…Well maybe like more like after dusk seagulls, still getting to bed before midnight. It’s a start though, and a long way from lying down by 9:00ish, per usual 😴
This city, with it’s rich history, fascinating political climate, cultural flare and diversity…one could say it’s the heart beat of the country. An old soul, with a youthful spirit. We started our Barcelona experience modifying our lodging location, thanks to the tip from a local. We stayed one block off La Rambla, everything virtually at our finger tips. We met up with our favourite Spanish family we met in Arizona thanks to a friend hosting estudiante Maria, a few years ago. Started our main tour around 7:00 and concluded around 11:30, every street filled with sights, sounds, smells and historical facts and local insight. Marceli, Lourdes and Maria graciously took us all around the city…however with no real route planned out. Never a straight line, more like look left, look right, stand on one foot, look up, turn around, “in 1717….Spanish explorers…oh look a cathedral…let’s get tapas, next place?, yes..ok…no…should I buy a fan, two euros is too much…ok here for tapas…where’s Lourdes..? she’s getting a painting”…and that’s just one block. We heard the Spanish aren’t known for their organizational skills, but that’s ok because we adore them for living in the moment, enthusiasm and good natured authenticity.
Next morning, you guessed it…a Sandeman tour 🤓🧐
The guide was an Irish transplant, from Galway…as we turned to each other and mouthed “Galway, we’ve been there”, Claire the guide, proceeded to say she was an Irish retired/changed careers physiotherapist turned Barcelona-ian tour guide and English teacher. Needless to say one of us fan-girl’d her during a break, pinging her with questions about how she made it happen?!? Don’t get us wrong, we love our jobs but man are we jealous of what she was able to do. #clairesmakingmoves
#goals
After the tour concluded we went to place for paella. See additional blog entry for that experience.
Quite the experience, pretty sure we won tourists of year award 🥇
We headed back for a quick rest, and then mall walked it up to the Sagrada Família, or as one American called it sangria family. 🤦🏼♀️almost as embarrassing as the bachelor sorority girls in Amsterdam.
Back to the basilica…Gaudi was an architectural phenomenon. This church was absolutely beautiful!! A definite must see. He started building it when he was 31….pretty sure lefty loosy, righty tighty was still my go to when I was 31 🥴
Ended the night with tapas and a Spanish guitar concert in a medieval church. I’ve never seen fingers move so fluidly and elegantly. One last walk on La Rambla before we headed back to the hotel to schedule out our time in Portugal. Gracias Barcelona❤️
All the Places We Go 
Beautifully, and so humorously written!
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