Paris to Barcelona 23 June to 26 June 2012
We blew through the French countryside on the TGV. I watched the wires ebb and flow over the speedy tracks. We spotted a few castles and mostly small agricultural villages ringed with fields of wheat, grapes, and other produce.
Quique met us in Barcelona and let us in to our apartment in the Eixample area of town--10” walk from Sants station. He explained there would be lots of firecrackers tonight as it was the Feast of St. Joan (St. John the Baptist) and also the summer solstice--midsummer celebration.
Roman and I went for a walk and saw people making preparations for a bon fire. Roman was having a tough time and we walked. Ok, he was having a meltdown and it was a bit ugly--walking helped A LOT. We eventually established a few things. He was homesick and wondering if we could just “go home.” I asked, “to the apartment?” and he said, “no, to our house on Lincoln Street.” I broke it to him that we weren’t going back there for a while.
We happened upon the scene of drumming and dancing in the video. We bought some oranges for juice and a pepper for dinner and made our way back to the apartment. Later Shawn and I went out and watched the bon fire and people holding--yes, holding in their hands, giant rods of sparklers that rained down flames--ouch. The people holding these were donned in costumes like devils and the material must have been fireproof? Skaters paraded in led by a Citröen pulling a trailer with a guy playing a piano and a woman playing a trumpet--the song, “I Will Survive.”
We rose happy and rested and went to Bogatell Beach for the day. Another bit of time spent figuring out how to navigate the Metro in a different city--all in all it was simple and so much newer and cleaner than Paris and the cars are air-conditioned. Cyrus noticed how dirty the water was. We were along the edge of the pier and there was floating garbage, but the beach was clean and so was the water toward the middle. We just watched people, swam and basked in the sun. Then we headed to the Torre Agbar tower. Roman made up a “homesick” song and sang it the whole time we walked. We arrived at the apartment and had dinner.
It has been an adventure figuring out buttons, switches, and their accompanying symbols. We do get through, though, and end up laughing at our ignorance.
I read a travel blog that said Barceloneta Beach was crazy, dirty, laden with silicon and big sunglasses . . .hmm. We found that was not the case at all. The beach and water were cleaner than Bogatell and we spent most of the day there. “Vendors” (random people) walk through the sand selling beer,water, fresh coconut pieces, mojitos, sangria, scarves, tattoos, massages . . . it was incredible.
A rhythm sort of ensues and waves of vendors come then it’s quiet. There are also groups of young women who hang together at the beach and it seems that the young men arrive later. Cyrus actually saw his friends from Hosford MS, who are on a tour of Spain, when we were at this beach.
We spent the morning at Montjuïc Park and castle. We took a funicular train and then a tram to the to the top. Montjuïc was the site of many executions--a prison during certain periods most notably Franco, but the castle dates back to the 17th century, I think. From up the top, where Montjuïc Castle sits, the entire city is visible. I could feel, though, the blood on the stones.
One thing I have done on the trip is go running in the early morning and this is how I came to Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia and Casa Milà in the sleepy, vacant streets of the morning. I watched the construction workers arrive at the Sagrada Familia and the vendors beginning to construct their tents. On these runs I have a heck of a time getting back--lost in the streets--it’s good, but can be tiring. When we went back the the Sagrada Familia together, we watched the UPS driver make a delivery--that was fun, too!
Our time in Barcelona is coming to a close. The kids are becoming a little more comfortable using their Spanish. We found some glasses for Roman and may buy the frames today. We also had to buy band-aids for his blister. We had a sub par meal last night--good for contrast--an now we are ready to head for Salobreña for an extended stay--6 hours on the train and another 1-2 on a bus--yee haw!
We blew through the French countryside on the TGV. I watched the wires ebb and flow over the speedy tracks. We spotted a few castles and mostly small agricultural villages ringed with fields of wheat, grapes, and other produce.
Quique met us in Barcelona and let us in to our apartment in the Eixample area of town--10” walk from Sants station. He explained there would be lots of firecrackers tonight as it was the Feast of St. Joan (St. John the Baptist) and also the summer solstice--midsummer celebration.
Roman and I went for a walk and saw people making preparations for a bon fire. Roman was having a tough time and we walked. Ok, he was having a meltdown and it was a bit ugly--walking helped A LOT. We eventually established a few things. He was homesick and wondering if we could just “go home.” I asked, “to the apartment?” and he said, “no, to our house on Lincoln Street.” I broke it to him that we weren’t going back there for a while.
We happened upon the scene of drumming and dancing in the video. We bought some oranges for juice and a pepper for dinner and made our way back to the apartment. Later Shawn and I went out and watched the bon fire and people holding--yes, holding in their hands, giant rods of sparklers that rained down flames--ouch. The people holding these were donned in costumes like devils and the material must have been fireproof? Skaters paraded in led by a Citröen pulling a trailer with a guy playing a piano and a woman playing a trumpet--the song, “I Will Survive.”
We rose happy and rested and went to Bogatell Beach for the day. Another bit of time spent figuring out how to navigate the Metro in a different city--all in all it was simple and so much newer and cleaner than Paris and the cars are air-conditioned. Cyrus noticed how dirty the water was. We were along the edge of the pier and there was floating garbage, but the beach was clean and so was the water toward the middle. We just watched people, swam and basked in the sun. Then we headed to the Torre Agbar tower. Roman made up a “homesick” song and sang it the whole time we walked. We arrived at the apartment and had dinner.
It has been an adventure figuring out buttons, switches, and their accompanying symbols. We do get through, though, and end up laughing at our ignorance.
I read a travel blog that said Barceloneta Beach was crazy, dirty, laden with silicon and big sunglasses . . .hmm. We found that was not the case at all. The beach and water were cleaner than Bogatell and we spent most of the day there. “Vendors” (random people) walk through the sand selling beer,water, fresh coconut pieces, mojitos, sangria, scarves, tattoos, massages . . . it was incredible.
A rhythm sort of ensues and waves of vendors come then it’s quiet. There are also groups of young women who hang together at the beach and it seems that the young men arrive later. Cyrus actually saw his friends from Hosford MS, who are on a tour of Spain, when we were at this beach.
We spent the morning at Montjuïc Park and castle. We took a funicular train and then a tram to the to the top. Montjuïc was the site of many executions--a prison during certain periods most notably Franco, but the castle dates back to the 17th century, I think. From up the top, where Montjuïc Castle sits, the entire city is visible. I could feel, though, the blood on the stones.
One thing I have done on the trip is go running in the early morning and this is how I came to Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia and Casa Milà in the sleepy, vacant streets of the morning. I watched the construction workers arrive at the Sagrada Familia and the vendors beginning to construct their tents. On these runs I have a heck of a time getting back--lost in the streets--it’s good, but can be tiring. When we went back the the Sagrada Familia together, we watched the UPS driver make a delivery--that was fun, too!
Our time in Barcelona is coming to a close. The kids are becoming a little more comfortable using their Spanish. We found some glasses for Roman and may buy the frames today. We also had to buy band-aids for his blister. We had a sub par meal last night--good for contrast--an now we are ready to head for Salobreña for an extended stay--6 hours on the train and another 1-2 on a bus--yee haw!
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