Barcelona, Part II

Here comes several more pictures of our travels together.  The day after this the conference started for Michael, so I played tourist on my own.

When you travel by yourselves, you get really good at taking pictures of yourselves!

This is the hotel we moved into after 2 days of staying in a very small apartment.  I didn't think I was such a diva until I moved from that to a 5 star hotel.  Wow!  I love being spoiled!  And somebody else picking up the tab...  hehe

These are pictures from the Olympic Stadium.  The olympics were held here in 1992, but the stadium was built in 1929 for the Internation Exhibition, and in hopes that the olympics would be here the next year.  These pictures are taken from the outside, of the field, and the "covered seating" that was built then lifted into place so there were no beams to obstruct the view.  Pretty cool!

Placa d'Espanya

This is the "gateway" to Montjuic (mountain of the Jew, named for the Jewish cemetary there).  This is a hill where the MNAC is (a picture that is in the last post) and where the Olympic stadium and events were held.  There are also various gardens and other museums.

A city plaza, about 10:00 pm

A view of Barcelona from Mount Tibidabo

Mount Tibidabo is an interesting place. It stands was up on a hill (obviously) that you can see from anywhere in the city.  We took a trolley car up part way, then the "Funicular", a sort of train that goes to the top.  At the top, there is a cathedral and an amusement park.  Bizarre combination.  But it was beautiful.

One of many random shopping buildings, by night.  

Hola de Barcelona!

Michael and I on the tour bus!

I know you've all been anxiously waiting so here goes.  We arrived last Friday afternoon, it took about 3 hours for us to unload, get our bags and get out of the airport.  Then it took another 30-45 minutes to get a taxi.  We finally made it to the apartment we were staying in while waiting for the guy with the key, realized we had left our camera in the taxi.  We got inside, spent about an hour on the phone with the taxi company to no avail, took a small nap, I got in the shower to warm up, and we went out for the evening.  It was colder than I thought and we couldn't figure out how to turn the heat on until later.  I warmed up, we bought a new camera, and had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe.  Yeah Hard Rock!  I love that place.  What I don't love right now is how bad the dollar is doing.  The Euro is much stronger right now (1 Euro = $1.60), so we are paying 1 1/2 times more for everything.  Other than that, prices are pretty equal.

On Saturday and Sunday, we bought a pass to a hop-on-hop-off tour bus (the double decker kind) and toured around the city that way.  A great way to go.  Gave us a good feel for the city, and where the highlights were.  Well here are a few photos from our first few days in Spain!

Us eating at Hard Rock Cafe Barcelona!

The beach boardwalk at Port Olimpic, and two old men enjoying the sun.  hehe

Barcelona's pride and joy, La Sagrada Familia (The Sacred Family)

This is an interesting building.  One entrance is all gothic style, very similar to other cathedrals, but much more elaborate, designed by Gaudi.  The other entrance was built recently by a different architect and very modern and blocky.  It's quite bizarre, if you ask me.  The towers and very tall and ornate, as you can see.  Eventually there will be twelve towers for the disciples of Christ and a taller one for him.  It still isn't finished and has been under construction for over 100 years.

MNAC: el Museu Nacional de Arte Catalunya

This houses the art museum, but even though we went inside, they closed about 20 minutes later, so we didn't buy a ticket.  Maybe another day.

La Casa Mila or La Padrera

This was an apartment building built by Gaudi, one of Barcelona's most famous architects.  I has a courtyard in the middle, so all the room have natural lighting.  The curves of the building are supposed to imitate the "waves of the Mediterranean." Even the roof of this building is amazing, maybe even more interesting than the inside.

Okay, here a glimpse of our first two days.  I'll do more later, but I'm burning daylight trying to get this all done. So much to see, so little time! The internet is a little different here (and my computer keeps switching from English to Spanish!), and I've had some troubles.  But eventually, this will get done!

Later.

Here, there and everywhere

I know it's been a while.  But I don't have much to report, although I'm very busy right now...

Michael and I leave for Spain, Barcelona specifically, on Thursday and will be gone for a week!  He's going for a conference for 3 days, and he had enough sky miles to fly me over for free.  We'll have three days together, then I'll have 3 on my own while he's in the conference.  So, today I'm doing laundry and starting to pack bags for us and the boys.  Grandparents are watching the boys while we're gone...thanks moms and dads!

On another note, yesterday Michael scored tickets to an afternoon Bees baseball game.  We went at lunch time.  It was 80 degrees out and lovely, even though it was a bit windy.  Today, even as I'm typing this, it is snowing outside.  And hard.  This has been the craziest year. 

So, tomorrow is my last day at work.  It would normally be such a great day, but I really love my job and especially the people I work with.  I've been there for 3 years and am good friends with everybody I work with.  I'm really going to miss seeing them all the time.  You guys rock!

After we get home from Barcelona I'll be home for two weeks, then school starts!  I'll start my 2 year marathon of classes every day from 8-5.  And I think we may have found a nanny!!  I'm so excited.  A roommate of our niece called and said she was interested.  The downside is it's only for the summer, but then I found someone through the nanny website I've been using that is available after summer and wants a long term job, like 2 years!  If that works out, it would be awesome.  A huge relief to me.  Whew!

Well, that's about it for now.  My next post will probably be from Espana!  I'll try to load my favore 1-2 pictures everyday so I can share some of our adventures!  Ole!

My New Do!

I did it!  I cut my hair short and dyed it blond, well put in blond highlights anyway!  I'm thinking either people love it or hate it because they either rave about it to me or don't say anything at all.  It's such a drastic difference that it's not like people just don't notice.  So when they don't say anything...

That's okay because I like it!  Here is a pic!

Keagan-pants turns 2!

Don't ask me how he ended up with that nickname, but it's what I call him.  I think it comes from 'cutie-pants'.  He loves bikes.  The problem is he's not big enough to pedal, and we're so lucky that he got a new one for his birthday!  

His vocabulary is really growing.  Up until about 1-2 months ago, he could say "mama" and "mo" (or no).  Now he says mom, dad, juice, chew (shoe), bompa (grandpa), eye (I, eye, and ice), mo (no), Pabo (Pablo from Backyardigans), among many, many others.  And of course 'mine' is as clear as a bell!  He is two after all.  Everyday he has a new word, it's so fun! 

We are having issues with sleeping in a bed.  This is naptime.  He refused to go into his room, and ended up falling asleep on the stairs.  This is even more funny because just the day before I was joking with my visiting teacher that he'll end up sleeping on the stairs all night if he doesn't stay in his bed.  Moms always know best.  =)

We had a party tonight with both our families here, and had so much fun!  He got lots of gifts that he loves...a lawnmower (bubble blowing), tool belt and tools, fire truck, tricycle, ball, Thomas trains, Thomas pajamas, a Backyardigans movie...man is this boy spoiled or what?

Happy Birthday Buddy!!

Wait...What?!

This is what I woke up to this morning.  Yesterday I went to work with a jacket on, and didn't even wear it on the way out to my car.  Then this morning...it's snowing!  That's right.  Today is March 27th, almost April and it's snowing outside!  I guess we do have a few good ski days left this year!

I had to brush the snow off the flowers to even see that that's what was underneath.  Here's another pretty picture of the cute pink flowers that are blooming in my front yard, under all the snow!

Zander on the slopes!