Viva Barcelona

 

Here are some of my favorite things in life; Manchego cheese, heavy red wines, pride for your home, fried potatoes, day drinking, naps, pork, late night eating, happy dogs and happier old folks. Well, Barcelona had them all!  Of all the cities we have visited thus far, Barcelona has made me the happiest.  Don't get me wrong, I have loved everywhere we have gone but, Barcelona... well, I could see myself living there and being happy as a clam!

 

We started our trip out with a tapas and wine tour of the city.  Four stops with four types of tapas and pintxos paired with local wines... Nice way to start your first day if you ask me! Our tour guide, Paul, educated us not only on the food and wine, but also the history and culture of Barcelona and Spain and the differences between the two.  There were only 6 of us on this tour and we were all Americans (we are EVERYWHERE).  We can't escape our own kind, ha!  We were joined by a lovely couple from Orange County and neighbors from San Francisco traveling on business.  The food was great and the company was even better!  We ended our tour around 10pm and the next thing we all knew, it was 1:20 and the bartender was closing the bar doors on us. The next morning was a little rough, but with no rug rats to take care of we felt like we could run a freaking marathon!  Wait, have I not mentioned that fact yet?  We went With NO KIDS.... It was glorious!!!!!! Over the next few days we did a walking tour of the city, literally walked across the entire city and ran up to the highest point in Barcelona! We saw some amazing architecture, visited some beautiful parks, met some great people, and drank some fabulous wine (I really dislike French wine but love Spanish wine... crazy because they are so close!). I ate my weight in cheese and ham and enjoyed myself along the awesome ride that was Barcelona!

 

 

AMAZING!!!

 

 

Have a mentioned that we miss good pork? Well, I think we got our fill on this trip! 

 

Fact of the day: Did you know that people back in the day hung Pork legs in

their windows/doors to show that they were Christians?

 

I was training for a marathon during this trip so we literally ran to the very highest point in the city... tooting my own horn... toot toot!

 

Now, it wasn't all rainbows and unicorns.... I literally broke out in a fever on the plane ride there and it never left me the entire trip.. Jon even had to have dinner by himself one night.  But with no kids to worry about, I managed to push through and eat and drink everything in my way!

 

Jon and I will forever be grateful to Carey and Dan Watson for watching our little devils. Two little kids plus a four month old of their own is no easy undertaking and they did it without one complaint. And here is the kicker.... Both our girls fell super ill as soon as we left... Like double ear infection, upper respiratory infection, upset tummy (on a newly potty trained kid) kind of sick. I joked with Carey, who is a nurse, that she deserves continuing educations hours for dealing with our kids.  

 

Until Later...