Part 3 back in Barcelona with Vespas and Fire works

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June 22

It was highly recommend by a friend that we rent Vespas, so we did! Steven joined us and we toured the city via Vespa loaded with gps. Was by far one of the funnest ways to see the sites. Since Sven and I had decided diving a car in the city was a bad idea, this was the perfect alternative. The three of us toured all the way to the top of the city, to Tibidabo cathedral, a few minor wrong turns which we like to blame on the gps, stopped for yes more tapas and sangria at Mira Blau, and followed the tour through the city and down to the city's edge and ended in a botanical garden. The views were gorgeous and the sites were incredible. We sadly returned the Vespas and followed a recommendation to a hidden gem where we enjoyed black paella (turned black by the ink of cuttle fish) and more sangria. It was an exciting and hot day and we all needed to a good rest.

June 23

We woke up and met Steven and headed to see casa batlló, another one of Gaudi's masterpieces. We took the tour and learned about the interesting air ventilation, how everything was designed to replicate nature, animals, and/or water. The mosaic work was so impressive. Just down the street from there we set out on a bit of a scavenger hunt to find a friends hidden mural. Our friend, Roy is a professional artist and muralist who was recruited to do a mural on the bar of a champagne bar on the top floor of a boutique some years ago. Pretty cool to find! We went and saw the outside of sagrada familia, the crowds were too much to wait in line to see the inside, next time I guess. Later, we headed to playa de sant sebastià. Steven and Sven jumped in the ocean one more time and we headed to a tapas bar near by recommended to us by our cooking class. And some drinks to follow. Again, another fabulous recommendation. After dinner, Steven headed back to his hotel because he had an early flight the next day. We headed back to the beach to wait on the arrival of even more friends doing a Eurpo trip, Becca and Alyssa. There was a huge beach party with tons of fire works and Bon fires all over the beach and the surrounding area. We later learned it was in honor of Saint John the Baptist day, a public holiday to the community of cantolonia. The events take place on the evening of the 23rd by setting fire works, Bon fires, dress as Devils, writing sins or wishes on paper and burning them, watching the sunrise... You get the idea. We decided to call it quits and got home around 3am. The following day were headed o the island of Mallorca!

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Photos

I'm pointing to Tibidabo from the botanical gardens
We had gone all the way up and down that hill, shows how much ground we covered!