SIN-MXP-BCN by 77W and a revieW of W Barcelona

[kpc]

Dinner at Can Ravell - part 1

And the pictures are where?

[kpc]

Dinner at Can Ravell - part 2

This menu is different to the lunch menu that 9V-SIA posted earlier. The food was excellent except the foie was brain, I think!!...it tasted OK until I worked out what it was....all in the mind (no pun, intended), I guess.

[9V-SIA]

Thanks for posting the dinner menu.

Interesting that it's same price as lunch.

The food was excellent except the foie was brain, I think!!..

Why do you think it was brain? Tasted like liver to me..

Oh! Do you mean the foie ravioli main?

The Hilton Diagonal Mar, where we are staying.....

There are some great restaurants around your hotel.

Try Agua or Can Majo....

[StarG]

Googling W Barcelona room pictures for an upcoming trip, whatdya know...
One by our own 9V-SIA popped up.

Just went through all six pages of this TR again. Think I gained a few good quality kgs.
Got myself a few dining recommendations from looking here.

Again, excellent TR, 9V-SIA. Your effort in making the TRs is always much appreciated.

W BCN looks very nice, but at the end I decided to try the Mandarin Oriental at PdG this time.

[9V-SIA]

That's why I "Google" and not "Bing". Classy search engine

I'm booked into Omm again in March

Oom is a block from MO but very different price points!

[divineparadise]

I am going to Barcelona tomorrow and will check out the Can Ravell for sure! Can't wait! Thanks for the TR!

[divineparadise]

Hi I was wondering how you find the safety standard in Barcelona? I have heard so much horror stories of pickpockets, gypsies.. theives... any advice?

[9V-SIA]

It seems all my friends have been pickpocketed in Spain.

For me, nobody gets within 6' of me. Wallet in front pocket. If anyone brushes past me, I check for my wallet.

Beware of kids. If they approach you, I put up my hand to tell them to stop.

It's called situational awareness. Army training emphasizes it!!!

It helps that I have a fierce face ( or so my friends tell me before they get to know me! )

[Kyo]

When I was in BCN, my local friends advised that pickpocketing (and bag-snatching) doesn't happen that frequently, but there are higher cases in La Ramblas than anywhere else. Always be more careful and as 9V-SIA says, situationally aware.

[kpc]

Bar Inopia

This tapas bar is owned by Ferran Adria's brother.

It's a bit out of the way, west of Ramblas, north east of Montjuic.

Sadly, Bar Inopia has closed
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/725088

[9V-SIA]

Sadly, Bar Inopia has closed
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/725088

It appears that Ferran Adria & his brother have opened a new place in BCN.

Tickets & 41°

Next week I'm in BCN.

I will do a report here if I can get a table at Tickets. No reservations.

[9V-SIA]

Tickets

I'm in BCN now and was disappointed to find out that Tickets is only available through internet booking 3 months or more in advance!

Apparently the was an uncontrollable crowd with the no reservation policy!

[haf]

Fantastic trip report! Really enjoyed it and I appreciate you going to all that trouble.

[9V-SIA]

Springtime & Summer in BCN

Introduction

It's my last day in BCN and it's pouring outside. Nothing to do but comtinue this TR.

Credit is due to my friend Kyo, who came up with the idea of the Epic TR

My first visit was in Autumn 2009 with my wife.

I returned to BCN in Spring 2011 with my daughter on SQ 378/377 via MXP.

Would have preferred SQ68/67 nonstop but that service started a week later after my daughter's holiday ended.

This time, Summer 2011, I brought my son on SQ68.

It will be a TR of contrasts.

Changi

Mar 2011

I have never seen anything like it before in Changi. When boarding was announced, all the passengers rushed to board, ignoring completely the normal sequence. Italians!

What irked me was that they jammed up both aerobridges. The IFS in F struggled to get to where the bridge splits into 1L and 2L but gave up trying to get through the hoards..

I was unable to fly F because it was full. From my vantage point in 12K, full of backpackers taking advantage of the error Saver F redemptions to MXP available for a time on the SQ website

Jul 2011

I received one SMS and two phone calls to inform me that the flight was delayed. Instead of a 0040h departure, ETD was 0230h.

Most flights had left by the time we got to the F Lounge except for the Houston flight. As my son was flying in Y I didn't get to use the TPR.

No big loss as I've stopped eating supper before a red eye...

Boarding Gate B10 is as far from the lounge as you can get but good preparation for all the tapas we were about to enjoy...

The Route

SQ378 Mar 2011

We took a more southerly course than in 2009. So no Caspian Sea this flight ( see post #1 )



Unexpectedly I was asked not to take pictures while on the ground at MXP. A request of the Italian authorities..

After MXP, I moved to 11K. On our way to BCN...



....a much better Light Meal was served compared to 2009 ( see post #3 )



Of my 3 flights to BCN, the best weather on approach to take these pictures..







We took the subway to Port Olympic ( twin towers on the right in 2nd pic ), walked along the beach towards W Hotel,

had dinner at Barceloneta before walking up the Ramblas back to our hotel Omm. Recommended.

SQ68 July 2011

2K in F.. nonstop.... how could this not be my best flight to BCN?

We took the same southerly track to Europe then across the Mediterranean to a perfect landing in BCN

Climb from Changi. You've seen my pictures, now watch my movie..



Same southerly track as March 2011..



Woo hoo... no MXP time wasting stop

[9V-JKL]

SQ68 July 2011

2K in F.. nonstop.... how could this not be my best flight to BCN?

I'm sure...you sat on the wing?