BaRcElOnA

Day 1 of Barcelona:

Nicolas & I finally make it to the Garden House Hostel after waiting for a 2-hour flight delay because the French don't know what to do with a bit of snow on the runways.

Our first food venture includes a confusion over the menu--we end up paying and leaving after the first course because we think it's the only one. That was damn good stew.

Later, we wander unknowingly into a Hadyn classical concert practice in a huge old church (there's a lot of those in Europe) in the Gothic Quarter, 800-year-old stones above our heads. We wait until 8 p.m. to eat a "late" dinner of tapas and fresh sangria--but nobody's even out to dinner yet, so we have the blonde, bored waitress to ourselves. We finish off the night with a half hour of classical guitar, Castillian singing and flamenco--Nick's favorite so far. And this is only day one!

Day 2 Barcelona:

We wander Park Guell and the grounds of the Sagrada Familia, two of the most beautiful and unique architectural masterpieces of Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926). The Sagrada Familia is still under construction and is expected to be finished in 2040. It reminds me of big upside-down waffle cones melting...breathtaking in its beauty and strangeness...

We gorge on chocolate con churros, one of Spain's best creations (churros dipped in cups of warm liquid chocolate during siesta time, in between lunch and dinner). Hellluv good.

Nick continues to fall off curbs while gaping at the beauty of Spain around him.

Day 3 Barcelona:

We meet up with a Spaniard (friend of Nick's) for breakfast, gaze in awe at Casa Batllo and Casa Mila/La Pedrera, two elven houses created by the genius of Gaudi.

We happen upon a couple hundred locals in a park dancing the sardanes, a traditional Catalonian routine. A few blocks north, we happen upon fifty locals swing dancing in the middle of a boulevard. Why? Because it's Spain.

We down more chocolate con churros. I get a stomachache, which is reconciled by a stop at a local clothing store, where Nick buys me Argentinian clothing for Christmas :)

...

... Anyone know where I can learn Spanish in Lyon? ... I think I'm just going to stay here...