Its better in barcelona..

Park Guell and Gaudi...lots and lots of Gaudi



Sagrada Familia in the distance


I know I am not suppose to choose favorites, but I can't help myself on this one.
I am in awe of all this city has to offer. Every corner offers some sort of eye candy. The contrast of old and new - the mixture of the young and the old - the energy here is vibrant and never sleeps.I feel like I have been welcomed by the city with open arms. The Spaniards are friendly, social people.. And their soccer team ain't' bad (looking!) to boot...



One of the many beach side gyms



Beach side gym with spectator seats. (We snuck back at night and worked on our pull ups)



We are staying in the Villa Olimpica area of Barcelona for our fifth and final home exchange. We are just up from the beach and the never ending boardwalk that connects all of Barcelona's waterfront. They have done a magnificent job here developing the waterfront, all thanks to the '92 Olympics. Lots of parkland,dedicated cycling/rollerbalde lanes, outdoor gyms, children's playgrounds,beach side bars and cafes... We were not expecting this to be a beach trip, but it is hard not to spend at least a couple of hours a day swimming and suntanning.Cruising the boardwalk is pure entertainment in itself. Five euro massages are also a very good thing..

I think we are most impressed with just how big this city is and the ease at which one can travel through it. 147 Km of biking trails throughout the city! Super wide,tree-lined pedestrian walkways course up the center of most streets and are full of people walking and riding. Every few feet there is some sort of bench or chair - 34,446 of them to be exact. All just waiting for someone to stroll by to stop and chat with a neighbor or watch the world go by.



Shopped out..

We are putting in 8-10 hour days wandering. I figure its good ironman training for Mike. If he can survive a day sightseeing, shopping and suntanning in 30 degree heat ..with kids in tow..-he can do anything. I am amazed that my children can go without food, water and bathroom breaks for hours at a time while shopping.Their shopping stamina is awe inspiring.. A "promised' trip to H& M or Zara gets unbelievable mileage out of them. A "promised"Gelato only gets me about 45min...it use to get me about 1:30hr . They are catching on..as the trip progresses the stakes get higher.Today I traded a new pair of skate shoes for a trip to the amusement park. I just couldn't deal with the crowds, the heat and cotton candy...


The kids trying to convince Mike to buy them a hamster on Las Ramblas



The beach culture is alive and naked here. Oh, to be in your twenties traveling....

Unfortunately we have also had our first encounter with crowds. We have heard just how crazy Europe becomes in the summer. It is not a lie.It is busy and it is hot! I consider us very lucky to have haphazardly chosen the spring for our travels. We were often by our lonesome in many touristy spots...made for perfect photo ops, but poor people watching.



Museu d'Art de Catalunya




The Majic Fountain by Buigas



We have had a blast here watching world cup soccer on the beach.Max is probably their most avid fan fully decked out in soccer attire most days (another bribe...). It will be interesting to see where our loyalties lie on Saturday...




Loving Barcelona!