I HAVE A NEW PASSPORT!!!

I mean all problems have been solved and we are back on track to finish out our trip smoothly as we continue on to France in the morning by going to Carcassonne after a brief stop after somewhere, but honestly we are so tired we can’t remember what Pauline told us. :^)  We’ll write it somewhere for tomorrow night’s blog while we’re not sleeping on the bus.

Today, however, was a FABULOUS day for everyone; jam packed full of Gaudi, Gaudi, and more Gaudi.  The kids learned a lot today and probably can tell you everything you need to know about….. wait…… what was his name?  Oh yeah, Gaudi.  We started this day with a bus tour of Barcelona, it’s Mediterranean coastline, the Olympic stadium, and an old bull fighting ring (bull fighting has been outlawed in Barcelona now and only a few events are still held in Madrid…now there’s only basebull, basketbull, and beach volleybull and bull hockey).** but mostly * :^).  No seriously…. We wouldn’t steer you wrong.

Annnnnnnnnd we’re walking……

Our next stop was La Sagrada Familia, a cathedral started by Gaudi, with plans left for others to finish because he knew it would not be completed during his lifetime.  It is still under construction (paid for with only donated funds) and will be completed 100 years after his death in 2026.  Gaudi wanted this cathedral to be warm and colorful, a contrast to the dark, cold, gothic style church (ie, Notre Dame).  It also uses images found in nature, as Gaudi loved nature and put it into everything he created, with natural lines and contours as well as imagery.  Which brings us to our next stop, lunch.*  It happened to be at a buffet called Lactuca (a chain in Spain…you choose how to finish that :^).

After lunch we continued on to Casa Mila.  A house built by ol’ what’s his name* as a residence for Mrs. Mila, a affluent member of the Barcelona community at the time of its construction.  There are no straight lines in the exterior of this building nor any 90 degree angles.  It was built to represent the sea, including seaweed iron balconies, and tile floors with sea creatures carved into them.

From there we went to Parc Güell, this park was designed by Gaudi and originally was to be the center of 60 homes built for the upper class to live in, however his work did not sell, nor was it popular at the time, so only one was sold of the three that were built, Gaudi kept one, and the third house went to one of Spain’s higher-ups (we think).  The road the houses is held up by a columnar bridge designed to look like palm trees.  This is where all of the girls got the answer to the question they have been asking for the last few days; “In Barcelona, do we get to see where the Cheetah Girls went in their movie?”   This is the place.  There is a dragon that “guards” the entrance to the parc that was in the movie.  Please refer to the picture. :^)

After Parc Guell we did a little more sight seeing on the bus, and then ended at Plaza Catalunya to watch some street performers and make some phone calls.  From there we walked to dinner at a Tapas restaurant.  This dinner consisted of a mixed green salad with veggies for an appetizer, chicken and patatas (taters to you and me)* and chocolate mousse and chocolate for dessert.  At the end of dinner we took the Metro (which I, of course, was apprehensive about, but the kids did just fine) back to the bottom of La Rambla to a Flamenco show.  We didn’t have time to explain Flamenco to the kids prior to the show, so Pauline explained it when the show was over, how the music and singing represent unhappiness, hurt, anger, and sadness for different family, or historic situations.  Flamenco is not just dancing.  In fact it started as songs around a campfire where poor families didn’t own a drum or guitar to accompany the singing.  The beat was held by rhythmic clapping and stomping which are now key “instruments” in the performance.

Then we walked back to the hotel.  Though it was a busy day, it was chock full of education, history, and culture, not to mention, problem solving, relationship building, bonding, and fun.  We may owe our good fortune today to Kenna, who, while at Plaza Catalunya, took one for the team*, and was the lucky recipient* of a kamikaze pigeon, who pooped on her sleeve, exacting revenge for yesterday’s terrorizing.**  Gracias Kenna.

So much for finishing before midnight.  Going to bed.  Hasta demain!

(PS, I will have a new page linked to this one for our time in France, if I can figure out how to get it to work. :^)