I can almost guarantee that, at some point in their life, every girl has been reading a celebrity gossip magazine and seen Jennifer Lopez, Paris Hilton, etc. relaxing on a yacht, with a glass of champagne in hand as they drift along the French Riviera, surrounded by gorgeous men. And I can also guarantee that every single girl has thought, why can’t that be me? Probably every man as well (we all know how they secretly like to read our magazines!). Well, we’re here to make dreams come true, and with our new Romantic Night on a Luxury Yacht experience, you can enjoy the lifestyle of the rich and the famous and share it all with your loved one.
The majority of the people that I’ve met in Barcelona always have something to complain about; something that is wrong with the city, something that needs changing. So, I’d like to take a few minutes to remind everyone why every single person that comes to Barcelona falls in love with it, why so many people come for a visit and never leave again and why millions of tourists keep coming back, year after year.
I’ve lost count of the number of times my boyfriend has tried to get me interested in football. I’ve spent many a Wednesday night and Saturday afternoon (Sunday if it’s a bank holiday), sat in front of the television, being forced to watch teams that nobody in the room supports, all for the love of the sport, and I’m yet to see the fascination! But, I have to admit, that for one magical evening last month, my resolve was swayed as F.C. Barcelona took to the field in the Champions League Final.
Here at Lifestyle, we’re always looking for new and exciting experiences to offer our customers. With over 350 unique activities on offer we’re doing pretty well so far, but we’re still not satisfied! So this month, the team has been hard at work searching for even more amazing experiences. Check out some of our favourites below…
The Lifestyle Sales Team had the chance to try out this experience a few weeks ago, and it’s now a firm favourite in the office. You won’t stop giggling as you zip through the streets of Barcelona, wearing a red nose, singing Britney Spears and convincing unsuspecting locals to give you their bikes! The photos will provide enough blackmail material for a lifetime! Luckily, that Britney Spears video seems to have disappeared…
Life is pretty good at the moment. I’m living in one of my favourite cities, the sun is beginning to shine and I quite possibly have one of the best jobs in the world. Let me give you an example; this week on a beautiful sunny Tuesday, I got the chance to try two things I never thought I would experience, as Jo (Lifestyle’s Sales Manager) sent me to try out our newest package, “Barcelona from Land to Sea”, comprised of the GoCar and the Jet Ski experience.
Last year December, inspired by the fantastic movie The Bucket List, Tony Anagor (Director of Lifestyle Experiences Group) decided to do write a list of 100 things that he wanted to do in his life, very high on the list was a Parachute Jump. ‘ it is one of those crazy things that most people would talk about doing, fewer would think about doing and even fewer would actually do’ said Tony. Being the Director of the first truly dedicated experiences companies in Barcelona, for Tony it was more than just a passing possibility, it was a prerequisite of the job!!
So having decided that he would do the jump, he mentioned his desire to a friend Noelle who shared the similar desire, she encouraged him to place a post on the social networking sites a smallworld.net and internations.org…. a community was born.
To his surprise there was a flurry of responses from people who also had dreamt of doing a parachute jump but never had the resources or the gumption to actually make it happen.
The jump took place last Saturday 21st March and what an adrenaline pumped event it was!! ‘We left at 8am in the morning in a convoy of 4 cars headed for Girona’ says Raquel . ‘One of the best parts of the whole experience was bonding with 15 total strangers with whom you have one thing in common…the desire to jump out of a plane.’ The group of sixteen have now called themselves the bucket list crew and have formed a group on facebook. They have promised to get together at least once a month and share some once in a lifetime experiences, next on the cards, scuba diving, white water rafting, canyoning, bridge jumping swimming with sharks.
For those who remember last years’ demonstration against fur, this one was a rather milder affair in comparison. It took place in the placa del Rei just behind the cathedral. Its location was hidden away and you would have only been able to find it if you had been told or if you happened to stumble across it totally by accident.
That notwithstanding, there were around 60 demonstrators peacefully displaying their absolute disapproval of the killing of innocent animals just to satisfy the whims and caprices of a fashion fad hungry nation.
They all stripped completely naked on the streets of Barcelona and poured red dye over their shivering bodies to signify the death of foxes, snakes, furs, chinchillas, alligators, minks and other innocent creatures that share this earth with us.
The people were just normal people like you and I standing up for what they believe in, in a peaceful yet significant way. The sun was shining but I assure you it was freezing cold. Spirits among the protestors were buoyant. I was just a little disappointed and the turnout of spectators. There seemed to be just as many press as spectators. Perhaps that was the idea, there certainly were less ‘peeping Toms’ this year!!
Last night we were invited to dine in Barcelona’s first and only Jamaican restaurant aptly named ‘ Stush and Teng’ The décor is the first thing that you notice on entry. No detail has been spared in this restaurant bar with its distinctly Jamaican feel. The ambient music plays cuts from reggae legends like John Holt, Freddy McGregor and of course Mr B Marley.
The food is quite a surprising treat for the eyes as well as the taste buds. You will find the staple diets of mutton, curry chicken, beef and fish patties, rice and peas etc, but what makes Stush and Teng such a wonderful experience is the fusion with modern cuisine and the presentation.
The restaurant is well situated in the centre of Barcelona and benefits from plenty of local traffic. It is also unique because it is open all day, so during the afternoon, you can drop in for a cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee or a pattie. The cool chilled relaxed atmosphere of Stush and Teng makes it a favourite place for locals as well as visitors to Barcelona to meet or just hang out.
The Restaurant can be found at : Calle Rossellon 209 (Con Balmes)
We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our readers and customers a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. We love this wonderful city and hope to bring you even more fun and interesting stories in our blog in 2009.
We would also like to thank all of those who continue to support and read our blog and send in articles and comments for us to read.
Although Catalalunya is not famous for flamenco dancing, many people still enquire where they may be able to find some authentic flamenco dinner dance shows in Barcelona.
Flamenco embodies a complex musical and cultural tradition. Although considered part of the culture of Spain in general, flamenco actually originates from one region. However, other areas, mainly Extremadura and Murcia, have contributed to the development of several flamenco musical forms, and a great number of renowned flamenco artists have been born in other territories of the state. Flamenco is very popular in Barcelona with many shows being held daily for both locals and tourist.
If you have never visited a show in Barcelona before then you are in for a surprise, you will witness a cocktail of passion, energy, dance and music that can only be displayed by authentic exponents of flamenco.
We have visited several shows this year, and here are some photos of a particular favourite. If you want more info you can find out here
