An american family : Krista Rausin, her husband Eric and their children Arielle and Kai, rented one of our apartment, the Fira centric 10 in September 2011 and really appreciated it. Their daughter, Arielle, is on wheelchair after a car accident.
The Reeve foundation ( from actor Christopher Reeve) posted the first article “Compassion in Action” written by the mother, Krista.
“I never imagined my beautiful girl would be paralyzed. I also never imagined our family would discover such altruism in individuals all across the world. As for being a pro at parenting, I have learned to take it day by day and stick to my two main lessons, never stop reaching for your dreams and always travel with compassion in your heart.”
“We took our first trip to Europe in 2007. I was determined to show my daughter, Arielle, that being in a wheelchair should not stop her from pursuing her dreams or traveling abroad.”
Barcelona accessible for wheelchair from Krista Blog, click on the link to see pictures of the family visiting Barcelona and read interesting remarks about wheelchairs access in Barcelona :
“One of our greatest discoveries was an accessible beach. For years I have watched Arielle struggle on our beaches here in Cape Coral and Ft. Myers. Wheels and sand don’t mix. Then I saw the simplest of solutions and wondered why every beach doesn’t offer this.
I was very happy when I saw the ramp and then astounded when I saw the accessible shower bench and bathroom on the beach. There is no armrest on one side , people on wheelchairs can easily transfer onto the bench.
Bathroom accessible on the beach.
Our second greatest discovery was a shopping cart specifically made for manual wheelchairs.
We only took two taxi’s while in Barcelona, to and from the airport. Both times the drivers were very helpful and willing to take the wheelchair. All of the busses in Barcelona were accessible and guess what… clean. The cleanliness of the entire city (with the exception of La Rambla) was truly amazing.
Subways have always been difficult. It would be wonderful if people using wheelchairs had the same access to all the stops that able-bodied people have. Eric did have to carry Elle many times on our subway travels. I’m sure part of it was our fault for not planning well enough. I did find a sign that listed all of Barcelona’s accessible stops.
We bought our ticket to Montserrat and the cable car ride from a machine in the subway. We had the choice of taking the train or the cable car up the mountain. There was no sign telling us the cable car platforms were not accessible. The cable car itself was but there were many steps in both stations. If you’re using a wheelchair take the train. We tried to switch to the train for the ride back but discovered they were two different companies and we would have had to pay double. The cable car ride was breathtaking and the people who worked at the station seemed embarrassed and upset that it wasn’t accessible still there were many steps and it would be impossible for someone using an electric chair.
Most days we walked for miles and explored Barcelona. We only took the subway or the bus when we were worried about timing or completely exhausted. This was a good thing considering all the chocolate croissants, cheese sandwiches and gelato I ate. Every street had ramps and were easy for Elle to traverse. Many times the ramps were marked showing accessibility.
Extremely organized, clean and welcoming to those with mobility challenges, that’s how I would describe Barcelona. (Besides being beautiful of course.) There were even airport employees designated to meeting the needs of those using wheelchairs.” Thank you Krista for all those useful informations.
More infos :
On Icaria beach, there is a service offered by the Red Cross. They have special chairs known as the ‘Aquatic Seat’ – wheelchair users are taken to the water by two qualified lifeguards who will spend up to thirty minutes with you in the water.
Subway : only the purple line L2, is totally accessible for wheelchair users (2011). The other lines only have a limited number of metro stations that offer lift access but extensive work is being undertaken on the metro to improve access for the disabled.
In city centre : a few of the larger establishments with suitable toilets, the Maremagnum on the port, the Corte Ingles and FNAC in Plaza Catalunya.
Also, if you are going to somewhere such as a museum or concert hall that says that it has a lift, it is important to contact them in advance. Many stair lifts are not large enough to accommodate a larger model of wheelchair or scooter. It is worth checking before going to the venue as to whether your model will fit on the lift provided.
Camp Nou, has an area allocated for disabled customers.
Concert at the Apolo : it is easier if you call ahead and let the venue know that you are coming and they are always very helpful.
Special Taxi company with ramp for wheelchairs AMIC
Cosmoscooter rents electrical scooter for disabled people
[…] Fira Centric 10. Our home for the next eight days. We have a small kitchen with a stove and microwave, three bedrooms, a couch, TV, and a bathroom with a washing machine under the sink. In case we wake up in a panic because we don’t know where we are… it’s painted on the wall. It’s just so cute! Yep, those are bricks on the ceiling. We stocked the fridge with Toblerones. […]