Week 5 27- 29 September Barcelona

After 7 nights of frenetic activities around Italy we disembarked for the last time after re-negotiating our depart time which was originally 7.00 am. The transfer was incredibly efficient with luggage and cueing for the taxi into Barcelona. Our taxi driver took us to our accommodation Hotel Meson Castella which was extra shabby perhaps a little less on the chic but at least we had two rooms and it was very central to Las Ramblas the city centre.

There was a festival going on so there were buskers and statue like entertainers; street parades with music and PEOPLE and pickpockets everywhere. We had booked in to a Spanish cooking class for day 1 and we worked out that the Picasso Museum which we wanted to visit was only open for the Saturday that we would be in Barcelona. The museum was fantastic and really showed the incredibly varied styles of Picasso aside from the one that he is widely known for. Then it was off to cook Paella which Southern Spain is famous. WWe cooked with a couple from Germany living in pain as he was working for Nokia; a couple from LA and a young couple from the UK just across for a 3 day break.
We met up and then toured the well known La Boqueria market which was fantastic fun. Yep we’ve included tonnes of photos from the market as they have the most incredible variety.

Ben and Chris made Crème Catalan which is a cross between a crème caramel and a crème brulee very yummy. Laura and Shelley helped make the Seafood Paella which was made in the biggest fry pan we have ever seen…not sure there will be anywhere to store that one. It was great fun and the food was yummy. We also got recommendations for where to eat the following night when we met with Elizabeth and John Adnams who were arriving in Barcelona.

The next day Ben and Laura were promised a rest after the busy day before. So they were left to watch movies on the computer with a mobile phone and Chris and Shelley headed off to a UNESCO registered church called La Sagrada Familia – Temple of the Holy Family (http://www.sagradafamilia.org/) which had come highly recommended by Kyle Shera-Jones and it was an amazing site. Antonia Guadia was an internationally well known in Catalan architecture began work on the church in 1882. His dream was to include three facades representing the birth, death and resurrection of Christ. He was killed by a tram before finishing it and the work still continues with much of it incomplete. It is truly unusual.
Then Chris and I checked out the underground trains we needed to catch to get to the restaurant for dinner with our friends. Elizabeth and John Adnams are Guiding friends and it was by pure coincidence that we discovered that they were getting off their cruise ship the day after us. Their ship travelled from Venice in the other opposite direction to us and in Rome we took a picture of the P& O emerald Princess which they were on for our Don photo collection!!! Dinner was fantastic and enjoyed by all including Elizabeth and John’s long time travelling companions Glenda and Bruce from Glen Waverley near where Shelley grew up.
We had met up with John, Elizabeth, Glenda and Bruce earlier the day and were very surprised to hear all the latest news which we had missed news about the next financial crisis; President Umbeki resigning in South Africa….
Chris enjoyed the biggest glass of beer he's had in a while when he misunderstood that the waiter was aking him whether he wanted 1/2 bottle or a full bottle of beer!!Laura was pleased as Barcelona has a couple of edgy fashion streets and she located her tartan skirt which we had no guarantee that we would find in Thailand and for a good price. Shelley and Laura went shopping on our last day and got thoroughly drenched which truly looked comical.
Then it was time to pack the suitcase again for another crack of dawn flight to head to Helsinki.

Impressions: big beers here!; Laura and Shelley want to come back; a great little hotel was found across the road for next time; fantastic food and markets; Olla