Barcelona

Susan an I arrive safe and sound in Barcelona after nearly 2000 kilometers together. We feel like newborn after a shower with fresh and warm water and set out to explore this magnificent place (... please see tourist guide for pictures, they are generally better than ours...).
Sadly, here in Barcelona Susan packs her stuff and heads home to the Unites States. She had joined the cycling trip right after returning from a job in Nigeria and now her family and her two dogs are waiting back home in Maryland.
After shipping her bicycle from the local post office and dropping her off at the airport I return to our hostel with a strangely empty feeling. Back on the road alone...



One thing that I find remarkable about Barcelona among all touristic sites and the very good food, is the system of Bicing - common public bicycles for everyone who lives within the city!!! All you need to do is to pre-register and pay a fee of 30 Euro per year (!) and then you can grab a free bicycle from more than 300 locations all over the city and drop it off at any station within half an hour. If you exceed the half hour you pay a small extra fee...
I talked to some people grabbing and dropping off bikes and they all seem to love it! No hassle using your own vehicle, no bus schedule, no worry about thieves stealing your own expensive bicycle, no pollution and a free work-out!
Very neat indeed, Barcelona :)