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Published: August 1st 2011
The train ride through north Spain was beautiful! The train ride was 5.5 hours, long enough for a nap or two along the way, and arrival in Barcelona around 1:40pm.
Once we arrived we quickly navigated the subway system (now being pros after London and Paris) and headed to our hotel. By this time starving we found a great pasta place close by serving very authentic Italian food and retreated once again to the hotel for a short siesta. Apparently just in time as we rolled back into the room the sound of thunder rang out and suddenly the winds picked up and sky opened and it started pouring rain harder than I had seen in a long time. Perfect siesta time.
As we woke form our siesta it was no longer raining and the skies were clear, around 8:30pm and time to go out into Barcelona and meet a friend of ours from Seth's school program David and his parents for dinner in Barceloneta near the water. The storm once we arrived in Barceloneta had apparently been one of the strongest ones in quite some time as we walked to dinner and saw many trees actually ripped apart
On the train
heading to Barcelonaand some even broken or uprooted. We met for dinner at a wonderful restaurant, La Gavina, and had our first Paella of the trip. Dinner was magnificent and then we made our way to try and see the magic fountains which apparently close around 11:45pm. Then onto Davids parents hotel to watch Barcelona actually lose to Manchester United playing in ....the US, something quite ironic about watching Barcelona play in the Us while in Barcelona.
The next morning we had a bike tour with fat bike tours which we had also done in Paris. We got to see the amazing palace de generalitat, Palau de la Musica Catalanya, arc de triomphe, Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's Causcade ( in which he only worked as an apprentice not the actual designer), Placa de toros (the last bull fighting ring still used for such, though law in Catalunya now says no bullfighting), and then towards the beach to enjoy Sangria in the sand with eyes set to the Mediterranean in front of us. Back to the hotel for a small siesta and then onto walk the Ramblas ( a street filled with tourists and shops, through the Barri Gotic and onto dinner
Tunnel time
Seth enjoying the nook and the magic fountains to finally see the light/music and water show. Then home before 3am this time to prep for the Barcelona FC Museum and stadium tour.
Today we woke early to avoid much of the crowd and see the famous Barcelona Fotball stadium and museum and mega-store. This club is a machine to be reckoned with!, the stadium is huge and I was almost convinced to relinquish my love of Chelsea and maybe even Fulham and their stadium with the association to noon-profits and the way they respect the ties between culture and football, then we walked into the commercialized mega-store stuffed and over-priced (Nike Damn you!?!) and the dream bubble floating above both of our heads suddenly popped! A wonderful lunch and now while Seth siestas I share a bit of our Barcelona trip....
Tomorrow, a day of dipping into the Mediterranean, maybe a museum stop or two, but generally a relaxed day to enjoy our last day of vacation before a month in half after we left finally returning home....
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