Barcelona, Spain

Getting to Barcelona was quite the adventure, as the plane actually goes to a small town called Gerona, which is a hour outside of Barcelona. Our flight from Paris was scheduled to depart at 10:55pm, but as soon as it took off, the pilot came right back down and parked the plane because something "didn't feel right". We were stuck on the tarmac until past midnight. As patient as the kids were while we were waiting for the plane to take off, by the time we landed in Spain, they had had it. I knew we would be landing late so I booked a hotel that was "200 meters from the airport" as it stated on their website, which should have been less than a quarter mile. We get off the plane with our frantically screaming children, collect our luggage and head out the door, assuming that since this hotel is the only hotel within 20 miles and it is so close, it will be easy to find. Wrong. We were soon walking though the Spanish countryside carrying all our belongings along a dark road with our children who had not stopped screaming since the plane landed. Finally Rob sees a van marked with the name of our hotel and waves them down. The shuttled proceeds to take us way more than 200 meters, over a freeway and to our hotel. While it was the nicest hotel we stayed in in Europe, I shake my fist at them for giving the allusion they are "at the airport".

The next morning we head into Barcelona and were surprised at how quickly we fell in love with the city. It felt foreign, but it also felt familiar. The sea-side city had similar feelings to a California beach city, but with the history of something that had been around since before Rome. Bright sun and beautiful ocean views welcomed us to the city of Gaudi.

The Port of Barcelona 

Barcelona Beach

Las Ramblas

Mercat de Sant Josep

Their street performers were out of this world. This guy honestly scared me.

Between the boardwalk and Las Ramblas is the Christopher Columbus monument pointing to America. 

Were we told Barcelona belongs to the artist Antonio Gaudi. This became very clear as everything in the city has his mark on it. Parc Guell, one of the many masterpieces, is a large park with interesting architecture throughout.

Gaudi's most famous work of art in Barcelona, La Sagrada Familia. The construction of this church started in 1882 and has an anticipated completion date of 2026.

Another one of Gaudi's additions to the city, Casa Batllo, which is an apartment that an aristocrat commissioned Gaudi to create.

We took a gondola ride up to the top of a coastal mountain to get a view of the city. 

We had no idea how big Barcelona was until we saw this view. 

La Sagrada Familia is the the right of Harper.

Walking back down, we found this slide. I don't know why I am so fascinated with European playground equipment, but I just love it. This one was so scary, Luke and I only did it once.

The National Art Museum

Walking around the city were stopped to listened to this musician while Luke further entertained the crowd with his dancing. FYI, Luke dances like a white boy!

We also caught sight of a Flamenco Dancer. 

Right before we left, we stopped by the Arc de Triomf and the Museum of Chocolate. Chocolate is definitely the best way to say goodbye to a city.