Adrià’s creations I did the next best thing. I ate at Tapas 24 owned by Carles Abellan who worked at El Buli for seven years and worked with Adrià at two other restaurants. Abellan later opened his own restaurant, Comerç 24 and later on the more casual Tapas 24.

Tapas 24 or TapaÇ24 was located just a couple of blocks from Casa Batlló and around the corner from Passeig de Gracia and I walked to meet my cousin Sharon who was already there.

The 125 square meter restaurant was in the basement of a building.

The tiny space was maximized well. Every available space was used for small tables or a communal table like the one we occupied.

The menu was in Catalán but we managed to make out some of the words and I also had an idea on what to order based on reviews I read online.

Tapas 24 menu

The menu was printed on an envelope that held the fork, knife and napkin.

The menu of the day was also right beside us not that we understood it. We would have ordered more food if there was an English menu.

Of all the sangrias we had in Spain this was my favorite. Citrusy yet potent.

SANGRIA DE CAVA €16

Our very last anchovies!

Fried Anchovies €7.50

This may look like regular croquetas but it was the best I’ve eaten. The flavors of the Iberian ham were evident in the pillows of thick, velvety bechamel sauce. I wanted to order more but Sha convinced me there were more goodies to come and she was right.

CROQUETES DE PERNIL IBÈRIC (Iberian Ham Croquetas) €2

One of their most famous dishes is the Mc Foie Burger, a burger patty in a thin and crisp bun with a side of foie gras dip which I slathered on my burger. It was pretty good but the foie dip wasn’t as flavorful as I expected.

MC FOIE-BURGER €9.50

Shrimp from Huelva are very famous in Spain for their sweet and delicate flavor. These were served simply with salt.

GAMBA DE HUELVA €9

We asked our server for his recommendation and he pointed at Bikini Comerc 24 and even though we didn’t have any idea what it was we heeded to his suggestion. When it arrived I saw a simple ham and cheese sandwich.

BIKINI COMERÇ 24 (Ham & Cheese sandwich) €9.50

With one bite and a loud groan I sank my teeth into ecstasy. Salty jamón ibérico paired with a mild cheese with flecks of black truffle in between buttered bread. It was pure delight and something I wish I could eat every single day of my life. It was definitely my favorite dish that night.

I’ve been looking for this dish everywhere and finally I found it here. Simple french fries topped with good chorizo and a fried egg.

XORICOS OEUS DE PATATA (French Fries with chorizo & fried egg) €12

The best way to eat it was to get a little of everything in your fork and relish the flavors and textures in your mouth.

I was so glad my last meal in Spain was also one of the best. I want to try Comerç 24 the next time I go back to Barcelona. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone going to Barcelona. It’s a MUST!!!

After dinner we went to the famous Magic Fountain of Montjuïc for some free entertainment.

At first I wasn’t that impressed since I’ve seen the spectacular fountains of The Bellagio in Las Vegas.

We stayed for almost an hour and was treated to different sets of music from classical to the 80s which we really enjoyed. True it wasn’t as grand as The Bellagio’s fountains but it was fun to watch too.

Tapas 24
Diputació 269 Barcelona, Espana
telephone: 93-488-09-77
website

Magic Fountain of Montjuïc
Pl.Carles Buïgas, s/n, 08038, Barcelona, Spain

Winter: (October to April)
Fridays and Saturdays from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Music sessions: 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM

Summer: (May to September)
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 pm to 11:30 pm
Music Sessions: 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM 11:00 PM

Barcelona: Gaudi’s Casa Batlló

We had a free day and Rochelle and I chose to go shopping along the famous Passeig de Gracia. I don’t even remember where my other cousins went. When we went out one store and was about to cross the street Rochelle looked ahead and said, “That looks like a house Gaudi would design.”

We quickly crossed the street and shrieked with joy, it was Casa Batlló, a building owned by Mr. Josep Batlló and renovated by Gaudi from 1904-1906. I wanted to see all of Gaudi’s works but we didn’t have time so it was an amazing bonus to see this building. We were the only ones who got to see this. See, shopping has it’s benefits!

The facade of the building is covered with mosaics made with glass and ceramic tiles.

Surprisingly there was a very short line so we paid for our tickets and got an audio guide.

Just like Gaudi’s work at Park Güell he seemed to avoid straight lines in this private residence.

A perfect secluded spot for courting couples [is] tucked away in the romantic mushroom-shaped fireplace, which is flanked by a bench on either side, one for the chaperone and the other for the couple being chaperoned. source

fireplace

Gaudí created large oak doors with organic shapes into which are set panes of stained glass. These doors, as well as separating the three rooms, allow a single light-filled space to be created. source

The ceiling is wavy, in allusion to the sea. It features an ingenious whirlpool effect which Gaudí achieved using an esparto plaster filling and which evokes the power of the sea. source

central light well

There were really cute souvenirs in the store.

I really liked the scale models of the chairs but they cost more than €200 each!

skylight

The loft is one of the most unusual spaces, and is a delightful combination of the aesthetic and the functional. It was formerly a service area for the tenants of the various apartments in the building and housed laundry rooms, storage areas, etc.

It is characterised by the simplicity of its shapes, its Mediterranean influence through the use of the colour white, and its all-pervading light. It features a series of 60 catenary arches, creating a space which evokes the&nbspribcage of an animal – perhaps the dragon which sits above it, on the roof terrace, which is accessed by spiral stairs. source

chimney

We took the tiny but well maintained elevator to the ground floor. It was a great tour of another Gaudi masterpiece. I wish I got the chance to see Casa Milà too. I’ll put that on my list the next time I go back to Barcelona.

Casa Batlló
Passeig de Gràcia, 43 – 08007 Barcelona
telephone: +34 93 216 03 06
website

Barcelona: Sweet Treats

Right after our super delicious lunch at Santa Maria del Mar Restaurant we went in bubó, a pastry shop by Catalan pastry chef Carles Mampel, which was nearby.

I’ve never seen so may different colors and unique flavors of marshmallows before. I wonder what gourmet marshmallows tasted like. I wish I bought some to try.

Guimauve (marshmallow)

macarons

I can’t believe I left the store empty handed. I was too full from lunch to to decide among all the gorgeous looking pastries.

pastries

I love these stairs in a store we went in to. It showed the calories you will lose with each step up the stairs.

I wasn’t really planning to eat gelato in Barcelona since I was saving that for Italy but the display was at Tomo II was so unique it drew me into buying a small cup.

The gelato was kept in this huge space age looking freezer.

When you choose a flavor the server hits a button and the display will spin and stop at the correct flavor. Neat huh?

The gelato was superb. One of the darkest and richest chocolate gelatos I’ve ever eaten. This was not for the chocolate wimp.

extra dark chocolate gelato €2.80

We kept walking to burn off the calories and found this beautiful gothic church, Barcelona Cathedral.

Catedral Basílica de Barcelona (Barcelona Cathedral)

Beside the church was this structure that housed Gaudi’s studio.

I really wanted to go in but we couldn’t find an open entrance. We even walked around the whole building.

El Taller De Gaudi (Gaudi’s Studio)

I wouldn’t dream of eating McD in a country abound with spectacular food but the pastries displayed at this McCafe along Passeig de Gracia was too pretty and tempting to ignore.

McCafe Barcelona

Was I dreaming? The cakes looked amazing.

chocolate cake & tiramisu

brownies & cupcakes

muffins & cupcakes

I bet you can guess what I bought.

easy order

Rochelle tried a pistachio macaron. It wasn’t horrible but it was nothing we would buy again.

pistachio macaron €.75

My cookie was a bit over baked but it was good enough to satisfy my chocolate and cookie cravings.

triple chocolate cookie €1.50

bubó Born
Caputxes, 10 08003 Barcelona (Spain)
telephone: 932 687 224
website

Tomo II
Calle Argenteria, 61 08003 Barcelona
website

Dinner at BBQ Republic

For the past couple of months every time I passed by Wilson St. or whenever I go to Animal House I’d see the sign of BBQ Republic. From the logo I surmised it would be one of those chicken / pork barbecue with java rice kind of place. When I went there a week ago for my birthday dinner with my parents, an aunt and an uncle I was surprised to find more than I expected.

You order at the counter fast food style and they bring your food to the table.

Sure it had chicken and pork on the menu but the cut of the meat and size of the portions on the stick were definitely Japanese inspired. Think of those grilled yaki tori and exotic innards you’ve seen on Anthony Bourdain’s visit to Tokyo.

There was a monitor for you to see what you ordered and how much is costs. What a great way to avoid any misunderstanding with the order taker.

I loved the graphics on the wall designed by young graphic designer, Ben Lim.

Even the rice container carried the theme and logo of the chef that could be Italian Japanese.

BBQ Republic’s menu (click on the picture to enlarge)

Since I wasn’t really sure how many sticks the six of us can eat I decided to order two set meals which included unlimited rice and soup and the rest different kinds of bbq sticks so we can try more variety.

I liked how their menu was organized. It gave good value for heavy rice eaters and more options for non rice eater like me.

BBQ Republic- fried chicken karaage meal P149

I was told their bestsellers were the chicken karaage, bacon wrapped fish and beef with garlic. Each stick contained two bite sized pieces of fried chicken thigh. Since I don’t eat dark meat I couldn’t comment on this. The others liked it enough.

fried chicken karaage meal P149

If you have kids who don’t eat fish then you have to let them try this. Don’t tell them what it is they’ll never guess. They’ll be swayed by all the lovely glistening bacon and totally ignore whatever is inside. If you like bacon then this is for you.

bacon wrapped fish meal P179

I liked the beef best among the three bestsellers. It was tender, well marinated and just delicious when eaten together with the sliver of garlic.

beef with garlic P50/stick

My aunt’s ultimate favorite were the chicken hearts. She ate two sticks all by herself so we had to order more. The pork belly had the most meat per stick and it tasted like your typical Pinoy bbq. It’s actually the only Pinoy bbq in the menu.

chicken liver, chicken heart, pork belly P25/stick

For the rest of us our favorite was the chicken liver. One stick turned into five as I kept ordering more. I don’t really eat chicken liver unless it’s in the form of paté but this was just divine. The buttery liver had a salty sweet glaze on it and I specially enjoyed the crisp burned edges. I should ordered some chicken tail (pwet ng manok) too. That’s next on my list.

chicken liver

When I thought our dinner was over I spied some baby squid on the next table and ordered some. These babies are on limited quantities daily so make sure go early and order it fast. I wouldn’t be surprised if this doesn’t become their next bestseller knowing the Pinoy’s penchant for grilled squid.

stuffed baby squid P45/stick

The delicate flavor of the baby squid stuffed with onions and tomatoes was just explosive.

It was only while eating the squid that I found myself reaching for the sauce. All the others were just right on it’s own. I tried dipping it in the Pinoy sauce first. Oh wow! I loved the perfect blend of soy sauce and calamansi and whatever else they put in it. It wasn’t too salty or too sour.

Next I tried the Japanese sauce. Double wow!! It was sweet and savory just like teriyaki sauce. I wanted to eat the sauce on it’s own. I’m sure it would be great doused on rice. Doused I tell you. Top it with some spicy togarashi and you have a semi-Japanese rice in a flash.

sauces

BBQ Republic is owned by the Lao brothers, who happen to be my 2nd cousins, and some of their wives. Even if I’m related to them we paid for our meal. Business is business right?

BBQ Republic’s Lao brothers

Youngest brother Chris is in charge of the recipes and the kitchen. Good job Chris!

The meat are grilled in this high tech ceramic griller that goes around and drops the finished bbq down the chute. No charcoal, no carcinogens. Just good grilled flavor.

The only thing I see missing in the menu are veggies. I suggest grilling fresh shiitake mushroom skewered with some onions and peppers or grilled corn on the cob would be great. How about a kani salad or cold cucumber sesame salad as side dishes? Maybe we’ll see shrimp in the future too?

Whether you want a full meal, a light snack or just some pica pica then BBQ Republic is the place to go. Just don’t forget to order the chicken liver and baby squid and say hi to my cousins when you go there. They’re very friendly guys.

BBQ Republic (now closed)
229 Wilson St., 1502 San Juan, Philippines
Weekdays: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Weekends: 11:00 am – 12:00 midnight
Call 2342209 for take outs or pick ups
For deliveries, pls. call CityDelivery at 87878
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Barcelona: Best Paella at Sta Maria Del Mar Bar – Restaurant

If you’ve been following my European Vacation posts on this blog you must think we are the most boring diners since almost all of our meals in Spain include paella. That’s because we love paella and we’ve been obsessed looking for the BEST paella. This was our last paella in Spain and thank goodness it was also the best. Read on and find out who the chef was.

From the Sagrada Familia we all took the metro to Place de Sta. Maria where some wanted to go to the Picasso museum while the rest just wanted to eat lunch. Our tour guide Marta suggested the area as a good place to find good eats.

These huge dumpsters were common around the city. Not a pretty sight but obviously an effective solution since the city was quite clean.

Their pedicabs/rickshaws had a nice design unlike the ones we have in Manila.

There was a wedding at the Santa Maria Del Mar church, one of the most beautiful churches in Barcelona with a Gothic style of architecture.

We peeked in this restaurant to see what it offered.

Outside we saw a Filipino guy and asked where’s a good place to eat and he said at the restaurant where he worked, Sta Maria del Mar restaurant. He told us the chef was Filipino too and we jokingly asked him to tell the chef to make our paella extra good and to give us more.

An order of paella costs €10.80 and was good for 2 people so we ordered two paelleras of black rice with cuttlefish.

menu (click to enlarge)

We sat outside and was literally across the church.

We’ve grown to love marinated anchovies and ordered it every time we can. Such a simple dish but bursting with flavors from the vinegar and olive oil.

marinated anchovies

We finally ordered chorizo. It was delicious with bread.

chorizo

Even their gambas was yummy.

gambas al ajillo

When the paella arrived we were shocked at how plenty it was. How on earth were 4 people supposed to finish an order let alone two. We asked the Spanish waiter if this was really good for two. He said normally an order was only half the depth but the Filipino chef gave us more. Even the cuttlefish was plentiful. We didn’t expect them to take us seriously but we’re glad they did.

Words cannot describe how good the paella was. The rice was soft without being overdone. It wasn’t too wet nor too dry. The cuttlefish was as tender as fish and there was a piece with every spoonful of rice I ate. The flavor of the squid ink and the broth used were intense without being overpowering. In short it was just perfect.

black rice with cuttlefish (paella negra) €10.80

What made the paella over-the-top freakin’ good was the aioli which was so much lighter than regular mayonnaise. It had the texture of whipped cream and the garlic intensity only a Filipino would understand. No mild garlic flavor here. This was ‘not on a date’ aioli that Ilocanos will be proud of.

aioli

Eating the paella negra with the aioli was a gourmand’s wet dream. Imagine finding the best paella and it was cooked by a Pinoy.

This is what we managed to consume and we still had a whole paellera untouched. What did we do with it? My cousin Sha mixed in all the remaining aioli in the paella and we had it wrapped up. We kept it in our hotel room’s refrigerator not knowing how to reheat it.

While eating we were entertained by these two buskers. The lady on the left reminded me of Jennifer Garner.

After singing and playing around with a ball they came to our table with their hats turned upside down asking for donations.

Finally the bride and groom come out.

After lunch we went to the kitchen at the side to thank the chef. Their entire kitchen staff were Filipinos. The chef used to be a nurse who became a cook. We bowed at his feet for his excellent cooking.

To all the Filipinos in Barcelona please do visit this restaurant and let them know I sent you there. I told them their pictures will be on my blog. You will not regret it. It may just be the best paella of your life too. The Spanish manager of the restaurant was obviously proud of his staff too.

The next day we had the leftover aioli infused paella reheated by our hotel’s restaurant and it was just as good. After lunch we still had a container left so we brought that with us on the plane ride to Florence. Yes, that’s how precious it was to us.

I can’t find any address or telephone number for this restaurant. Just go to the Santa Maria del Mar church and you will see it. Say hi to all the Pinoys there for me!

Barcelona: La Sagrada Familia

For me the most important attraction in my entire European vacation was La Sagrada Familia. I was just awed by Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece and the history behind it.

The most important tip I can give to anyone planning to go to Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) is to buy your tickets online and to get an audio guide or even better a guided tour which I plan to do when I go back to Barcelona. As concise as the audio guide was I felt it was lacking in information that only a seasoned guide can give. Also don’t forget to print your tickets which most of us forgot thankfully Sha had the foresight to print everyone’s tickets. There was a long, long line of people who were just buying their tickets on site.

La modeling the audio guide

Construction commenced in 1882 to a bland and uninspired neo-gothic design by Francesco del Villar, who left the project a year later with only the lower part of the crypt built. The young Antonio Gaudi was called in as replacement architect in 1883 and immediately began his radical transformation of the design, discarding Villar’s dull plans and completing the crypt and apse walls in his own version of gothic, though this was still conservative compared with what was to follow.

Gaudi always knew the project was too vast to be completed in his lifetime and was expecting other generations to finish what he had begun. Very little of the overall church then existed, he left us only the crypt, apse walls and one of the three facades, but plans and models indicated what was to come next, and also how much revision his original, more conservative concepts had undergone. The overall plan of the building follows the traditional cathedral layout with nave, transepts and apse. However Gaudi was adding much more, with protruding chapels, an encircling cloister and no less than 18 steeples, all symbolic with 12 for the Apostles, four on each facade, one over the apse for Mary, and four representing the Gospel Writers surrounding thetallest and largest of all over the crossing represening Christ. The three facades were to be adorned with sculpure on different themes, the Birth of Christ (Nativity Facade, east/’south’ transept), the Passion of Christ (Passion Facade, west/’north’ transept) and the Last Judgement (Glory Facade, main south/’west’ facade of nave). source

This was the second façade to be built following Gaudí’s original project. The architect, who only left the decorative part annotated, foresaw that future generations would make interventions on it according to the aesthetic tastes of the moment. Such is the case of the sculptural decoration by Josep Maria Subirachs and the stained glass by Joan Vila-Grau.

The Passion façade is so called because it represents the Passion of Jesus, in other words, the pain, the sacrifice and the death, as staged along the twelve stations of the cross, expressed in highly dramatic and emotionally intense sculpture groups. source

Passion facade

Works of Subirachs

The bronze doors made by Subirachs contained text from the gospels of Matthew and John recounting the last days of the life of Jesus.

These scale models of the church which is scheduled to be completed in 2026, a hundred years after the death of Gaudi, show the different facades including what the Glory facade will look like when completed. Even with today’s modern equipment the minute details Gaudi planned will still a long time to construct.

Glory facade (left)

This is the uncompleted Glory Facade.

This door was just put in for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI in November 2010 when La Sagrada Familia was consecrated and proclaimed a minor basilica.

This is the main façade which will be the entrance to the church when it is finished. As it is so important, Gaudí included in the project the construction of a great exterior flight of steps that provided access to the church with a solemnity befitting the place.

The Glory façade was given that name because it represents the situation of man within the general order of creation: his origins, his problems, the roads he must take and his purpose. Like the other façades, it will have three entrances (a main door dedicated to charity and two side doors dedicated to hope and faith), and a porch with seven columns that will symbolise the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and present the virtues opposed to the sins.

The façade will have various sculpted elements and on the upper part, above the roof of the narthex, stretching along the four bell towers there will be stone clouds bearing the Credo written in large letters. The bell towers will be consecrated to the apostles St Andrew, St Peter, St Paul and St James the Great, ordered from left to right.

The Glory façade faces south so that the sun beats down on it for most of the day, in harmony with its significance: the exaltation of its strong life and joyous spirit. Gaudí himself said: “Glory is light, light gives joy and joy is the happiness of the spirit”. For technical reasons it is the last of the three façades to be built and its architectural and decorative design follow Gaudí’s original idea. source

Glory facade

According to our tour guide Marta this building right in front of the Glory facade will have to be destroyed when the time comes since the facade’s walkway will extend up to there.

This side entrance to the church was the first to be built and the only one Gaudí completed in his lifetime. The architect represented Jesus more human part and celebrated his birth by depicting an exultant nature on a Gothic base. The Nativity façade faces east, which is where the sun rises every day, so that it symbolically expresses the birth of life.

The Nativity façade is so called because it presents the birth, childhood and young manhood of Jesus. The entrance to the church from this façade is through a central door and two side doors dedicated to the three theological virtues: hope, charity and faith, the names given to each of the three doors. These three virtues are vital in the life of Jesus, in analogy to St Joseph, Our Lady and Jesus. At the top rise four bell towers, dedicated to the apostles St Barnabas, St Jude, St Simon and St Matthew, from left to right. source

Nativity facade

Shepherds & Angels

The details are just intense.

Angelic Choir

Nativity Group

Presentation

There were also lots of astonishing architectural details inside the church.

Spiral Staircase

Aisle Windows

Red Window

Since Sagrada Familia is an expiatory church it relies only on donations for it to be built. I was happy to find this from the Filipino community.

ground plans & columns

Can you believe the details on the ceiling?

Aisle Vaults

forest of columns

The galleries which wrapped around the church could hold 1,000 choir singers.

Vaults & Choir Galleries

Apse & Ambulatory

The highlight of the altar is this suspended crucifix.

Altar with suspended crucifix

Cloister of Our Lady Rosary

Museum

There were several pictures in the museum showing the early stages of construction.

This is a picture of what the Glory facade will look like when completed.

The church was packed to capacity when Pope Bendict XVI consecrated Sagrada Familia.

The pope shown in this picture entering through the bronze doors of the Glory facade.

Choir singers filled the galleries that Gaudi designed.

scale model of a nave

We finished the audio guide tour in a little over an hour. I wanted to stay longer and explore more parts of the church but the group had other plans. I wasn’t able to go to the crypt either. The visit to La Sagrada Familia was definitely the highlight of my trip to Spain.

We have plans to return to Barcelona in 2026 to see the completed La Sagrada Familia. But I want to go back sooner than that to see all the places I missed and maybe go to other parts of Spain too.

Read more about La Sagrada Familia here.