Emirates SIN-DXB-BCN in Y: Paella, Xuxo & FC Barcelona vs Sevilla@Camp Nou (Part I)

[yflyer]

Hi yflyer, thanks for the amazing trip report. Loved it!

Will be up in BCN in the next week or so, any food places to recommend in addition to those you reviewed?

Thanks, wdranne!

Here are couple of other places which I would also recommend.

For fine dining, check out this place:

Con Gracia
Address: Carrer de Martínez de la Rosa, 8, 08012 Barcelona

They have tasting menus, with wine pairing. I didn't go there this time round, but I was there a year ago, and was thoroughly impressed. It was a business dinner and protocol meant that I could not whip out my iPhone to take pictures (Which I was sorely tempted to do!).

The other place I would suggest is actually a stretch of restaurants along the waterfront at the Museu d'Hisṭria de Catalunya, near the Barceloneta area.

It is quite a scenic spot to dine, with both outdoor and indoor seating. The restaurant along that stretch I have eaten at a couple of times is Merendero de la Mari (Address: Placa Pau Vila 1 Port Vell), and it is very good, but I have not tried the others along that stretch. The other restaurants there may be worth a try too.

Enjoy your trip!

[wdranne]

Hi yflyer, thanks for the amazing trip report. Loved it!

Will be up in BCN in the next week or so, any food places to recommend in addition to those you reviewed?

[yflyer]

Part II now posted here!

[yflyer]

Hi YFlyer!

As you are a Qantas FF member, did you purchase your tickets to Barcelona from Qantas as an Emirates operated flight? Or directly from Emirates?

Is there a difference in the number of QF miles collected when purchasing the ticket on the QF website as opposed to purchasing it on the EK website?

Hi, DWL3299!

My ticket was purchased as a QF flight number (i.e. QF codeshare). This cost slightly more (maybe 10-15% more), but the number of FF points was slightly higher, and more importantly, they count for FF status credits, and also count towards the 4 QF metal sectors you need to qualify for premium FF tiers.

If I purchased the flights as an EK flight number, I would still get points (Slightly fewer on EK than QF for the same fare class. SIN-DXB on EK Economy will get you 1700 QF points, Discount economy gets you 850 QF points. On the QF codeshare, SIN-DXB Economy will get you 2550 QF points, plus status bonus of 1913 points if you are QF Gold). On an EK ticket, I would still be eligible to use the lounge as a QF Gold member, but I would not get the status credits.

[DWL3299]

OneWorld FF Miles

Hi YFlyer!

As you are a Qantas FF member, did you purchase your tickets to Barcelona from Qantas as an Emirates operated flight? Or directly from Emirates?

Is there a difference in the number of QF miles collected when purchasing the ticket on the QF website as opposed to purchasing it on the EK website?

[yflyer]

I've manage to visit to Madrid (very much like a shopping central - i think its more or less like Milan) and I spent 3 months in SE part of Spain (Andalusia, Almeria, Caboneras - but this more like during the days when I was doing my thesis work there) SE part is really laid back and quite bit of a mini british town. Loads of british normally have their second home there and they normally folk during the Summer periods.

I'm thinking of going to BCN and Canary Islands next time If I were to visit Spain again.

Wow...those places you mentioned all look like interesting places to visit!

Beautiful photos. I've always wondered why has taken them so long to complete the Sagrada Familia... now I understand why.

Don't keep us waiting too long for Part Deux...

Thanks, icn.sg! The Sagrada Familia is an amazing place to visit. There is so much detail to be admired that you don't see from just looking at photos. Part II coming soon, whole chunk of work to clear first!

[icn.sg]

Beautiful photos. I've always wondered why has taken them so long to complete the Sagrada Familia... now I understand why.

Don't keep us waiting too long for Part Deux...

[Hajimbo]

Thanks Hajimbo!

Yes, a very lively, vibrant city, and yet relaxed and laid back. Very visitor-friendly...

The food we ate that week was outstanding...and we were just scratching the surface. I didn't get to eat their unique steak..."chuleton" vaca vella, a thick cut bone-in rib steak, from mature dairy cows, which have a more intense flavour and a fair amount of fat. I didn't get to try the percebes (Goose barnacles) on this occasion either!

Where did you go the last time you were in Spain? Madrid? I've only been to Barcelona so far, and I am looking forward to visiting Madrid, Bilbao and other cities on future trips...

I've manage to visit to Madrid (very much like a shopping central - i think its more or less like Milan) and I spent 3 months in SE part of Spain (Andalusia, Almeria, Caboneras - but this more like during the days when I was doing my thesis work there) SE part is really laid back and quite bit of a mini british town. Loads of british normally have their second home there and they normally folk during the Summer periods.

I'm thinking of going to BCN and Canary Islands next time If I were to visit Spain again.

[yflyer]

Great TR of Barcelona, yflyer! Spain has some of the best airports in Europe; I was stunned by the money they threw and building infrastructure like airports and roads. No wonder they have financial issues.

But the tourists are coming and the tapas and paella are great. Apart from the stress of maneuvering the Ramblas, Barcelona is a great place, though I love the smaller Spanish cities more than the bigger ones.

Thanks, CarbonMan!

Yes, I quite like the airport in Barcelona...very spacious and airy.

Here is a pic of the Schengen airside area at BCN, just before my Air Berlin flight to Dusseldorf...more on that in Part II of the TR.




I have never visited Madrid's Airport (I have not flown Iberia either, for that matter)...if the airport infra is good, I might consider flights on IB to European destinations from BCN in future, since connecting via Madrid is usually fairly inexpensive compared to the alternatives.

I've never actually been to Spain on a proper holiday (This one doesn't count. It was still a work trip with vacation time added on...)...if you have suggestions on the best places to visit, do share the info!

[CarbonMan]

Great TR of Barcelona, yflyer! Spain has some of the best airports in Europe; I was stunned by the money they threw and building infrastructure like airports and roads. No wonder they have financial issues.

But the tourists are coming and the tapas and paella are great. Apart from the stress of maneuvering the Ramblas, Barcelona is a great place, though I love the smaller Spanish cities more than the bigger ones.

[yflyer]

Nice TR as usual Yflyer!

I've never been to BCN - but seems like the city is incredibly vibrant! I have to say the Tapas you've had with Mrs Yflyer looks very scrumptious. Now, you make me think of coming back to Spain again.. (last visit was in 2009! lol)

Thanks Hajimbo!

Yes, a very lively, vibrant city, and yet relaxed and laid back. Very visitor-friendly...

The food we ate that week was outstanding...and we were just scratching the surface. I didn't get to eat their unique steak..."chuleton" vaca vella, a thick cut bone-in rib steak, from mature dairy cows, which have a more intense flavour and a fair amount of fat. I didn't get to try the percebes (Goose barnacles) on this occasion either!

Where did you go the last time you were in Spain? Madrid? I've only been to Barcelona so far, and I am looking forward to visiting Madrid, Bilbao and other cities on future trips...

[Hajimbo]

Nice TR as usual Yflyer!

I've never been to BCN - but seems like the city is incredibly vibrant! I have to say the Tapas you've had with Mrs Yflyer looks very scrumptious. Now, you make me think of coming back to Spain again.. (last visit was in 2009! lol)

[yflyer]

The next morning, I headed to the airport to catch my Air Berlin flight to Munich via Dusseldorf, to be covered in Part II of this TR.

Final reflections on the trip so far?

Travelling with Mrs yflyer is always special, and it was great to see the sights, and enjoy the cuisine, together with her.

The flights to Barcelona on Emirates were fine as well, all things considered.

On her return flights to Singapore, Mrs yflyer said that the A380 was chock full on the BCN-DXB sector, and there were many babies onboard, but she did enjoy the inflight meal on that leg. And the A380 DXB-SIN sector was very comfortable as she had a row of seats to herself.

As for Barcelona itself, it remains a great city to visit, with a lot to see and do, not least Gaudi's Sagrada Familia and his other masterworks.

A return visit to this beautiful city is certainly in order, perhaps many return trips, so that we can track the Sagrada Familia's progress towards its completion in 2026!

Thanks for reading!

[yflyer]

No more goals in the first half...



The second half was as exciting as the first...





...with Gerard Pique scoring in the 48th minute to give Barcelona the lead.





Messi sizing up the Sevilla defence before taking a corner...



Full Time! And a 2-1 win for Barcelona, who have notched up their 34th unbeaten run, to equal the current Spanish record.







Fans were very orderly leaving the stadium. It was crowded, but there was no pushing or shoving.



Full match highlights available here.

I headed to the same subway station for the ride back to the hotel. Apart from a few minutes queuing at the subway entrance, where they let fans into the platform area in batches to avoid overcrowding, heading onto the subways was smooth.

And the benefit of catching a train from the furthest station along the line, Palau Reial, was that the trains that arrived to pick fans up were empty, whereas at the two next stations, where fans from the stadium were waiting, the trains were practically full, and few, if any, fans from those stations were able to board.

Overall, an enjoyable and truly memorable experience.

[yflyer]

Kick-off!



There was an electric atmosphere in the stadium as the match got underway. How is this different from watching matches on TV? Apart from seeing your star players in the flesh, and up close, it was really being surrounded by cheering and singing fans. And Barca fans sing a lot! From the FCB anthem to a whole range of tunes and cheers, the constant cheering and singing is something that the experience on TV will never be able to replicate...





Weeks after the match, the songs and chants of the Barca fans are still ringing in my ears.

Neymar and Messi with their markers...



Sevilla FC actually scored first, in the 20th minute. The home team was a goal down. But this was still fairly early in the match, and neither players nor fans appeared especially worried...the cheering and singing never flagged...It seemed that everyone in the stadium was an Barca fan.



Barcelona were constantly on the attack, although Sevilla looked dangerous as well every time they counterattacked.

A foul just outside the penalty box led to a Barca free kick.



Neymar and Messi lined up behind the ball. Who would take it?



It was Messi who curled the ball right into the net, a spectacular free kick that brought everyone to their feet.

Here is a video of Messi's goal.

It was now 1-1.