Barcelona

As usual, Shelly got the extra "training day" for the normal 3-day weekend making the President's Day holiday a 4-day. And as usual, off we went - this time to Barcelona in hopes of some warmer weather and this thing called sunshine that we've heard about.

We did get the good weather we were hoping for; it was a bit cool, but the skies were clear so we had ample sunshine. I think we both actually got some sun which was very nice. The city was great and there was a lot to see. The sites in Barcelona are pretty spread out so we made use of the open-top tourist buses to get from place to place, and also soak in the sun.

Our first day we arrived mid-morning and checked our bags at the hotel then explored the Gothic Quarter, La Rambla and the harbor. Our "room" was really an apartment so we had a full kitchen and did some shopping at one of the markets for some fruit and other snack items to keep in our room. Day two we got out to an early start on the tour bus and hit all the major sites including La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, both Gaudi works that are a major detour from typical European architecture. We also strolled around the Olympic facilities and stopped for some sangria on the beach at the end of the day. Day three we hit some of the museums and the aquarium.

We had some great food too. Like any tourist destination, the joints in the tourist areas are not the greatest. One of Shelly's coworkers went to Barcelona over the New Year and liked the city but complained about the food. We both love Spanish food so we were was disappointed (and a bit skeptical) to hear that the food was sub par. However, Lonely Planet did us right and pointed us off the beating path to some good places. One place we went for dinner was a GREAT Mexican joint. This place didn't open until 9 PM and by 9:20 was packed with a line outside. The restaurant was run by what we assume was a father and son. One of the coolest things was that when they made a margarita, they each took turns shaking the shaker until the drink was so frothy you couldn't hear the ice banging around inside. This was serious business; I would have taken a picture but I didn't want to break their concentration. I started out with a Negro Modelo but once we witnessed the making of a margarita I felt obligated to indulge. The food was prepared with the same care and ranks as some of the best Mexican food we've ever had. The city was great, but I think that meal was my highlight.

We thought the Spanish people were great, the laid back culture and vibrant atmosphere is just so much different than Germany. Basically Barcelona was a nice break from the day-to-day, Germany and our crappy weather.

--Ed