Round Midnight

Hola! We are in Barcelona at ABaC Hotel & Restaurant. For those looking for hospitality perfection, look no further - for we are in 5 star nirvana.

It´s been a fun but slightly hard slog to get to the halfway point in our journey, but now that we are here in our penthouse it hardly seems like we´ve been anywhere else.

Right now I am writing to you from the top floor of Tibido numero uno after a faultless meal as cooked by chef Xavier (who came out from the kitchen to greet us especiale) who has recently won a number of Michelin stars, and no wonder, because Damo and I just had many moments of food in our mouths with eyes rolling orgasmically in our heads.

Who said that 5 star was passe? If you are feeling like your dollar doesn´t go far in this day and age, you need to come here. We arrived two hours early for our check-in, and they didn´t blink an eye. Straight in (with complimentary sparkling water) we have been snuggled in our own private penthouse fluffy cloud here on our own floor. We have 2 jacuzzis in our room (3 if you include the private spa in the basement) and a fantasmagorical deck which has 4 seating areas and a private spa bath overlooking the hills at the north of Barcelona. This is what I always thought 5 stars was about.

The staff are totally invisible and it feels like we have a whole hotel to ourselves. But if you want anything - anything at all - just dial 9. Someone always seems to appear 10 minutes later to exceed your expectations. I love it here and if anyone else deems fit to appear in Barcelona their visit wouldn´t be complete without a stay right here.

I´m not just banging on. There is nothing I can fault. Our room is amazing. The staff are accomodating and extremely friendly. How can you not love a series of water features in your own room and an endless supply of icy cold sparkling water in 30 degree temperatures?

I can´t only harp on about Espana. Part of our trip from Berlin was a ride through part of the Golden Pass, that is, through the Swiss Alps. Frankly I thought they were astounding, and it was one of the best things I have experienced. The Alps are dramatic and tempestuous queens surrounding bright turquoise alpine water, which I don´t think would be fun to swim in regardless of ambient temperature.

Damo and I are very happy to see the ass end of Deutshe Bahn (German rail company), which we have dubbed Schiesse Bahn. Here is a song for you which we made up, based on our experience, which should be sung to the tune of Moscow, Moscow!:

Scheisse Bahn, Scheisse Bahn
If you catch it you´ll be late
It will make you quite irrate
Scheisse Deutsche Bahn
Hey!

Yeah. If you come to Germany you should try to avoid Deutsche Bahn. It sucks. Never on time, and any directions are in sporadic English, if any English at all (much like ze Germans generally, who like to roll their eyes every time you ask if they speak your rotten language and not their precious Deutsche as though they hardly ever get to speak it what with all the bastard foreigners expecting them to speak English while they´re propping up their god-forsaken economy).

But back to the Swiss Alps. On our way to the Alps we stayed in Zurich, and a quaint hotel called Hotel Europe. Switzerland is beautiful and Damo and I have already planned another journey just through Die Shwiez. Bordering Italy, it is predictably full of Italians, who I mentioned in another blog, are making a fair play for world domination through their crafty culinary arts. And so predictably I ate a very fine spaghetti vongole and drank some very fine Prosecco thank you very much.

Our trip through the Swiss Alps went from Luzern to Interlaken. Oh how I wished for a cow bell from every station. But alas we needed to get back to Zurich where we caught an overnight train to Barcelona. Unsuprisingly we drank way to much near (note, not at) an Oktoberfest in the Zurich Hauptbahnhof and so the train journey was a bit special. I don´t think some of the things I experienced in the shared toilet are for public consumption.

But we´re here now, and I have had a wonderful few relaxing hours here at ABaC. We will give you another Barcelona update once we have left our little heaven I´m sure.

Buenas Noches!!
xxxx