Barcelona Holiday Trip

Just returned from a week-long trip to Barcelona.  Would be pretty easy to make this a long post, but hopefully I can just "hit the highlights" and convey our trip.

Like the sporty blue ear phones on the double-decker bus?

First theme:  the weather was BEAUTIFUL the entire time we were there.  I'd be lying if I said we never saw a cloud, but not if I said that we rarely saw a cloud.  It was just "abundant" sunshine every single day.  The highs were also in the low 60's, which is quite warm for this time of year for Barcelona (or, so say the locals).  But it could still be chilly due to the wind when we were riding on top of the open-top double-decker bus or down by the beach.  Not a big deal, but the sunlight is better for appreciating the art as one is about and enjoying the city.


Second theme:  much of our time in Barcelona turned out to be related to "art."  The two artists that we dominate the city are Joan Miro and Antoni Gaudi.  And let me just say right here ... it is just a coincidence that Gaudi's architecture is sometimes labeled with the adjective, gaudy.  But I had to look that up!

What a lovely choice, Sue!

Miro first.  As you'll see below, his art is characterized by bright colors and simple geometric shapes combined to form an image.  We visited his museum, employing the "gift shop first, scavenger hunt" approach to the visit (we were 3 for 4 this time!).  There, we bought a "simple book" about his life and the kids listened to me read the whole thing over two settings and looked through a 600-page book on his art on New Year's Eve.  And there were other evidence of Miro throughout Barcelona, who has embraced its artistic heritage.

Gaudi House:  Casa Batllo with a dragon-ridge roof!

Now Gaudi.  I sometimes forget that architects are artists, but that would be impossible with Gaudi.  His style first, is artistic (and some say, childlike), but any examination of his structures provides an appreciation for his appreciation of nature.  And like Miro, his impact on Barcelona is widespread and is, in fact, continuing as work continues on his centerpiece cathedral as well as new tiles added all along the city that are fashioned on his "style."  But as an engineer, it was really something to behold upon visiting his signature house (Casa Batllo).  I loved the light "well" that allows light from the middle of the house and the sustainability construction techniques employed in the late 1800's.

Gaudi Church:  Sagrada Familia

Henry runs back from the waves :-)

Third theme:  the beach!  I'd say overall the kids liked the trip and everything about it (except the daily battle about food below!), and they had the most fun just hanging out on the beach.  For those of you that know me, I'm not a "beach person."  First, it tends to be too passive for me.  Second, I hate how the sand follows you everywhere you go for days.  The kids definitely solve the first, using their imagination to come up with active games.  But there is no solving the second!  But, as I said, the kids loved going and on New Years Day when we let them set the schedule, it is where they wanted to return on their last full day in Barcelona (along with a park and the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner!).

The daily battle about food!  Yes, it's true.  Not everything was perfect on the trip.  Every day (heck, 2-3 times a day!), the tension was between what Sue and Russ wanted to eat (in Spain?  Tapas!) and what the kids wanted to eat (Grace, only pasta or french fries ... Henry, nothing!).  As you might imagine, we compromised.  We found an "ok" tapas place that had pasta near the hotel (two nights), a nice tapas place one night, Hard Rock one night, and then a nicer pasta place and pizza for the other two.

There's more to share, and I'd welcome Sue to post a subsequent comment, but I wanted to get this posted before our next adventure ... ski school!

Russ

p.s.  I don't know why, but I got the biggest kick out of seeing parrots all over the city :-)