We arrived in Barcelona Tuesday afternoon and so far have done little aside from indulging in incredible coffee, food, and the free wifi in our cozy hotel room. This is the life!
After
our crazy London transport adventure the night before, we decided to play it safe and hire a car to drive us to Heathrow (thank you, dad!) a full two hours earlier than strictly necessary. It meant we arrived two hours earlier than strictly necessary, but I'm still really glad we did. I'm also really glad that we were booked on the 11:25 flight, rather than the cancelled 9 am (or any time the night before, which would have meant being two of hundreds sleeping on pathetic-looking mats in the airport corridor). It was all smooth sailing for us!
We quickly discovered a delightful little café across the street from our hotel, where we have taken to eating our breakfasts. The server is friendly and speaks perfect English (apparently, he lived in Memphis, Tennessee for 13 years). He also smokes behind the counter. We're obviously not in Kansas anymore.
Another clue that we're no longer in Kansas? Nude window displays and nude art in restaurants. It's all really beautiful and tasteful but takes you aback if you're not used to seeing that sort of thing.
I have succeeded in acquiring my very own
caganer and caga tio, have seen a quick glimpse of the Gothic Quarter, and have been in to visit the geese in the Cathedral garden... but the constant rain has been reinforcing our tendency toward laziness. We're waiting for the promised sun to appear tomorrow so we can spend Christmas Day by the seaside.
In the meantime, we've stocked up on all the important stuff: bread, cheese, fruit, tomatoes, olives, chocolate, juice, wine, and apple liqueur with tonic. Yesterday, we had a picnic lunch that we enjoyed so much, we decided to continue the tradition while all the restaurants are closed or fully booked over the next couple days. Our only concern will be finding coffee. The quality of the coffee here is so vastly superior to London's, I'm determined to drink as much as humanly possible while we're here.
That's about it for now. Pictures to come, but potentially not until I'm back in London, as I am lacking a suitable card reader. Bones festes, as they say!
Unimpressed with the rain.
Geese in the Cathedral garden.
I love my caga tio!
Christmas Day along La Rambla.
Together by the Mediterranean sea on a beautiful Christmas Day. Does life get any better?
The incredible Sagrada Familia.
View from the top of the Sagrada Familia.
