See You In Spain!!!

When we got off our Disney cruise through Northern Europe in August 2022, Sam immediately announced, "The next European Disney cruise we go on should be in the Mediterranean with Oma & Opa!" He invited them to join us and they said they would. So Sam picked the cruise and we booked it back in March 2024.

Then my mom was diagnosed with cancer and all travel was put on hold. Thankfully, she had successful surgery and the doctor gave her the all clear to travel in May of this year so Sam (with some help from me) did a lot of planning in May and June. We booked plane tickets, he planned excursions, he did research, we solicited input from everyone, and we made lots of plans! Another wrinkle was that my dad's hip was not great this summer so we had to make some accommodations around that as well. I was so glad that he ended up being well enough to do this trip.

It's been almost three months since we took this trip but I've been wanting to blog about it so, for the next few weeks, I'm taking you to Europe with us.

 

We've talked a lot about packing and travelling as bloggers. Well, for this trip, we booked the cheapest flights possible so we could only bring carry on. This was my suitcase the day we left -- still lots of room for souvenirs! (As an aside, I find it much easier to pack carry on in the summer.)

We flew TAP, an Portuguese airline, and I was very excited that they had pillows and blankets on all our seats. Not many airlines do that anymore. Also, the food was really good. We arrived in Barcelona, Spain about an hour after my parents did so we met up at the airport. We were all so excited to be together! We got to our hotel and the name of the game was to stay awake.

Mom and Dad were willing to have a kid stay with them in the hotels so Sam stayed with them in Barcelona and our rooms were right next to each other. Our hotel was in a fairly central location which was nice. We grabbed a quick lunch from a supermarket and then Dave, Rachel, and I took a subway to a very special Sephora. The others were too tired to come with us.  

 

This particular Sephora had an optional slide for an entrance. Dave and Rachel enjoyed it! I took the stairs :)

 

Rachel was very happy with her Sephora purchase! That night we went to a local restaurant for a tapas dinner and Mom, Dave, and I walked down to the beach. We were looking for the "hop on, hop off" bus stop and didn't realize there was one practically across the street from our hotel. Ooops. However, it was lovely to have a walk.

The next morning we got up and got on the "hop on, hop off" bus. Our plan was to spend the day discovering Barcelona and I really think these buses are a great way to do that!

We were sooooo excited to be together in Europe!!! 

  

Because of my dad's hip, and the fact that we were all still pretty jet lagged, we didn't plan to get off at many stops. There were two routes to ride in Barcelona and we rode both of them. It was such a great way to see the city.

 

The one spot we did get off was at Camp Nou. This is the home stadium of FC Barcelona and it was way more interesting than I was anticipating!

 

 

I loved seeing all the artwork and all the Gaudi inspired buildings. Some day I'd love to go back to Barcelona and tour some of his more famous spots like Park Guell and Casa Batllo. Maybe we'll go back when Camp Nou and the Sagrada Familia are completed!

 

We had a quick stop at a cafe by our hotel for a little pick me up and then we had tickets to see Sagrada Familia. 

 

We had a tour booked but we also had time to explore on our own. The tour was very interesting but the time on our own was very meaningful. I walked into the cathedral and immediately teared up. It was unlike any other cathedral I have been in.

It was so light and airy and beautiful. I was really in awe. If you ever have a chance to visit, I would highly recommend it. It was one of the most incredible cathedrals I have ever been in. It didn't feel full and overwhelming like Westminster Abbey or Notre Dame. It reminded me a little of the Cardboard Cathedral in Chrstchurch, New Zealand in that it was large and uncluttered. 

After visiting Sagrada Familia, we headed back to the beach for supper. I had found a recommendation for paella and it was a 10 minute walk from our hotel. I can't remember why they brought the "catches of the day" over for us to peruse but we were quite surprised to have a plate of fish staring us. It was even more shocking when the lobster started walking around!

I think the picture on the right is a better picture of us, but the picture on the left shows how close to the water we were. This was such a celebratory meal together after a day of exploring Barcelona. And the paella was delicious!!!

 

So that was the kick off to our European adventure with Oma & Opa. Stay tuned for more fun to come!