Feb 4
Well, we are off. Currently sitting in the Newark airport with a 4 hour layover prior to heading out to Barcelona. The flight from SEA was moved to an earlier time so we were up at 2 a.m. The flight over the US is the first time we have ever flown cross-country where every inch was white – and rough the whole way. The massive storm certainly hit everywhere, like a clean sheet thrown over everything. I have been reading how the arctic is 20 degrees warmer than ever, and very little ice in places for the polar bears or other winter animals’ needs. The result is also that the “temperature fence” that keeps polar air circulating north of the arctic circle has failed and we down south are getting all the cold weather that belongs up there. You sure can tell! The piles of snow here at EWK are mountainous…well, we now must kill 4 hours of layover time. 12 hours until Espana!
Feb 5 (yawn)
Arrived in Barcalona early Saturday morning…only about 2 hours sleep in last 24. Brilliant red sunrise, with indigo sky above the red fading into inky black full of bright sparks in the sky. Every quarter of the sky showed a different sparkling constellation as we flew over the coast of Spain/Portugal. Orion's belt welcomed us itno town. Then we caught the quick A-1 bus into town to the Placa de Catalunya and walked 2 blocks up Rambla de Catalunya to our hotel where !joy! our room was ready and waiting for us. We dumped our baggage and started a slow ramble down the Ramblas (Arabic for “stream”) in the old town, main tourist street of the old town. The central meridian of the street was packed with bird markets (dead and live), street artists, mimes, and families out for their Sabado passeig. A stroll through the massive La Boqueria (produce market) was an intensive education in the Espana menu and left us both fearful and salivating – sometimes at the same time. We then continued down the Ramblas to the harbor and across the fanciful footbridge to stare at large boats, sailing yachts and the weekend crowds. By now our stomachs were growling and Kathie’s head was spinning from lack of sleep – a quick Beef carpacio with shaved parmesan and arugula, marinated with Spanish beer, aqua con gas, and topped off by fried baby calamari, then back to the hotel for a 6 hour nap.
At 9 p.m. it became clear we needed to venture out again to find a bar to watch FC Barcelona play Atletico de Madrid. This was not the Real Madrid vs. FCB game we expected so we did not shell out the 300 Euros for tickets but instead found a local bar to eat and drink dinner at during the game. FCB dominated, of course. Time to test Kathie’s newly learned Spanish…wine typically will help loosen the tongue but Long Island Ice Tea does a better job. Had dinner at Obama’s restaurante, with him seatedat our table-he wasn'tmuch of a conversationalist. Mark continues to try spaghetti carbonara and fails to match Kathie’s recipe…Kathie had cuatro estaciones pizza with tuna, black olives, jamon and tomatoes…yummy as usual, but a new flavor included (tuna). Pictures to follow tomorrow as we left the camera cable at home and need to buy a new one!
Midnight almost and off to bed, perchance to dream....or snore. Thanks Long Island!