Barcelona, Sunday & Monday April 19 & 20, 2009

So yesterday I had every intention of blogging about the days events, but the events of the day kept me from being even remotely capable of writing or turning on my computer. More on that later.....
We started Sunday by arising early and catching the subway up to Parc Guell and arrived by about 9 a.m. We walked around the entire park before the tour buses started to arrive. That was a great tip I got by doing some early research. Our pics would not be the same had we had to take them while the crowds were there. Gaudi created quite a beautiful park. After leaving the park we went to the Sagrada Familia but did not tour the inside as it was pricey and had a very long line. By the time we got back at 3:30, we were all pretty wiped out but everyone wanted to watch the soccer game at the sports bar down the street on La Rambla. Chip put on his new jersey and a bandana and looked like a regular English Football Hooligan!!! The guys drank their Estrella Spanish beer and I opened my bottle of Tempranillo. I shared with Sue until we got to the bar and then we started on pitchers of Sangria between Sue, Andrea and myself. We ended up eating at the bar which was pretty good. Chip and I shared a plate of Fajitas. After dinner (Tea), we took the party outside to La Rambla where there are many streetside and middle of the street cafes and random tables and chairs. Dave and Andrea went to the Mercat (store) and bought more Estrellas and Sangria and we sat at the tables and talked and laughed and drank ourselves silly. Some street vendors hassled us and eventually I bought two lightup nubby rings that Andrea and I played with. Sometime late in the evening, we decided we all needed to get to bed, but most of us don't even remember how that happened. Hence I didn't do any more blogging and OH, I just realized I opened that bottle of wine while blogging yesterday and didn't even remember writing about going to the park... WHEW. Now I have instructions to Chip that no more Sangria is allowed and no more than 2 glasses of wine for me a day!!!
Monday, April 20. We got up late (see above to explain why) and then headed out by 10 a.m. to the Picasso Museum only to get there and realize it's not open on Mondays. Lack of last minute homework, tsk, tsk. Dave and Stevie and Alan wanted to go to the FC Barcelona stadium and take a tour of it while the rest of us visited a park just north of there. It's always so interesting to me how a map can make something seem to be not so far away, but when you actually are walking those roads you realize that each of those blocks is about 1/2 mile long and before you know it, you've walked 4 miles and by the end of a day you're ready to drop!! After the hills to Parc Guell yesterday, and steps like I've never climbed before in my life, we all have sore calves. After the park we ate at a nice little restaurant where I had a Goat cheese and duck foie gras salad that was delicious. Chip had a salad with Spanish ham and asparagus.
After lunch we took the subway to the area of town where we walked the Architectural walking tour to check out the Gaudi works as well as the Gaudi influenced buildings. Now we are back at the hotel having a siesta and planning to meet back up at 7 p.m. and pick a place for some Paella (mine without shellfish). I have seen it made with chicken or all veggies in a few restaurants.

Barcelona!!!!!

Love it Here!! What more can I say. .... Alot actually.....
This is perhaps the busiest city I have ever visited, including New York, and this is not the tourist season yet. We did a lot of walking/sightseeing today and it's only 3:30 in the afternoon here. Early Sunday morning (today) we left around 8:30 and went to Parc Guell, a beautiful park designed by the architect Antoni Gaudi. He planned it originally as a housing community, but ultimately only two houses were actually built there. One was the house he actually lived in which is now a museum which we did not visit as it was on the "must miss" list per my research. From the Parc Guell we visited La Sagrada Familia, a Gaudi designed cathedral that is still under construction and won't be finished for the next 50 years. It's been quite easy to communicate here even with the language barrier. Pointing and basic words are very understood. Coffee and tea and wine are exquisite. I am so glad I have two more full days to see all the sights. But honestly I wish I had another week here to venture out to Madrid or farther!! So now we are having some wine and beer and marinated olives, pickles, onions and peppers and then we are off to meet everyone at the bar down the street to watch the Everton soccer (football) game in the FA cup against Manchester United. Alan, Andrea's boyfriend is an Everton fan!!! Write more later.