Part two: Barcelona
Day SIX (Thursday November 24)
Happy Thanksgiving! Similar to most Thanksgivings we’ve had as the Angel clan, we found ourselves on a train along the Mediterranean coast heading north to Barcelona - a little bit sleepy and a lot o’ bit amused by Dad’s attempt to photograph the sea on a moving train.
It was a four hour train ride and gorgeous every chugga chugga of the way.
The weather was sunny and upper 50s in Barcelona and after we found our little abode for the next three days, we promptly stepped out to find our first meal (it was always the priority).
We visited the ever popular Las Ramblas street where naturally one of the first sights we saw was an Aaron Rodgers jersey. Boo. We also took in an amazing cathedral that was so dripped in historical religiousness, even Ricky was inspired. Or maybe it was just the random swans hanging out in the cathedral courtyard.
Thanksgiving meal was pizza, pasta, wine, beer and of course Coca Cola Light for Peg. I spent a good portion of dinner eyeing the other guests who might steal my purse. Barcelona is renown for pick-pocketers and you just never know where they might show up. Good thing Ricky was practicing his human spearing (aka an intense form of headbutting) so I never truly felt threatened with him having our backs.
Day SEVEN (Friday November 25)
In effort to avoid eating out for lunch again, Mark made sandwiches in the morning. After being awed by the cleanliness and modernistic architecture of La Sagrada Familia, we visited a park nearby to enjoy the sandwiches Mark had so kindly made. Being the tourists we were, we opened the trusty backpack to grab the bag…to find they weren’t there. Dad gave us all a skeptical look and said, “Oh nobody grabbed them?” This is when we find out he put them in the fridge before leaving, but failed to tell any of us.
After convincing Ricky we were not eating at Subway in Spain, we found a little café to refuel then head to Parc Guell. Another Guadi original. It was amazing. Beautiful views. Even better was the fact we could take escalators almost to the top instead of climbing the steep hills.
We made our way to the beach that evening because I was using every excuse I could to see the Sea as much as I could. Lake Michigan doesn’t quite compare.
Day EIGHT (Saturday November 26)
Our last full day in Spain? How did that even happen? After mega talks the night before about how to spend our last day (determining if we should go hiking although we warned the course was not for those with fear of heights, to which Ricky responded: “I don’t know. I’m a pretty big fan of the floor”), we opted to stay closer to sea level due to the rest of the fam’s fears.
Stiges, Spain was the destination. We were able to get out of the city, but didn’t have to commit to a full day away.
It was so very much worth it. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen in person. It was a lot like what I imagine Greece to be. Crystal blue sea water. Brilliant blue skies. Palm trees. It was the perfect cap to end the trip. Didn’t hurt that it was sunny and 60.
Soaking in all the glory of Sitges, we headed back into the city mid afternoon to check out the site of the 1992 Olympics, watch the sunset and witness a tremendous fountain light show, complete with Disney songs in Spanish.
Add to that an amazing port-a-potty experience (no, I’m completely serious: these things meant business), it was an ideal way to end the trip. A trip during which the whole time I felt as if I was dreaming.
Day NINE (Sunday November 27)
Enter a 1.5 hour plane ride to Zurich followed by 10 hour plane ride Zurich to Chicago (complete with three movies, two hours of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire and some delicious Swiss chocolate), we found ourselves on American soil again.
Though I absolutely loved every single thing about the trip (well maybe not so much the food: there’s only so much ham and cheese homegirl can eat), I was happy to be home.
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