Transition to Sitges

Final pictures of Barcelona before we left. You can see the full view of the Sagrada familia from our hotel, as well as the seemingly bombed out building, which is really a brand new apartment building with hurricane shutters on each balcony.

Well it was a quandry about taking the train or a cab to Sitges. There was a wealth of information....all of it different and well meant. Edgar, the 15^th floor concierge, thought we should take the train, but warned that it would be difficult with luggage (and we have three suitcases) and that we would have to be quick after we pressed the “open” button for the train door,because they close immediately and there are steps(I had visions of myself and my luggage,caught in the train door and on the way to the next suburb,while Bill waited patiently on the platform). One desk clerk thought it would be 150 Euros, one thought it would be 50, one thought we would be idiots not to take a cab...etc. Eventually we agreed that taking a cab to the enormous station, either Sants or Gracia, buying tickets, finding the right platform,the right train,climbing lots of steps with luggage and finding vacant seats for the luggage (there are no luggage storage areas above seats on Spanish trains), was to much. We asked Juan,the bell guy, to find a cab where the driver didn't smoke and spoke some English and lo and behold, he found a cab that fit the most important qualification...no smoking. Our very happy cab driver was thrilled to keep repeating, “No fume, No fume,” as we got into the cab and he was an excellent driver. Forty-five minutes later we were at the Melia Sitges, where Bill's Motivational Interviewing training will go on for three days, starting tomorrow.

Sitges is an interesting town on the Costa Brava, and our hotel is in the North part of town. It is about a 15 minute walk to downtown along the seawall and past lots of vacation homes. The Spanish tend to live in apartments (like our condos) not in individual homes with lawns. There are some beautiful vacation homes here (probably primarily owned by the British and French). Bill has taken a picture of one I'd like to have, with a roof garden and a fireplace, looking out on the Mediterranean. Also pictures of sunset behind the hotel as well as amazingly big house built right on the coast.

It was very windy when we arrived (lawn furniture was actually flying) but has calmed down a lot since then. We went to an MI reception of instructors and participants, where I managed to survive Bill pouring a whole glass of red wine down my front, when he made a grand gesture, while holding a full glass. I changed and made it back before the end (though my white jacket will never be the same). We were too tired to go out tonight (not as spry as those 80 somethings in Barcelona) and ordered in a pizze.Before it arrived, the management sent Champagne (or Spanish cava)

to help us celebrate our 30^th wedding anniversary,which Bill has been celebrating at various hotels since 1990. If he would simply employ my idea of adding together both of our first marriages (4 for him, 9 for me, and our marriage to each other – 31 years this Summer – we'd be celebrating our 44^th anniversary!) It was a lovely gesture and we toasted you guys out on the patio. Missing you all.

Tomorrow,he will be learning and I will go explore the downtown and we'll post more tomorrow. I have to say,I really miss our daughter and her family and wish they were here with us!

Cathederal, lunch, and picasso

What a day...or rather, What a night...which ran into day! Last night we learned that when Barcelona throws a concert, it doesn't start a 8 and run until 11. It starts at 10:00 p.m. And runs until 5:00 a.m. We called the front Desk at 4:00 a.m. Only to be told, with a sigh, that it would not be over for another hour. We moved rooms this morning, to the other side of the hotel. We are hoping that the music festival(which runs through tomorrow night,by the way) will not affect us on this side...when we are wearing ear plugs....and have had a lot of red wine to drink.


Today we did the green and blue lines of the bus turistica, which took us to the Barri Gotic (the old city) so we could see Santa Maria del Mar (Our lady of the Sea) church, started in the 13th century and finished in the 15th. I loved it, very plain but gorgeous stained glass and tiny chapels all around the main altar, dedicated to various saints.


From there, we went to the Museu Picasso, which was really beautiful. It's in the Ribera district, in a very, very old building and has paintings from all of his career, starting as a young boy in Spain. I prefer his early work, as does Bill and we enjoyed seeing all of it in such a historic building.
Another Gaudi building sighted - he was so ahead of his time that Salvador Dali studied his work.

After a full morning we decided to stop for lunch at a spot close by. It's always interesting being in a foreign country. We make so many assumptions and are so often surprised! What I read on the menu, is not at all what I expected for lunch, “Eggs, with potatoes, green chile and local sausage.” I got a beautiful, small baguette, with fresh tomato and olive oil spread on the bread, and an omelet of egg, potato,sausage and green chile. It was good, just not what I expected. Our lovely waitress was Japanese, probably a student (Barcelona has four Universities) and spoke Japanese and Spanish (also some English because she said, “Okay” when we pointed at something). I wished our daughter and her family were with us, because I would have ordered the liter of Sangria!


Then we noticed a lovely store with ornate masks of every description and bill got a good pix. See who else is in pix!


On to the Cathedral of Barcelona, built in the 14th century and dedicated to St. Eulalia, a martyr. No, I don't know why or how she was martyred, though I am sure she's one of the 1400 saints whose deaths I was forced to memorize in the 8th grade. She is buried in the church crypt. There are 29 chapels surrounding this church and there is a life-size figure of Christ, carried into the tick of a naval battle aboard the royal Spanish flagship.

We road the blue line of the Bus Turistic all around Barcelona today (road the red line yesterday) and went through Montjuc park, olympic area, Port Vell, Barcelonetta and back to our hotel. Another George Bush banner appeared and this time I have photographed it closer so that someone can tell me what it means!
When we got off the bus,a block away, I pointed out to Bill that an elderly couple I had seen at breakfast at our hotel got off right behind us. They had to be in their 80s and were amazingly spry. We had the good fortune to be at the concierge “snack and bar area” at they same time they were there and they sat next to us. He served under General MacArthur during the war as a naturalized American citizen and they have been married for 67 years. MacArthur told him he only thought of the families of his men, before deciding if he would put them into battle.
He is still working, every day in San Francisco, as a landscape architect, with an international clientèle. They were funny and so interesting,and we spent a long time with them tonight, laughing and telling stories. They wanted us to go with them to Montserrat tomorrow, but we already have plans for our last day here before we take the the train to Sitges on Sunday. We are hoping to see them at Breakfast tomorrow,and they will no doubt beat us down there. Bear in mind that they flew from San Francisco to Berlin (so he could do some work there) and then here, and on the 3rd they will fly to Majorca for a few days and then to Zürich, “for as long as the money holds out,” Ernst said. I admire them so and hope that we are able to travel when we are that age.
We miss you all, but we are having a good time and will post more...as we go along.

Arrival Barcelona and City Day Trip

Too tired to blog yesterday, that was the two days of travel.

Rode Denver to Chicago in new 767, business class, where the seats go flat and they have a regular tv in front of you, with many channels and many movies. WOW. That would have been nice for Chicago to Frankfort. Too bad we didn't sleep on that leg.

As loud Canadian and loud Scotsman somehow got into two seats behind us (male and female) who became chatty new acquaintances ALL NIGHT LONG. Considered telling them I was infected with swine flu and if they didn't be quiet I would cough on them!!!!

Hilton Diagonal Mar – more of a business hotel away from town, for which we were thankful, as it is most quiet – near the water and beach. Here is our beautiful view.

Today Sagrada familia (Temple of the Holy Family), still under construction since 1880 . Antonio Gaudi's temple. Pix above. Due to be completed in 2030. Also saw his garden (Park Guell), pix also above, unbelievable artist. It is said that when Salvador Dali visited his garden overlooking the city he was filled with “unforgettable anguish.” I kind of liked it!

You can also see the picture with George Bush on “flag”. He must still be pretty popular here!

And you can see the bus we traveled on – looks very romantic!!!!

Tomorrow is Barri Gottic (old city ) day and the cathederal (with pool time built in for Kathy). Met folks from Minnesota today at sidewalk cafe. The had done rome, venice and florence last week when europe was very HOT. Hope it cools off before we get there. Barcelona very nice 70s and cool at night. That is all. bk

Are we there yet........

My friend, Caroline, suggested we post an itinerary, which is a good idea because even I can't keep it straight. We leave tomorrow morning and Cameron arrives in the afternoon to take up his house/pet sitting duties. Here is our itinerary (sorry no pix with this, but if there was one, we'd look frazzled!):

5/26 Start trip (Denver-Chicago-Frankfurt, Barcelona)
5/27-5/31 Barcelona
5/31-6/4 Sitges for the MI workshop
6/4 - 6/6 Rome
6/7-6/12 Florence, Venice and back to Rome
6/13-6/15 Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast
6/15-6/26 Celebrity Solstice - 11 nits Eastern Med. cruise
Rome, Santorini, Mykonos, Istanbul, Ephesus, Athens, Naples, Rome (with 3 sea days in the mix)
6/26-6/29 Cavalieri Hotel in Rome
6/29 Rome, Dulles, Denver, Home!

At home prep time

Yes you can see by the photo's that Kathy has her dress ready for the big night on the boat, but bill only has his suitcase opened.
So now we are also trying to figure out how to add photo's? yikes, why are they vertical and not side by side? Any help out there?