To Barcelona we come! Like a crazy train, all nine of us...
So the trip from Port Cassafieres, France (where we dropped off the boat) to Barcelona ended up being longer than expected. We were all wondering when the strike would affect us and it turns out that it did on October 30th. We were picked up by two taxis at 7 am on Saturday morning and transferred back to our favorite city, Beziers, to catch the train to Barcelona. It was supposed to be a direct 3 and a half hour trip by train, getting us into Barcelona by around noon. Perfect. Just in time for a cerveza. Unfortunately, Zoya and Patrick didn't see our train on the departures board and we started to worry a little. A little more checking and we discovered that our particular train had been canceled due to the strikes. We were informed we could take a train an hour later to Perpignan (southern city in France), then another to Port Bou (northern city in Spain, where our friends and I had eaten lunch last week!), than yet another to Barcelona. Of course, it took us a lot longer to figure this out, and even longer to get our bags on and off trains and up and down stairs (mostly our fault for having 4 and them being loaded down with books and such). We dreamed about the Americans with Disabilities Act many times as we searched in vain for elevators. However, we were able to make it to Barcelona by around 3 and the kids were superstars on the train.
So the trip from Port Cassafieres, France (where we dropped off the boat) to Barcelona ended up being longer than expected. We were all wondering when the strike would affect us and it turns out that it did on October 30th. We were picked up by two taxis at 7 am on Saturday morning and transferred back to our favorite city, Beziers, to catch the train to Barcelona. It was supposed to be a direct 3 and a half hour trip by train, getting us into Barcelona by around noon. Perfect. Just in time for a cerveza. Unfortunately, Zoya and Patrick didn't see our train on the departures board and we started to worry a little. A little more checking and we discovered that our particular train had been canceled due to the strikes. We were informed we could take a train an hour later to Perpignan (southern city in France), then another to Port Bou (northern city in Spain, where our friends and I had eaten lunch last week!), than yet another to Barcelona. Of course, it took us a lot longer to figure this out, and even longer to get our bags on and off trains and up and down stairs (mostly our fault for having 4 and them being loaded down with books and such). We dreamed about the Americans with Disabilities Act many times as we searched in vain for elevators. However, we were able to make it to Barcelona by around 3 and the kids were superstars on the train.
We all noticed an immediate difference as we crossed into Spain. We do love France but there is a difference in attitudes towards kids in Spain (more accepting and friendly) which was very welcome to our group of 9. After being dropped off right on La Rambla, the huge pedestrian street running down the center of Barcelona (for rambling, shopping, observing street performers, drinking sangria and buying flowers), Zoya and I had a little adventure looking for the key to our apartment, but eventually we were able to find it and get ourselves in our 4 bedroom flat right across from (we were soon to find out) a very popular bar, and 2 blocks from La Rambla. Great location, but a little seedy and old, with dim lights that luckily hid the stained comforters and moldy showers. But we were happy to be in Spain, and immediately got ourselves settled and let the kids play with Hannah while we went our for some tapas and a cruise through a market. The tapas bar we found was confusing. First we got a number, then we pointed at a bunch of various unlabeled foods which were piled on a plate, then they were whisked away and brought warm to our table shortly thereafter with a big glass of sangria, spiced red wine. It was a happy beginning to our Barcelona journey. Later on, Zoya and I stole Hannah from the apartment and went out again for sangria, but this time I was put to shame by Zoya and Hannah. My tummy couldn't handle one more gigantic goblet of that stuff, however yummy it was!
The story of the trip- Sven and Patrick taking the same photos!
Tapas bar
Out later with the girls
The steps up to our flat.
Sunday (halloween) we decided to spring for two-day passes on the hop-on-hop-off double decker tourist bus to see some of the Barcelona sights (the kids don't have to be quiet, and they can just stare out at the sights while we relax, although as Zoya so aptly put it- "Where are the mimosas?"). Anyway, our first stop was supposed to be Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia but right as we passed by the church we noticed that the line was literally around the block, AND it started to rain like crazy for about 5 minutes. So we headed past the church to the park that Gaudi designed, Park Guell. We love Gaudi- his park is brilliant and he is a one of a kind architect. Gaudi's mission was to create a Catalonian art, one that was based on their medieval past (think bright colors, Spanish tiles and the curve) and to integrate it with the environment (think more curves, shapes and outlines taken from animal and plant forms and structures that seem to grow out of the earth). His La Sagrada Familia (the holy family) looks almost like a dripped sand castle and resists mass production to such an extent that is has been under construction for over 100 years, and must have at least another 20 to look forward to. Regardless of what one thinks of it (Patrick was not a fan) it is such a different approach to architecture that you can't stop yourself from at least gaping- which is what the kids did. And his park is filled with brightly tiled little touches, benches conformed to the human backbone, little caves and parks, a stunning view of the ocean and is almost impossible to describe.
Nora and Bella enjoying their time together.
Ingenious venting system....
Casa Mila, an apartment building designed by Gaudi.
A Gaudi balcony.
La Sagrada Familia
Anyways, once we got to Park Guell we split up for a bit so that our girls could see the Gaudi Museum (somehow the girls are obsessed with Gaudi, shouting out his name whenever they see anything sparkly or Gaudi- which is where that term came from, by the way) while our friends took their kids to the park. The sun came out and we generally soaked up the atmosphere and fun, then got the heck out when things started getting really crowded. We got back on the bus and headed back downtown where we walked through Barcelona's little windy streets back to the house for a little rest (alas, no naps) then back out to a little tapas restaurant in some square or another where the kids were able to tear at top speed around the square in between bites of tapas.
As we left the apartment we remembered that it was Halloween and that I had face paints in my purse that our friends George and Alisa had brought over so we pulled them out and did a little spontaneous art work in the alleyway (I think Patrick was more excited than the kids). Eventually, we forgot that it was halloween and laughed mostly at Patrick for trying to have serious conversations dressed up as a deranged clown. The night ended with a little walk with our girls where we determined that Halloween in Spain is a non-event but fun anyway, another drink with Zoya and Hannah and a wonderful plate of roasted veggies washed down with a mojito and another insane night of trying to sleep through the bar chatter from across the street.
As we left the apartment we remembered that it was Halloween and that I had face paints in my purse that our friends George and Alisa had brought over so we pulled them out and did a little spontaneous art work in the alleyway (I think Patrick was more excited than the kids). Eventually, we forgot that it was halloween and laughed mostly at Patrick for trying to have serious conversations dressed up as a deranged clown. The night ended with a little walk with our girls where we determined that Halloween in Spain is a non-event but fun anyway, another drink with Zoya and Hannah and a wonderful plate of roasted veggies washed down with a mojito and another insane night of trying to sleep through the bar chatter from across the street.
Profile of the Columbus monument
La Rambla Images
This street is amazing! Always good for a little stroll and the go-to-thing to do at the end of a night.
This street is amazing! Always good for a little stroll and the go-to-thing to do at the end of a night.
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