Spain Day 5: Hello Madrid

Today we bid farewell to Barcelona - after we “toured” Camp Nou. I use tour but basically we were ripped off. There was nothing to look at seeing how the stadium is under construction. We saw the museum with the shrine to Messi. 

This picture captures our current feelings about Camp Nou. Not a smile. Not a frown. More like what did we just pay for?

Before we caught the train, we had a delicious brunch at a small cafe on a side street - all made with fresh ingredients. My croissant with goat cheese was divine. Not one male commented on my goat cheese, they find it normal, and so this means they are now Europenized. 

The three hour train ride to Madrid was uneventful. We had WiFi so all was good. We have another super cute flat in Madrid with the most gorgeous wooden floors and door.

The city seems very quiet and doesn’t have the charm of Barca. There’s little to no Christmas decor. The metro wasn’t crowded; the streets have few people - except at the Wall of Wishes. Everyone seemed to have something they wished for.

We had an early dinner at a rooftop bar with delicious pork tacos and sangria. We went shopping at the local mercado because Keagan has to have fruit, Evan needed a bottle of wine, and Wes needed eggs for breakfast. I got laundry soap to do the laundry. We are just like the locals hanging our clothes out to dry.

At the Mercado, I found a bottle of sangria on the wine aisle for 1.29 euros. Evan thought for sure it would be nasty, but his wine cost 4.66. I’m betting his wine is nasty for that price. 

We are all in pjs ready for sleep and another day of exploring tomorrow. It’s not lost to me how lucky I am to be here and to have the opportunity to experience the wonder of a new place.

Spain Day 4: Barcelona

We started our day at Merkat de la Bocaqueria in the Gothic Quarter, the oldest part of the city, where we were delighted to find an assortment of food choices. 

We tried the shaved ham with cheese, empanadas, the traditional ham sandwich, a pastry shell stuffed with ham and cheese, and fresh fruit juices. Then we found a bakery and purchased cake stuffed with Catalonia cream. Delish! 

Our next stop was the Barcelona Cathedral. 

The boys wanted nothing to do with another church tour, but they played along since we buy the beer and food. We climbed the steps to the rooftop terrace. 

And listened to a tourist play the organ. 

From here we found the famous piece of the original Roman wall that every one must photograph. We window shopped as we walked the medieval streets.

We took the metro to Montjuvic Castle, which is now a museum, where we stopped for sangria. We discussed important matters like Keagan using “de nada” even when no one says thank you, our love for sangria, Evan’s need to hit the gym after drinking copious amounts of beer the last three years, the Spanish’s need for Sonic ice, and wondering how many bottles of sangria we can take back to the US. 

We took the metro back into the city to tour Casa Milo, considered to be Gaudi’s masterpiece, where he was again inspired to create by the patterns seen in nature - shells, beehives, leaves, sea creatures.

The terrace gave us a beautiful view of the La Sagrada Familia.

I feel like I have to come back when the scaffolding is down and the construction is finally completed. It’s only taken 100 years to build; I can wait a couple more to see it finished. 

We headed back to the market to grab a quick bite - hoping to order fish tacos but found that stall closed so we settled for spicy beef burritos and hamburger tacos. 

The boys ended the night watching a Barcelona basketball game. The boys knew just about every guy in both teams’ line-ups. 

Wes and I attended a flamenco show. I’m not sure how authentic it was, but it was impressive just the same. I know nothing different. 

Before we leave tomorrow, I had to see Casa Balto’s evening light show synchronized to music. It did not disappoint. Every section of street is decorated here with a different theme of Christmas lights. Tonight we walked every street to catch every design. 

Spain Day 3: Montserrat

A late night and an early morning don’t pair well, but that’s what we had today. At 7:45 this morning, in the dark I might add, we made our way to the train station on our way to Montserrat. The metro, two trains, a hike through a ghost town, a long wait at a no name train station, a ride on a cable car, and three hours later we made it to the best view of Catalonia. 

We reserved tickets a month ago for a performance of the boys choir in the basilica. The kiddo singing soprano was outstanding! Let it be known we traveled three hours for a 15 min performance. When it ended, Keagan was shocked and said, in the holy basilica,  “Are you $hittin’ me?” 

The abbey houses about 80 monks and was first established in 1025. It has the oldest book publishing house which began in 1499. I have to admit I heard monks and thought for sure we would find beer - like you do in Germany. But Spanish monks must stick with olive oil and choir practice because there was no home-made beer. 

We took the train back to Barca and toured Casa Balto, one of Gaudi’s designs. Its design elements are over the top, creative, genius - trying to replicate life at sea with both color and shape. 

Evan was not interested in the headset accompanying the tour; I found him 20 min later at the rooftop bar with a beer. 

In the early 1900s the local architects competed for best design and the business of the bourgeois. Puig and Gaudi were competitors and designed houses next door to each other. 

While stunning, the tourists are here for Gaudi. 

We had paella and the very best sangria for dinner. We decided paella is not the go-to for us. As Evan said, “It’s just rice.” Keagan debated eating the shrimp eyes for an extra kick but declined when nobody offered to pay him ten dollars for the trick. 

It’s 7:30 and we are all in pjs once again looking for sleep. 

Spain Day 2: Barcelona

After sleeping for 13 hours - 13! - we got our day started. We walked the famous streets Las Ramblas and La Passieg de Garcia. We looked in the street vendor stalls, window shopped, and stopped in just about every soccer store we saw. Sunday is clearly laundry day for the locals.

I also shopped for belens in the Christmas market outside of the Barcelona Cathedral, and true to what I read, they sell the caganer to put in the Belen. After missing out on a nativity scene in Italy, I have to find one. We don’t plan to be in Italy for another two years, so I’m eager to buy one on this trip, but I refuse to buy one with a caganer (also I have no little kids to hide it). 

(The pooping man is hidden by Spanish children in nativity scenes as an annual tradition.)

I hadn’t eaten in almost 24 hours. I was famished, but I was holding out for a late lunch reservations at Arcano, a must-eat according to the travel blogs. 

It was terrific! One of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. That bottle of wine and my empty stomach probably played a role in my enjoyment, but it was still so good. Keagan was not as impressed, but Evan is a huge fan of lamb and rated his meal a solid 9/10. 

We walked the streets and ran into a Peruvian procession honoring Dia de la Virgin. This explains the fireworks we heard all night and the confetti littering the streets. We are staying a block from a Catholic Church housing Peruvians. 

For dessert, we had sugar coated croissants stuffed with cream from a local bakery. Bakeries on every corner is one of my favorite pieces of Europe. 

We attended a late night Barca football match at The Olympic Stadium.  We walked to the art museum and then took several flights of stairs to the stadium located on the hill. I joked it was just like walking to Geodis in Nashville. 😂

I wanted to see Yamal play, and in October he was benched for load management. I told friends I would cry if I got there and didn’t get to see him. No tears tonight, though; my wish came true. Though it wasn’t a great performance, I can say I saw him, Lewandowski, and Casado play in person. 

We walked the quiet streets - just us and the homeless - back to the flat. Christmas lights were on every street. 

I love Barcelona. The metro is modern and very clean. The streets are not overly crowded, and the local people are very helpful.