Travel Update

Hello all,

Today we leave Barcelona. We take a night train WITH BEDS to Paris and then have the day to spend in Paris until we leave Paris on Tuesday evening by train. We will finally arrive in Hannover on Wednesday morning. So I will not be in touch until Wednesday or Thursday.

Adios for now!

Sarah

Ice Ice Baby...

Last night we explored La Rambla and Placa de Cataluyna at night! There were so many tourists street performers, and people selling things! Scott suckered Jara into getting him a light-up flying object. That entertained Scott for longer than it should have. He almost injured about five kids with his cheap thrill.

Street Performers

Every day on our way to the beach, we pass a bocadillo shop that always has a LONG line at the take-away window. We figured that this place must be delicious if people are willing to wait, so today was our day to wait in line with the rest of the crowd. I'm SO glad we did! It was AMAZING. The best way to describe this bocadillo is that it is similar to Chiptole but better and in a bread roll. You pick your raw meat and then they grill it in front of you. I chose chicken. Then you pick your sauce. I got Tzatziki sauce. Finally, you pick from a wide variety of vegetables. I got them all except onions.

Then Jara wanted to soak up the sun for one more day on the beach, while Scott and I opted out. We decided to rent bikes and ride down the beach instead. We rode for about 2 hours down the whole beach and Port Vell. It was beautiful.

While on our bike ride, we ran into Tony Hawk and friends. They made a stop in Barcelona for the European Skate Tour. Monster Energy Drink was handing out free Monsters, so Scott was thrilled! Also, the popular beer here, San Miguel, was sampling their new flavors, apple and lemon beer. I hate beer, so I wasn't interested. But Scott tried it, and told me it didn't taste a thing like beer. So I tried the apple beer, and I loved it. Why? Because it didn't taste a thing like beer, but like carbonated apple juice!

Today was also a museum day! Our first of Barcelona! Scott and I traveled to the famous Pablo Picasso Museum. The museum entrance was in an alley and the museum was a Spanish style architecture (go figure). Scott proceeded to read every last informational wall blurb, and then repeat them back to me. I didn't realize that Picasso did so much normal (non cubist) work when he was younger. But overall, Scott and I weren't too impressed with Picasso's work. But maybe that is because we can't understand his genius.

Picasso Museum

For dinner tonight, we went back to the place where I discovered the greatness that is paella and sangria. We couldn't pass up their bargains or great tasting food. I got another sangria and paella. Then to top it off...ice cream (toffee and coconut with chocolate chunks) from the place that I have been eyeing all week!

Our dinner hangout

Tonight was our ice bar experience! We went to the only ice bar in the world on the beach! It was -5 degrees Celsius in there! The room was small but so cool! Everything was made from ice...the walls, chairs, glasses, tables, decor, and bar. They had ice sculptures galore! Even one of the Sagrada Familia! It was definitely an unique experience! Our cover got us into the ice bar and also a very cold cocktail. We had to put on gloves and a huge jacket before entering. I didn't have any closed toed shoes, so I had to go in with sandals. Brrrr! My camera's battery died inside the ice bar :( But luckily, Jara has more pictures. Scott tried to get his tongue stuck to something, but he didn't have any luck.

Three Things I Learned Today:

1. Tomorrow, I will have been in Europe for officially 3 weeks.

2. -5 degrees Celsius is COLD.

3. Kaitlin needs to heal fast and live in a bubble for the next few weeks!

I'm sorry...You are not welcome.

This morning we decided to get an early start, as we spent most of the morning sightseeing and wanted to beat the crowds (though that didn't happen). I forgot to mention an important part of our Barcelona experience...the coffee/espresso machine at our hotel's complimentary breakfast! I want to give it credit, because without it I don't know how I would get through the day. For example, this morning before I had my coffee, Jara apologized for kicking me under the table and I responded you are not welcome. She looked at me and laughed. I was so out of it. I had no clue why she was laughing. So today our inside joke involved us saying "I'm sorry"...the other person..."you are not welcome." God bless the hotel's coffee/espresso machine and Splenda.

So as I mention, today was our sightseeing day. Dad, you would be very proud of us. We have now conquered the Paris and Barcelona Metro Systems! We took the Metro to the famous Sagrada Familia. The line to enter was wrapped around the block! That scared away Scott and Jara, and they left me. They went on to the next attraction. But I wanted to see the inside of this place, so I waited 1.5 hours in line. I thought it was definitely worth it! By far, it is my favorite church that I have seen thus far. Even though, construction is not complete and isn't projected to be until 2030 (mind you...Gaudi started building this in 1882). So both the inside and the outside of the church are under construction.

My excitement for Sagrada Familia...before I saw the line for entry

The super cool ceilings worth waiting 1.5 hours for

Inside of the church...can you see construction behind me?

The church has two facades dedicated to the Birth of Jesus and the Passion of Christ. When it is complete, it will have one more, the third, referring to the Glory of Jesus resurrected. My favorite part of the church was the unique architecture especially the ceilings!


Then I took the Metro to Parc Guell, a park also designed by Gaudi. He lived there as well for about 20 years. I also toured his home, which is now a museum in Parc Guell. The house wasn't that exciting, but the Park itself was AMAZING. I loved it. The designs and architecture were unique just like Sagrada Familia.

Gaudi's House

Entry to Parc Guell

I came back to La Rambla for lunch. I went to the market that I introduce to you all yesterday. There I had vegetable paella...YUM! Then it was back to the beach to meet up with Scott and Jara who had finished Parc Guell much sooner than me since they didn't enter the church. Today, we were lucky enough to have a group of about 8 older, larger women (over 70) layout topless next to us.

My lunch...veggie paella

After the beach, we came back to shower and then headed out to dinner. We decided on tapas and sangria! I ordered a Spanish omelet (tortilla espanola) and bread with tomatoes (pan con tomato). Both are famous tapas in Spain. (Kyle...you can tell Sophia I have checked off 2 of the 3 of her must-do's) The bread with tomatoes wasn't that great, but I loved the Spanish omelet! It is made with eggs, and potatoes, and a special seasoning. Then for dessert, I got a fresh fruit bowl from the market. It was filled with passion fruit, mango, coconut, honeydew, strawberries, and watermelon. YUM!

My Tapas

Our Sangria...they gave us HUGE straws and we aren't sure why

Dessert :)

Now we are headed out on the town!

Tomorrow is the Pablo Picasso Museum and the Barri Gothic quarter!

Three Things I Learned Today:


1. I swam in the Mediterranean Sea...not an ocean :) It is SUPER DUPER salty.

2. Sagrada Familia is taking a VERY long time to build.


3. Gaudi died because he was run over by a train...poor guy.

I should have been a flamenco dancer

Today was somewhat of a lazy day. We went to the beach for about 45 minutes, and then decided we were over it since all the umbrellas had been rented. Our skin can't handle too much more beach sun rays. There are people all over the beach selling things such as dresses, alcohol, food, massages, and hair braiding. Maybe I should get some corn rows like Monica in Friends.

Every day we have taken a new path to the beach. This time on our way back to the hotel, we grabbed lunch. My lunch was a White Chocolate and Strawberry Magnum Ice Cream Bar. My new favorite. Why don't we have this ice cream goodness in America?

Jara gets a salad and I get ice cream...typical

Then we headed out on the town to browse more of La Rambla. There is a large market right off of La Rambla, and we perused all the goods. There is everything from meat, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, candies, canned goods, prepared food, fish, crepes, and so much more! There are so many alleys in Barcelona especially off La Rambla, and they are SO fun to explore.

Typical alley or side street

The market off La Rambla

Then for dinner, I wasn't too creative. I decided to try one of Barcelona's chain restaurants known for their sandwiches called Bocatta. I got a grilled veggie sandwich with goat cheese. It was delicious!

My Grilled Veggie Sandwich

This evening I went to a Flamenco show at Tarantos in Placa Reial. Placa Reial is a square with many restaurants and clubs. I didn't realize it was RIGHT next to our hotel down a very short alley! I'm telling you there are alleys or side streets every where that lead to large squares.

I was really proud of myself for uploading a video to this blog, but then it didn't work. So instead, you get a picture of the Flamenco show!

I arrived a bit early to the Flamenco show and I'm glad I did! It was packed! The show started with men singing and playing guitar then women came out to clap and tap. Finally, the dancers came out danced the night away! It was amazing! They made funny faces as they danced and their hips and feet moved so gracefully! I am jealous of their dance moves. I've got the funny faces down...if only I could move like that then I would be a great Flamenco dancer!


When I returned, Jara was craving McDonalds. This was an ODD occasion. Not only is she a vegetarian but all she has eaten is salads on this trip. She was craving a cheeseburger and a McFlurry, so we acted on this impulse and travelled to McDonalds. She ordered a cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, and a McFlurry. She didn't want to eat along, so I HAD TO get a McFlurry. It was tough, but someone had to do it. Here in Barcelona, they flurr it for you, unlike Paris. Apparently, I am a connoisseur of McFlurry from different countries.

My Caramel Oreo McFlurry

Three Things I Learned Today:

1. Instead of ballet, I should have taken up Flamenco.

2. The side streets of La Rambla offer so many great little restaurants.

3. I got burnt by a cigarette on my arm in the club last night.

Paella and Pubs

Sorry for the delay in this post...stop the hate mail please. :)

Yesterday was Thursday here in Barcelona and I decided to take a tour of the city via a tour bus. The tour bus offered an audio guide with ear buds. It had 3 routes around Barcelona, and I went on two of the three. I saw a good majority of the city. I didn't have a guidebook for this city, so I wasn't so sure what to see (except Erica helped me out!). This bus tour took me all over. I got to see Gaudi's Casa Batllo and his Casa Mila. I discovered yesterday that Gaudi is a LARGE part of Barcelona's culture. He also started work on the famous Sagrada Familia. I got sneak peak to that as I am going there with Scott and Jara. Also, I got to see the Futbol Club Barcelona's Area, which is HUGE, the Olympic Arena where the '92 Olympics where held, the Placa d'Espanya, Museu National d'Art de Catalunya (I didn't go in, because I'm kind of museumed out from Paris), the Arc de Triomf, and many more. The ride was definitely worth the money. I was able to hop on and off the bus at different stops, and I stayed on the tour for about 4.5 hours.

Barcelona's Arc de Trimof

Gaudi's Creations

Futbol Club Barcelona

MNAC

Olympic Arena

After Scott and Jara had another day at the beach, I met them back at the hotel to depart for dinner. We searched high and low for the best deal on Paella and Sangria...well I should say I searched high and low and they were good sports about it.

Finally we found a great spot on La Rambla. I ordered Paella Mariscos (seafood) and a Sangria (it was combo for only 10 euros!!) It was TO DIE FOR!! Scott got a Chorizo Sandwich and Jara ordered a salad with Sangria.

Then it was back to the hotel to get ready for our Pub Crawl. The night before as we strolled down La Rambla (the famous street that our hotel is on), multiple people approached about various pub crawls going on all week. We thought we should get a taste of it, and pick the one we thought was best. So last night we paid a flat rate, traveled to 4 pubs with free drinks and then ended at a club.

There were so many people that joined the Pub Crawl. It was a lot of fun meeting so many new people from all over the world. We met some Swedish boys, Cristopher and Stephen, who were a lot of fun!

Today is a beach day! I'm getting an umbrella this time! Then I think it's a Flamenco show tonight!

There are so many street performers on La Rambla and we are bamboozled by this one. We think we have figured it out, but how do you think he does it? He sits like that for hours on end!!

Three Things I Learned Yesterday:

1. Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games both in 1929 and 1992.

2. There are two languages spoken here Spanish and Catalan.

3. Shrimp isn't shelled. It comes with the shell, legs, eyes, and ALL!

Beaches and Burns

Au Revoir Paris and Hola Barcelona!



We arrived in Barcelona after a 12 hour train ride, but we got nice beds so we were able to sleep this time on our ride. The day we left Paris, we got kicked out of our hotel at noon and then we were basically homeless in a park for 8 hours until our train left at 8 in the evening. Luckily, our train station was nice to a famous park, Jardin des Plantes. It was beautiful and large. It even had a zoo! Scott and Jara wanted to rest, so I decided to explore a little more of Paris.

I went and explore Shakespeare and Company in the Latin Quarter and more of the island that Notre Dame is on.

Our last meal in Paris was McDonalds. Yes...McDonalds. But I was actually impressed. I ordered a Daim (a type of toffee candy) McFlurry. But check out what the McFlurry says...

Flurrr it yourself...so you have to mix it.

Oh and the bathrooms had a passcode and the receipt had the code on it...I thought that was creative!
So when we arrived in Barcelona at 8 am this morning, our first stop was the laundrymat! Our dirty clothes were stinking up the rest of our clean clothes, so we need an intervention. Then we checked into our lovely hotel! We love our hotel! It is on the famous street, La Rambla. The street is full of street performers, shops, and restaurants. And we have A/C and a free breakfast! Whoo Hoo!

The view of La Rambla from our hotel balcony

Then it was off to the beach! We are just a short walk from the beautiful beaches of Barceloneta (the area of Barcelona). The beaches were packed, because it was such a beautiful day! We swam in the ocean and laid out for the afternoon. We came back lobsters...burnt to a crisp. We changed and went back to the beach for dinner.

Port Vell

The Beach at Barceloneta

Where we ate dinner


My goal in Barcelona, since I know more Spanish (so I know what I'm ordering...finally), is to order something that I couldn't necessarily get in America and that is special to Spain. So I ordered Gazpacho and a tapa called Chicken Croquete. Both were very good! The picture below beside my gazpacho is a picture of Scott's hamburger with ham and a fried egg. He wanted me to share this because he said it was in the "Top 3 Hamburgers he has ever had."

Then I was tempted by the ice cream shop next door. I'm so glad I gave into the temptation! It was worth it! And the scoops are so much bigger than Paris!

Then we all did some shopping and then walked the infamous La Rambla to see the sights!
Barcelona is full of random artwork. I love it! And I thought Barcelona would still be a bit crazy for just winning the world cup but I was wrong. We haven't seen much besides soccer balls and jerseys.

Random artwork...try to find my sunburn...it's not hard!

Three Things I Learned Today:

1. People (young and old) like to sunbathe topless on the beaches of Barcelona.

2. The Barcelona sand is SOO hot that it literally burns your feet.

3. Gazpacho is cold.

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