Barcelona on a saturday. I headed out on my own for a little exploration of Barcelona, a city of over one and a half million people that has existed since Roman times and one of the largest cities in europe. The Sagrada Familia is a huge cathedral, just down the street from our hotel, started in 1882 and is expected to be complete in 2026. Maybe it's the afternoon siestas holding them up? Shops close down in the afternoons and re-open for the evening. So I head past there and down towards Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas is a dried out old riverbed that has been paved over for pedestrians and now attracts buskers, kiosks of flowers, birds & jewelry, paintings... There is also a food market, huge, pretty and with lots of stuff I've never seen ... read more

Day 2 of London. 27 degrees & sunshine again in lovely London! What a great day to sightsee and people watch. London has left a very positive impression on us. It has so much history & architecture of course, but the people is what has really fascinated us. It feels very chic, cultured & hip. Gorgeous guys in tailored suits, and the men are not afraid to wear pink here. Women in trendy, ultra high heels and in every style. We saw Trafalgar square, the changing of the guard, Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the Tower of London, Harrods, the London Tower bridge, the Thames River and more. My favorite part so far was the bottom of St Paul’s in the crypt where all of the tombs are, I was surprised with ... read more

Since some people still don't know about this adventure back in May of this year.... I woke up on a saturday morning, rolled over to look out the window and saw clear blue skies. The forecast had been for showers & a thunderstorm. What was I going to do to enjoy this little break in the crappy weather? Check out the beach? ... I felt it wasn't enough, still not alot of people around I thought. I wanted to do something special, something just for me ... that's it, it's the first weekend of skydiving and I've been wanting this for awhile. Head over to the drop zone to see if they're flying ... they can take me right away :P I gear up and since I am going tandem and it is my 1st time, ... read more

Day 7: R&R for New Year's Day. I've caught a cold so while the others go touring the island, I stay home to nap and rest on the beach. The water is so warm, 27 degree (80 F) for today as an example, never this warm back home. You can see why the night time dips have been so appealing. I can hear people chatting about the storms in the US and I've seen your pics from our Canadian winter, glad I'm here. We had one morning where it showered just enough to dampen the ground, clouds and rain in the distance but nothing more. Best thing about the island is a tough one to decide… perfect weather (night time lows of 24, daytime ‘winter’ temps of 28) , warm crystal clear water, virtually no ... read more

Day 5: Pirates in the Caribbean. We went shopping in George Town (a few miles down the road from 7 mile beach) across from the snorkeling…outdoor malls & duty free shops. There are more people today as the cruise ships are in port (although there is no port)….I saw some really cool stores, like the one that sells swords, medieval replicas, shields, plate mail… After awhile everyone else heads back, my cousin & I can have fun on our own. So we decide to stop for a bite to eat at Senor Frog’s. Hardly anyone around so we sit on the upper deck. Across the way we can see a guy dressed as a pirate so we ask him to come over and see us. Turns out he’s the photographer for the studio across the street, ... read more