Europe: Spain, France, The Netherlands (Part 1 of 2)

Europe has always been my dream destination. As far as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower light up at night, gaze at the divine ceiling of Sistine Chapel, meet up close the Mona Lisa, or step on the mountains of Swiss Alps where Heidi runs wild and free. This year, I’ve finally ticked off the no. 1 in my bucket list.

Thanks to Ivanya who invited me on a whim last year. I said yes right away when she asked me if I wanted to join, since she’s going solo. Since booking our respective flights, we had three months of preparation from applying Shengen visa, making itineraries, to booking domestic flights and land transfers, hotels and museums. Usually, I’m very open to changes when making itineraries, pero na-realize ko na dapat pala planado lahat ng galaw at pupuntahan in order to save time and money.

Compiling and completing all the requirements in getting the visa took most of our time. We made three online appointments for visa application at Spanish, Italian and Swiss Embassies, but in the end we lodged our application at Italian Embassy thru their outsourced processing agency - the VFS Global. Di kasi pumayag ang Spanish Embassy, when they saw in our itinerary that we intend to spend more days in Italy than in Spain.  Just some recommendations for potential tourists – 1. Call VFS first before lodging application as there are requirements that are not specified in their website (like the need for a cover letter stating reasons why are you visiting Europe and your brief overseas travel history; and that health insurance must cover not only the whole duration of the trip but also two weeks after the intended return). 2. It’s okay to just submit flight and hotel reservations (not actual bookings) dahil syempre kung di nga naman ma-approve ang visa, masasayang lang ang anda. 3. And apply three months before the date of travel para hindi stressful (especially if there are requirements that you might have missed).

  

We had a recommendation letter from no less than the Labor Secretary (Ivanya’s big boss) so within three working days, our multiple-entry visa was already approved. We dedicated our remaining weeks making actual bookings and finalizing our itineraries. Nakakatuwa to score budget airline ticket as low as 30+ euros.

And the day came. Medyo worried pa ako because I will be flying ahead of Ivanya and will also be extending more days; doon na lang kami magkikita sa Barcelona. After leaving Manila and enduring 20 hours of flight (including a 4 hour lay-over in Incheon), I arrived in one piece in Barcelona, around sunset time. It’s life-saving to have a pocket wi-fi. Google maps is in sync with public transportation and 90% reliable. 

I like the vibe of Barcelona, it’s very laidback. After almost two decades, dito ko nasambit uli ang hola que tal at come estas na natutunan ko way, way back during my Span 1 and 2 days. Philippines was once a colony of Spain, so somehow it feels like visiting a mother country. Among all the countries in Europe, madali actually to become a naturalized Spanish citizen for Filipinos simply because of the bond and history (good and bad that lasted for more than 300 years) Philippines had with Spain.

The main highlights of my four-day stay in Barcelona include – visiting the Sagrada Familia, a gothic and hauntingly beautiful (but still unfinished) masterpiece of the famed Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. Built in 1882 and expected to be completed by 2026 (the centenary of Gaudí's death), this UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been under construction for over a century. It’s breathtaking inside and out. Actually, solve na kami makita ang church from the outside but Viel, Ivanya’s friend bought us tickets so we could also see the magnificent interiors.

Gaudi believed that only ordinary men draw straight lines, and that God and nature much prefer curves that’s why all of his works including the Park Güell and Casa Batlló have so much curves, colors, and intricate design.

Even the hotel I stayed in Ramblas has this quaint common and waiting area, appearing like a library.  

Food trip in Barcelona is a must. It would be a sin not to visit the Mercat de la Boqueria and savor their tasty jamon iberico. At syempre kahit na I’ve been eating paella since birth, iba pa rin ang paella na gawa sa Spain. Most of the authentic Spanish food we tasted, again courtesy of Viel and her Catalan husband. 

There are also several museums around Barcelona but I only got to visit two most interesting. First is the Erotic Museum, which contains aplenty of phallic imagery, really not for the conservatives. I even got to sit on a life-size pukingking chair.

Second is the “Meet Vincent Van Gogh Experience”, a travelling 3D exhibition created by the experts from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. It’s a unique and heartfelt experience that made me appreciate more the Starry Night and all the colourful, vibrant artworks of Van Gogh, and also his fascinating but sad, miserable life.

The city, which also faces the Mediterranean Sea, boasts of Barceloneta Beach, awarded as the “best beach city” by the National Geographic.

About three to four hours away from Barcelona via train and rack railway, is a hidden gem of Spain in the Pyrenees region – the Vall de Núria in Queralbs, Girona. It lies at the confluence of seven valleys, all of glacial origin, with spectacular mountain scenery. Though it’s a mountain ski destination (and I don’t even know how to ski), I thoroughly enjoyed my solitary hiking around Nuria mountain resort (which sits above one of the highest points of the Ribes Valley) and the quaint and quiet town of Queralbs.

After Barcelona, we flew to our second country destination: France. Its capital Paris is one of the most beautiful, gothic and romantic cities in Europe. It’s one of the most expensive cities to live too!

So it was “love at first sight” the moment I laid my eyes on the Eiffel Tower, the iconic landmark of the city. During its construction (1887-1889), the tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years until the Chrysler Building in New York City was finished. It is best viewed not only from Trocadero but also in another less visited Tour Montparnasse.

Ever since I read Dan Brown’s “Da Vinci Code”, I promised to visit Louvre one day. Louvre is the world's largest art museum and the most visited too. The museum is housed in a palace (originally built as the Louvre castle in the late 12th to 13th century) with a modern glass pyramid serving as the main entrance. It houses approximately 38,000 art works and objects from prehistory to the 21st century, including its most famous resident Mona Lisa. A day is not enough to view and study each and every painting or sculpture at the Louvre.    

Another jaw-dropping palace we visited is Château de Versailles. It was the principal royal residence of France from 1682, under Louis XIV, until the start of the French Revolution in 1789, under Louis XVI. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and a museum, notable for its ceremonial and dazzling Hall of Mirrors.

Before Notre Dame was burned (such a heartbreaking news!), we were able to see the medieval church in its full glory. The most famous church of France featuring stone-carved gargoyles, was popularized by Victor Hugo's novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” and its animated Disney movie adaptation. I hope its restoration would not only return its old remarkable look but surpass it, as well.

A dark underground secret of Paris we also uncovered is the Catacombs of Paris. Established in 1810, these are underground ossuaries which hold the remains (skulls and skeletons) of more than six million people in a small part of a tunnel network built to consolidate the city’s ancient stone mines. They were also built to eliminate the city's overflowing cemeteries. Imagine if the catacombs were the crypt and the Night King resurrected all of them – scary. 

One of my all time favorite movie musicals is “Moulin Rogue”, and when I found out that the real one is just within the city centre, I did not pass the opportunity to visit the controversial red cabaret.

After Paris, we moved on to our third country destination – The Netherlands. The capital of this very flat country – Amsterdam - is a liberal and charming city, where prostitution is legal, and smoking of marijuana in “coffee shops” is common. “Live and let live” is perhaps the city’s most popular slogan. An immigrant that we met while buying city pass attractions confirmed that he loves everything about Amsterdam except the weather.

Foremost, I like the architectural grandeur of the city particularly that of the Centraal Station and the colorful "signature buildings" or the 17th century merchants' mansions along the canals. They’re too pretty and dainty to look at.  

Even though I’m not a beer-drinker, I surprisingly enjoyed the Heineken Experience (a journey to the world of the famous Dutch beer Heineken), which reminded me so much of the advanced technology in The Black Mirror. The brewery was established in Amsterdam in 1864 and today, it is one of the three largest beer producers in the world. Definitely one of the best ‘Dam experiences.

Amsterdam’s red light district is a must see attraction for people 18 years old and above. There are hundreds of windows in which prostitutes seek to attract the attention of potential customers and tourists passing through. They are open even in the morning. Since picture taking is highly discouraged, one could visit the Red Light Secrets, the world’s first prostitution museum to learn all about the secrets of the world’s oldest profession. It was actually an enlightening (rather than kinky) experience.

Another lovely place to visit is the Amsterdam Flower Market. It is the only floating flower market in the world, existing since 1862. All the flower stalls, with colourful tulips, stand on houseboats.

And though we didn’t get the chance to enter Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum (because online reservation is a must, months prior the visit to get a slot), Amsterdam did not disappoint. I was actually surprised to know that the city has 165 canals; akala ko nag-iisa lang yun sa TFIOS.

We are halfway through our travel and I’m excited to see the last three remaining countries on our list.