» Week 6A – Karen’s Summary of Spain, Barcelona Travelling Europe With Kids

We left Orepesa on Saturday and drove to Barcelona airport to drop off our car! Hard to believe our time in Spain was coming to an end. Hard to believe how much luggage we have especially when we had to carry it on the train and metro to the middle of town! Daniel was leaning over almost parallel to the ground with his back pack on and Amy got whacked in the leg be the metro door, but we finally made it safe and sound to our apartment in the middle of the Sagrada Familia – the tourist suburb of Barcelona where the Sagrada Familia cathedral stands.

What a great place! Firstly, the cathedral is fantastic, and we could see it from our window! Although we didn’t get time to go inside, it was still a superb building to look at everyday. Secondly, the apartment, though small, was really nice and so central. We loved it. And it had a good shower with unlimited hot water!

Here is a list of the highlights of Barcelona:

our apartment – great location
the Sagrada Familia – awesome cathedral
Antoni Gaudi’s buildings. We loved them all and really enjoyed walking around the Park Gruell
walks with Dad at night
Spanish chocolate drink and pastries on the last night. I’d been trying to get one for ages, but the places I went kept giving me a ‘normal’ hot chocolate. The real thing is great I have to say, more of a dessert than a drink
Walking around the Gothic quarter. Lovely architecture and small streets.
Walking around the expensive quarter. I loved looking at all the amazing dresses (or should I say gowns) in the windows. The McCafe was great too – my first experience of what I call the ‘toaster’ hand dryer. You put your wet hands in this large plastic ‘toaster’ and hot air is blown all around them – just like a massage for your hands. Wonderful – they should make one for your feet..people would come to shops just to use the driers I’m sure.
Talking about feet, did you know that in Barcelona you can go to a bar and put your feet in a glass box/aquarium with live fish. While you drink your champagne the fish will nibble at your tired feet, making you feel quite refreshed. All for only 15 euros per person. Unfortunately we decided against this option and went for a real aquarium..though we made sure to keep all our body parts a long way out of the shark tank.
The aquarium, with its shark tunnel.. super long and super fun. Pretty cool fish too, both the kids were pretty busy with the camera.