Hi everyone!
I can't believe we have only been away just over a week - feels more like six! What was supposed to be a 40 hour journey over here turned into 60 (!) thanks to a 17 hour delay in Melbourne - this included 4 hours sitting on the plane on the tarmac going nowhere due to a defect on the plane. Spent about 5 hours sleeping at the Hilton then queued and queued before finally leaving Melbourne 4 pm on the afternoon after we were meant to have left at 11 pm the day before! Finally got to Barcelona 24 hours after our scheduled arrival time. However, all that is forgotten now as we have had such an amazing time since!
Paul and Xavi's (pronounced Chabi) wedding celebrations went on for days and were absolutely fantastic and mind blowing. After a great party at the zoo on Friday night (lots of dancing - very very sore feet the day after!), the actual offical wedding was Saturday morning at the town hall which is a building that is about 700 years old! It certainly felt quite medieval. It is absolutely beautiful. We have sightseen heaps of Barcelona and done so much more. It is an absolutely amazing experience! Barcelona is a beautiful and vibrant city. David and I were last here (briefly) in 1995 and before that in 1990 and we have noticed changes even in that time, although essentially the city stays the same as it is very old, the atmosphere and general upkeep is what is different.
Our apartment is great - plenty of room for us all and a school as a neighbour - the kids all finished school for the summer break (~ 10 weeks) yesterday. Today is a public holiday as the Barcelonians celebrate the feast of Sant Joan. Last night we all went on the Metro to a street that was closed off for a party to celebrate St Joan - with a bonfire right there in the middle of the street! Fireworks and crackers going off constantly - it was a bit like being in a war zone - these spaniards are crazy (they call it loco)! No concept of safety - people in NZ would have kittens! Today we walked up to Sagrada Familia and back and still people persisted in setting off these bl**!y crackers and still thinking they were funny - I didn't!! The apartment is in the Barri Gotica - the old part of the city with very narrow streets and very interesting shops and people living here. We already feel like locals!
Climate is fantastic - consistently between 25 and 30 degrees - we feel for all of you in Wellywood in those cold temps!
We leave Barcelona on Saturday for 2 weeks in France then on to England.
Keep a track of the blog as this will track our progress!
I can't believe we have only been away just over a week - feels more like six! What was supposed to be a 40 hour journey over here turned into 60 (!) thanks to a 17 hour delay in Melbourne - this included 4 hours sitting on the plane on the tarmac going nowhere due to a defect on the plane. Spent about 5 hours sleeping at the Hilton then queued and queued before finally leaving Melbourne 4 pm on the afternoon after we were meant to have left at 11 pm the day before! Finally got to Barcelona 24 hours after our scheduled arrival time. However, all that is forgotten now as we have had such an amazing time since!
Paul and Xavi's (pronounced Chabi) wedding celebrations went on for days and were absolutely fantastic and mind blowing. After a great party at the zoo on Friday night (lots of dancing - very very sore feet the day after!), the actual offical wedding was Saturday morning at the town hall which is a building that is about 700 years old! It certainly felt quite medieval. It is absolutely beautiful. We have sightseen heaps of Barcelona and done so much more. It is an absolutely amazing experience! Barcelona is a beautiful and vibrant city. David and I were last here (briefly) in 1995 and before that in 1990 and we have noticed changes even in that time, although essentially the city stays the same as it is very old, the atmosphere and general upkeep is what is different.
Our apartment is great - plenty of room for us all and a school as a neighbour - the kids all finished school for the summer break (~ 10 weeks) yesterday. Today is a public holiday as the Barcelonians celebrate the feast of Sant Joan. Last night we all went on the Metro to a street that was closed off for a party to celebrate St Joan - with a bonfire right there in the middle of the street! Fireworks and crackers going off constantly - it was a bit like being in a war zone - these spaniards are crazy (they call it loco)! No concept of safety - people in NZ would have kittens! Today we walked up to Sagrada Familia and back and still people persisted in setting off these bl**!y crackers and still thinking they were funny - I didn't!! The apartment is in the Barri Gotica - the old part of the city with very narrow streets and very interesting shops and people living here. We already feel like locals!
Climate is fantastic - consistently between 25 and 30 degrees - we feel for all of you in Wellywood in those cold temps!
We leave Barcelona on Saturday for 2 weeks in France then on to England.
Keep a track of the blog as this will track our progress!
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