After surviving a major travel mishap, i.e. we missed our flight, Sean and I landed in Barcelona, Spain on Monday 12/6. What a knock-out! Positioned on theMediterranean, the city of 1.5 million possesses some of the most beautiful architecture that we have ever seen. Gothic, Neo-classical and Modern blendseamlessly on the wide boulevards of the city.
We’ve rented an apartment in the heart of Barcelona, 5 minutes from the mile-long pedestrian walkway la Rambla. Possesing the quintessential 19th C. Europeanappointments, the apartment features high ceilings with ornate plasterwork, floor-to-ceiling Frenchdoors, tile and wrought iron balcony, bidet and no heat. It also has a small, electric space heater and free Internet access. As the days are warm (60’s) andthe nights are noisy (our central location provides us with a wide assortment of street sounds that any light sleeper like myself will highly enjoy), we aregrateful for those trappings of the 21st century.
Since arriving, we have hit some major sites, including the Picasso Museum and the modernist architect Antoni Gaudi’s Temple ex Piatori de la Sagrada Familia (Google this; you will be amazed), and enjoyed some of the local flavors, such as sangria, tapas and paella. We have passed, though, on the vast array of beef, bacalao (salted cod) and pork dishes. Seen a dozen back legs of pigs, complete with clovenhooves, hanging from shop or restaurant windows, ya seen ’em all.
Not surprisingly, the U.S. dollar continues to plummet. 1 Euro = $1.30 Somewhat surprisingly, we are the only U.S. tourists thus far. Lots of peopleout on the streets but most are traveling Spaniards.
On Thursday we’ll leave lovely Barcelona for a yet-to-be-determined location. More details later.
Adios Amigos!
– Kathy
We are sitting in the post office in the city of Zaragoza, 3 hours west of madrid. Internet cafes aren´t as common as we had hoped so we have returned to this P.O.. where 3 nights ago we waited for 40 minutes, with 41 people ahead of us, to buy stamps. If you don´t receive a postcard, you´ll understand why.
After much deliberation we decided to rent a car and head west to Madrid and Toledo. Some days we feel as though we´re in a Lonely Planet episode as we stumbleupon religious festivals, parades, group dancing in obsure town squares. As of late, we´re feigning canadian citizenship for saying that we´re from the u.s. has ended several otherwise pleasantconversations. not surprising, just startling when it first happens.
Spaniards definitely adhere to the notion of siestas. Each day at around 1, shops, cafes, etc. shut down and everyone disappears. Ñightlife, particularly inmadrid, is wild. Nothing stops until 5 a.m. We sidestepped Friday´s 5 bombings in Madrid and the bomb threat at the stadium by a few hours yesterday. We thrive on excitement!
Although the dollar continues to plummet, we´re making the most of our time and money. We have enjoyed Spain, though, far more than we had expected. Adios for now.
-Kathy and Sean
We´re spending a final night in Barcelona along the Grand Via in a turn-of-the-century hotel with innumerable crystal chandaliers, antiques and the all-important FREE INTERNET! As my hastily composed previous message stated, we have thoroughly enjoyed Spain. Although I could live without the popularity of bull fights (a bull fighting ring in every city and town that we visited), all things porcine and chain smoking, we both fell in love with this country. Spotless cities, well-preserved monasteries, castlesand churches, ancient fortified cities and fabulous art museums.
Some of the highpoints included strolling through the 1992 Olympic site in Barcelona, popping into dusty little towns with at most 400 inhabitants, visiting Cisterian and Benedictine monasteries where monks lived as they did 500 years ago, the plentiful art )an El Greco in every church!) and, of course, free Internet! No doubt we will miss the warm, sunny weather and the slower pace of life that Spaniards enjoy. Sean, however, will not miss the standard croissant-cafe con leche breakfast or ´driving Miss Daisy´ 1,000 miles in 4 days. I won´t miss the Museum of Pork where you can admire cured pigs legs and eat a ham sandwich all in one visit. Yuck!!
So, it´s adios to Spain. Talk to you when we return!
-Kath
P.S. If you do receive a postcard, please excuse my misspelling of ¨hola,¨which was a cross between hole and ole. Sleep deprivation. Gets me every time.
