Weekly check in

Apparently I'm making this blog a weekly check in. I have such grand ideas to write during the week, and suddenly the week flashes by and I've written nothing. Well, written nothing for the blog.

This week, outside of work, has been all about research and planning for the up and coming Great Adventure of 2015. I'm now so prepared to be in Barcelona and living the life of a real Catalunyan.  Even though I'll have to speak Spanish with them, I'm hoping to fit right in.

Actually what I'm hoping is that I'll be able to keep up with Seattle SIL.  I've upped my work outs lately - suddenly realizing that the trip is a short 40 days away.

This last week I purchased all of our "excursions" in Barcelona. SIL and I had decided what we wanted to do and I went to work buying tickets.

Wanna see a list? You know you do...

First thing we'll be doing is eating. We get in to Barcelona around 9am. By the time we get out of the airport and to the hotel, it'll be lunch time. Might as well take full advantage of tasting the flavors of Barcelona.

After that, we'll be visiting La Sagrada Familia. The enormous gothic cathedral built, originally, by Gaudi. We have a tour arranged, but we plan on spending some time after that just checking out the church. And by "checking out" I mean doing some photography. 

I'm also thrilled that we'll get to go up in one of the towers. While not a fan of heights, I can't pass up the opportunity to do this. The elevator will take us up, and we have to take the stairs down.

Last year we didn't have enough time there, I thought. I figured I could have easily spend another hour or two there.

This year (wouldn't it be nice to make this a yearly trip) we have plenty of time. I'm also going to try to purchase tickets for us to go up in the towers.  WEEE...

The next thing on the list is the Hop On Hop off bus tour. I love these touristy little things. They get you to all the hot spots of the city and you get a chance in a very short time to see everything the city has deemed "important" and touristy.  We bought a two day pass so I'm not too worried about getting it all done in the short 4 days there.

Thursday SIL talked me into, it didn't take much, going to the Picasso museum.  She also wanted to see the Opera house and so I managed to find a tour of the Picasso museum AND the opera house. I did some research and realized that I wanted to see the opera house too. Who knew?  Again, more photography opportunities.

I'm not a huge art buff so wasn't looking forward to the Picasso museum. Then I started reading about Picasso. Turns out it might be interesting after all. I'll be broadening my horizons (and by that I don't mean my a$$ - though as much eating as SIL plans on doing, that might happen too).

Friday we'll be going to La Pedrera and Casa Batllo. I ... cannot...wait...

I wanted to check out these two houses last year, but again, no time. This year, I'll be snooping in drawers and peeking into closets. Well, maybe not. But I'll be checking out the amazing mind of Antonio Gaudi by seeing his houses. Oh and doing some photography of said houses.

The other things we'll be doing, but doesn't require a tour, is walking Las Ramblas - stopping at every tapas bar we can (see early note about broadening my a$$). We'll be doing the Rick Steves walking tour of the Barri Gothic - Gothic Quarter - which is going to be a highlight for me. And we'll be visiting the beaches.   I'm taking a little bit of dad with me and we'll be scattering some of his ashes into the water. Dad loved Spain and I think this will be a nice tribute for him.

And lastly, we'll be closing out our Barcelona trip with a Flamenco show. Not traditional to Catalunya, but to Spain.

Other things that happened this week...well book club of course.

Vines & Spines read The Night Circus this month - my pick. And generally everyone loved the book.