In the Madrid edition, I made the mistake of not including much cycling-related content , but rather watching the long-awaited UEFA Champions League and eating the Spanish specialty paella. I apologize to those who are not interested in soccer or food!
This edition of Barcelona is packed with cycling content , so please look forward to it. Now, let's move on to Day 5 !
-Day.5-
The fifth day in Spain, we traveled from Madrid to Barcelona. We took the high-speed train "Renfe," which is similar to the Shinkansen, and traveled between the two cities, about the same distance as between Tokyo and Osaka , in about two and a half hours.
While watching the movie version of Detective Conan that I downloaded from NETFLIX, I arrived in Barcelona before I knew it. It was 2:30 pm local time, so I was hungry.
Paella again! Please forgive me, I had planned to eat other Spanish food, but I found a paella restaurant that looked so delicious that my body just had to go inside.
Completely different from the paella we had on Day 4, this was also delicious, with a tomato base and a variety of seafood broths. It was a great restaurant.
After that, I had planned to take the train to check in at the hotel where I was staying, which was about 4km away from the paella restaurant, but since I was there I decided to walk instead.
Here are some pics of the fixed gear bikes parked on the way to the hotel.
When I came to Barcelona, I noticed that there were so many more fixed gear riders compared to Madrid!
On the hour-long journey to the hotel, I saw about 15 to 20 people riding bikes. I was excited to see all the frames for the first time, and before I knew it, I had arrived at the hotel. I spent the day relaxing at the hotel and ended the day.
-Day.6-
Ono's trip to Spain is now on its sixth day and is finally reaching its climax.
I was so excited that I got ready by 10am and headed out to the city! The first place I went to was Barcelona's world-famous tourist attraction , the Sagrada Familia . This is a Christian cathedral designed by the genius architect Antoni Gaudi , and construction began in 1882, but it is still incomplete even after nearly 150 years.
(I was so excited that I took a photo to commemorate the occasion!)
Next is another Gaudi work, Casa Mila, a building registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was designed as an apartment complex, and people still live there . The rent is about 140,000 yen . If you are thinking of starting to live alone, why not try living in a World Heritage Site?
As I was sightseeing in Barcelona, I suddenly realized it was already around 5pm. I had an appointment to meet a special guest at 6pm, so I headed to the designated meeting point.
After changing trains, I arrived at the junction where what was waiting for me was...
! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ?
Do you all know who this person is?
This handsome guy drives a DOSNOVENTA TOKYO.
That's right, it's Gerard Saltor , a rider for DOSNOVENTA!!
We met up with this young fixed gear rider who is currently attracting attention around the world, having played the lead role in the movie "AMALGAM" uploaded by DOSNOVENTA in February 2024!
This is because the DOSNOVENTA crew came to Japan in September last year to film "AMALGAM" and will also be participating in CMWC2023.
We exchanged contact information at that time, and when I contacted him when I decided to go to Spain this time, he kindly said , "Since I'm here, I'll show you around Barcelona!"
I boldly sent him a message saying, "I want to ride a fixed-gear bike in Barcelona!" and he readily agreed. He lent me his sub-machine, the TYRANT BIKES KAGERO , and we went for a ride together!
Our first stop was a bicycle shop in Barcelona where Gerard's friend also works."My Beautiful Parking BARCELONA" is a lovely parking lot located in a quiet corner of the center of Barcelona, bustling with tourists.
We immediately took a look inside the store and saw a large number of frames and parts on display.
As it was a European cycle shop, I was excited to see famous European manufacturers such as CINELLI, DOLAN, Bianchi and SARITU lined up!
As I continued to wander around the store excitedly, I noticed a frame that looked familiar on display in the center.
Yes, it's the NO.22 LITTLE WING , the legendary titanium frame that was also available at BROTURES until January 2024.
This bike appears to be the personal property of one of the mechanic staff, and although it's hard to tell from the photo, it's assembled in an amazing way, with a SUGINO crank and CHRIS KING head parts!
There were also other unusual items on display, such as DOSNOVENTA's old frame "MONTECARLO" and a cycle jersey sampled from the uniform of the prestigious soccer team FC Barcelona .
I was excited from start to finish, but in the end I bought an original T-shirt as a souvenir before leaving the store!
It was so much fun! Next time I come I'll buy lots of parts.
So next Ono and Gerard headed to the world-famous skate spot "MACBA."
This spot is known as the Mecca of skateboarding , and many famous skaters have been filmed here.
On the day we visited, many skaters were competing with each other to show off their tricks.
I regret not bringing my skateboard too. I really wanted to skate.
After that, I just wandered around Barcelona on a fixed-gear bike.
We also recorded the ride on video, so please take a look!
His riding skills are as good as ever!!
It was a great shot of Gerard, a very kind and caring person, showing off wheelies and high-speed skids.
Finally, the two of them went to a Mexican diner where they had light meals and chatted about DOSNOVENTA, BROTURES, and their mutual love of soccer.
Before we knew it, it was 9pm and time to say goodbye.
He was a really kind and cool guy, the best guy ever! I believe we will meet again someday, ADIOS AMIGO!!
Don't forget the promise to sign my uniform, bro.
-Day 7-
At last this day has come...
It was the third day in Barcelona, and the day I returned home . My return flight was from Madrid at 16:30 , so I checked out of the hotel at 9:00. After that, I went to Barcelona Sants Station, had breakfast, and then got on the Renfe train.
After 2 and a half hours on the train, we arrived in Madrid at 13:00. Before going to the airport, we bought a lot of souvenirs at a department store.
I bought a lot of things, including olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and cookies .
At the airport, we enjoyed Spanish cuisine for our final dinner, and then the trip came to an end. The return flight was about 18 hours long, and we returned home while reminiscing on our memories of the trip in the small cabin.
The week really went by in a flash.
It was my first trip abroad, and I had heard that Spain was a country with a lot of pickpockets and crime, so I was very nervous at first, but I had such a wonderful 7 days that all my worries were blown away!
Whenever I had any problems they were kind enough to help me and talk to me in a friendly manner. I was able to interact with such warm and lovely Spanish people , which made me love Spain even more.
I will definitely go again, and next time I would like to visit San Sebastian and Valencia , which I wasn't able to visit on this trip.
This was a long two-part travel blog, but what did you think? If you enjoyed it, please let us know what you thought of it.
On the other hand, if you are thinking about traveling to Spain, feel free to ask me for advice on recommended tourist spots and things to be aware of!
So it's time to say goodbye and see you in the next blog.
PS The total cost of this trip is "¥550,000" I'm short of money...
