Category: Europe 2024

Sand, Sun, and Sitges

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September 5, 2024

All good things must come to an end, and our cruise returned back to Barcelona Thursday morning. We got up early and ate breakfast right away and then finished getting ready/packing.

Early in the trip we had made the joke about our trip having three parts – the first part was exploring Spain – the next was the cruise and all of that entailed – and the third “half” was Sitges (a beach community outside of Barcelona).

We picked up our car rental, and we were on our way to Sitges. One of the gals that I worked with had recommended Sitges because it is a nice beach community and it’s where her and her family/friends would vacation.

I was so happy that we were going to be outside of Barcelona. This was a much smaller community, and right on the water. We had done a lot of research months ago – and had landed on one hotel. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any ADA rooms – so we ended up switching to a different hotel.

Sometimes the universe gives us what we need, even when we don’t know we need it yet! We ended up at ME Sitges Terramar. It was a very beautiful hotel with a sheltered cove that made it easy to splash around in the water – or try your luck at stand up paddle boarding.

After we dropped our luggage we made our way to our first winery of the day – Juvé & Camps. We needed to rally after not getting a ton of sleep the night before – because we were excited for this tour.

Juvé & Camps is known for making top-quality Cava. Founded in 1921, they farm over 270 hectares of vineyards, focusing on organic practices. Their Cavas are distributed worldwide, so there’s a chance you may have even seen them in your local store! Jon had set up a tour for us – and it was very small. Just another couple from Wales. It was a great tour and fun to see their cellars. At the end they also gave us some characteurie boards.

While in the cave, our guide brought us to a little room pictured below to continue his lesson on making Cava, the disgorging process. We are quite familiar with the process with my love of quality sparkling wine and out tour through the Champagne region. The process is basically to pop the top of the bottle that has been aging and under extreme pressure (7 atmospheres of pressure vs the 4 atmospheres of pressure from the final product) and top it off with special ingredients and then re-cork before it’s ready to sell. Then he surprised us all, he dawned his PPE (face shield and an apron), he grabbed a bottle and actually did the process; a first for us! Instead of the standard process, he poured straight from the bottle so we could see the difference between a freshly disgorged bottle and the final product. What a fun treat to experience the process and taste the difference!

Disgorging Room

From there, one of our wineries had cancelled. But one that Jon hadn’t heard back from confirmed our tasting. This time – we had the place to ourselves! It was just a tasting, but it was so fun!

This was a much smaller production – Cava Guilera. They had some older vintages as well – which was a great experience. One of them was even from the year I graduated high school. (Which as most of you know was just a few years ago!)

We made our way back to the hotel and took a quick nap before heading to downtown Sitges. The streets were tiny – and there were people everywhere! Parking was a challenge, but we found a spot and made it in time for our reservation.

Up Next:
– Andorra
– Wine tasting
– Beach time

Andorra you glad you visited?

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September 6, 2024

The next morning we had an early start and we woke up to a beautiful sunrise. We were on our way to Andorra! If you aren’t familiar with Andorra, it is a micro country in Europe. It is nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. It has beautiful stunning mountain landscapes and during the winter is known for skiing. Tourists flock here for outdoor adventures (both summer and winter!), but also for its duty-free shopping.

We drove about 2.5 hours one-way, through a lot of fog and then it started to rain. We hadn’t planned on spending too much time in Andorra, but the weather didn’t make our trip any easier. (Not to mention, I don’t think any of us even thought about packing an umbrella!)

We decided it was time to stop for an early lunch, but unfortunately for us – the restaurants were either still closed or serving breakfast. The rain made it more difficult to find something that would nourish us. We loaded back up in the car and made our way back to a mall that we saw on our way in.

We aren’t big skiers – and this was definitely the off-season. So we had no choice but to spend our time shopping! I love a good deal – so the fact that Europe generally speaking has cheaper prices on some of the same skincare I buy at home – AND it was duty-free. I ended up walking out with two bags full of skincare for a fraction of the price!

We were all feeling a bit peckish – and we knew we had another 2+ hour drive before getting to the first winery. We were all craving a warm meal that was more filling than breakfast foods. This particular mall, really only had a McDonald’s. So we decided to try it!

I opted to try their crispy chicken sandwich – it was pretty similar to the one in the United States. However, you got two sides. So I went with the tried and true French fries, but also opted in for potato wedges. Andy ordered the sour cream and onion flavored French fries to try something new.

We also decided to do an impulse McFlurry – which was fun. They don’t mix in the toppings the same way they do in the USA – we got the Biscoff cookie flavored one. Yum!

Look at how cute the container is!

As we drove back towards Spain, the rain subsided. We got to see some beautiful blue sky, fluffy clouds, and lots of green grass. Reminded me a bit of Minnesota!

Our next stop was Llopart – another sparkling wine house. Llopart was established in 1887, however, they are able to trace back through their history that they began making wine in the late 1300s!

Jon had scheduled us for a tour, which we were excited for, but we quickly realized it wasn’t accessible for Jon. Roger assured us we would only be gone for 10 minutes, but the second this man opened his mouth I quickly realized that he was a talker. I think we were gone for over 30 minutes, which was a bummer that it wasn’t more inclusive.

Super cool staircase taking us out to the vineyard

It was a pretty cool tour, we briefly got to go out to the vineyard and he was able to point out different ways the vines can grow and be maintained. Once we went back inside, they showed a brief video before the tasting began.

Waiting for the video to begin

From there, we made our way back to our hotel. We briefly had a dip at the beach, before getting cleaned up for dinner. We had reservations at Villa Marina Sitges, which was right on the water.

The beach by our hotel

I might just be one of the pickiest eaters you’ll ever meet, but I was feeling optimistic about this place – after all – they had a rooster as their logo. Unfortunately for me, there was no chicken on the menu. We triple checked that the shrimp didn’t have legs (or eyes) before ordering the shrimp pasta.

The other three all ordered steaks – and these were some of the biggest steaks I’ve ever seen. I watched the women at the table next to us widen their eyes as they saw the influx of meat. 🥩 It was a great dinner and an even better view!

Our hotel had a rooftop, and the night before we had tried to pop up there for a quick photo, but you needed a reservation. It seemed bizarre to me, since all I wanted was a picture. So I had made a reservation, but at this point we were all full and didn’t want to pay for anymore drinks.

So we went… and sat for a few minutes, took our pictures, and then left. It also doubled as a night-club, and old-man Ramert can’t be bothered with loud music. It was a beautiful view!

Up Next:
– Montserrat
– Wine tasting

Tangier – rock the cat’s paw (Kasbah)

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September 2-4, 2024

Going to be combining a few days because we only had one port left, which was Tangier.

We woke up to a beautiful port in Tangier on Tuesday. We had an excursion booked with the cruise, Taste of Tangier. The excursion was advertised as a city tour of Tangier, in addition to a visit to Hercules Cave.

Our guide gave us a brief history on Tangier, and the different occupations of it over the centuries. One thing that was interesting, is that they seem very proud to point out all of the different buildings that belong to different countries. For example – here’s the palace for the King of Saudi Arabia- he comes here once every 20-30 years! And then the different mosques, the churches from the Christians, and the hotels owned by the Italians.

On our drive, we saw lots of camels, which wasn’t new to us – but they had a lot of baby camels! (Which was new). Tangier is also unique from the standpoint that it’s where the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean meet. There was a sign that showcased this, but our group didn’t want to stop for a quick picture there.

Baby camels!

Once we got to the cave, our group made their way down super quickly and we mostly had the cave to ourselves. As we walked in, one of the men that worked for the cave started to show us a cool photo opportunity. They said the hole kind of looked like the continent of Africa, I personally think you have to squint and turn your head to the side, but then you can see it.

There was a movie playing in one section, and we joined at the end of the English version. It had some incredible graphics, but we couldn’t tell what was being said.

The Cave of Hercules is located just outside of Tangier. According to legend, it is where the Greek hero Hercules rested after completing his twelve labors, and some say it is where he separated Europe from Africa. The cave has two openings—one facing the land and another, more famous one, resembling the shape of Africa, facing the Atlantic Ocean.

After we left the cave, we made our way to a lighthouse. Cape Spartel was built because of the number of shipwrecks in the area. In 1860, one ship carrying over 250 Brazilian cadets sank. It was because of this accident, that the Sultan agreed to have the lighthouse built at the urging of other countries that used this route for trade.

We hopped back into the bus and made our way to the Kasbah Museum. It was a short walk, but we got our first taste of walking through the winding streets in Tangier. The museum is perched on top of a hill, which means it has pretty stunning views.

This is when things took an annoying turn. Our tour guide said that we had 15 minutes to explore the museum, but didn’t really provide any highlights of things to see. Also, all of the panels and signs were in Arabic and French. (Which we understand that we are in a different country, hence the different languages… just made it harder to enjoy as we didn’t understand what we were looking at).

The architecture was incredible – and I’m definitely a sucker for mosaics. Andy found a staircase heading upstairs, and I didn’t really want to leave the main group. I had the sneaking suspicion that our tour guide wasn’t really paying too much attention to who was in our group and where we were all at. So reluctantly, I followed him upstairs and was quickly rewarded with a view of the mosaic floor from above.

We didn’t stick around for long, because the last place we wanted to be left behind were the windy streets of Tangier. We do think we saw some human remains in one of the displays, but because of the language barrier, we can’t confirm this.

There was a beautiful view from the museum down onto the water – and then we made our way on foot through the Medina. Lots of winding, teeny tiny streets, and a lot of shops. Similar to our experience in Egypt, it seems that every tour guide “knows a guy” and they bring us to their shop. This one was huge, but there wasn’t a lot that tourists would normally want to bring home. Big plates, vases, etc. that wouldn’t be easy to carry home.

We saw so many kitties all around. Black one, white ones, orange ones, they were so cute. We saw a lot of food left out for them, and even one dish with milk in it!

After shopping, we went to a cafe for coffee and tea and cookies. Honestly, we stayed at this place for far too long – there weren’t enough tables in the shade and it was hot. Some people in the group wanted to go shopping, and everyone was sort of wondering what was going on at that point.

We made it back to the ship and opted in to making the rest of the day a pool day.

As we were leaving Tangier, we went through the Straight of Gibraltar which is the waterway between Europe and Africa. As we were underway, we saw a large pod of dolphins following the ship.

We ended Tuesday with another silent disco on the ship.

———————————————————————-

At Sea Days

I really enjoy the sea days because it means you can rest up, and the cruise line usually does a lot more activities. One of our favorites was Deal or No Deal, which we didn’t win big this time.

It was also Jon and Yvonne’s anniversary, so it was cute to see what the cruise does to celebrate milestones.

Our last day on the ship was at sea, which meant we spent some of our time packing up. We were grateful that we brought an expandable duffle – that way we could bring even more stuff home! (Including the port we just purchased!)

The last day, the kitchen crew put together beautiful displays in the Oceanview Cafe. It was so pretty to look at!

Up Next:
– Third half of the trip: Sitges & wine tasting!

Douro Valley – No wine left behind

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Sunday, September 1, 2024

We docked in Porto, Portugal on Sunday. Jon had found a tour company that was accessible – and private – to take us into the Douro Valley for some wine tasting.

Márcio was both our driver and our guide – he had been in communication with Jon before we left the USA – so we knew we were in good hands.

Marcio explained that in Portugal it was more common that the wine be paired with food. He was super mindful about all of my food preferences (no red meat or pork – also, hoping that there weren’t any faces attached to the fish, etc…) Our first stop was in a quaint little town, Amarante.

Amarante is a charming town in northern Portugal, nestled along the Tâmega River. It is a stop on the famous Camino de Santiago hiking trail, offering a picturesque stop for hikers. However, we were not hiking – we were there to eat and drink! They had some famous pastries, I’ll let you take a look at the picture and determine what you think they were supposed to be shaped like.

Márcio stopped at a local tavern that had plenty of smoked meats, and some local wines for us to try. It was a great way to kick off the start of our day.

From there, we started our drive to the first winery. The Douro Valley is stunning – it was absolutely beautiful. We’ve been to quite a few different wine regions in the world, and this was definitely one of the most beautiful as it followed along the river.

We saw quite a few river boats making their way through to the Spanish border

The Douro Valley in Portugal is an absolute dream for wine lovers and nature enthusiasts. With the rolling hills covered in terraced vineyards, the scenery is straight out of a postcard. This region is famous for producing Port wine, and visiting the local wineries for a tasting is a must. (This trip made me a convert! I think I’ve just been drinking the wrong Port wine!)

Our first winery was called Quinta Do Val Moreira, which had a stunning view overlooking the river and the valley. We enjoyed our tasting there – and the pastries that Márcio had picked out for us.

The winery’s tour down in their cave
Cork art hanging in the tasting room – it only took the artist 48 hours to design

The next stop was lunch, it was a beautiful outdoor setting. I’m not sure about the others, but I was already starting to feel full. The staff walked us through the traditional kitchen, and oh my goodness – the smells were heavenly! I suppose you can always find room for more when you’re on vacation.

The behind the scenes kitchen tour

We were seated outside under a beautiful tree, where we had another tasting and a lovely meal. They had prepared fish for me – and the others had their choice of lamb or pork dishes.

We moved onto the last winery, Quinta Seara Dordens. Where we were greeted by some lazy dogs, Typhoon, Ruby, and Tawny. Our host there was very friendly, and we enjoyed our time there. We bought a bottle of Tawny Port before heading back to Porto to hop back on the ship.

Márcio was Fantastic and would highly recommend him to anyone!
Tawny, just being a silly goof

At the beginning of the day, I had asked if we could swing by a bookstore in Porto. It’s supposed to be Harry Potter related, but we realized we were short on time and wouldn’t be able to go. So instead he brought us around on a very quick city tour, which was pretty cool to see.

We will definitely have to come back at some point, because we didn’t even scratch the surface of Porto!

After dinner, we went to another show on board the ship. It was poorly marketed, but actually ended up being a great experience with plenty of songs and acrobatics.

Beautiful sunset from our balcony

Up Next:
– At sea

Lisbon

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August 31, 2024

Since the cruise had offered an overnight in Lisbon, we were able to do a walking tour on Saturday of Lisbon with Jon and Yvonne.

A longggg time ago when I still worked for AAA, our computers had rotating screensavers and I had seen this cool looking “castle” that I knew I would need to see at some point in my life.

Belém Tower is a must-see, sitting right on the edge of the Tagus River. This 16th-century fortress has some seriously cool stonework that shows off Portugal’s history during the Age of Discovery. It was just a quick cab ride over to Belem from the cruise port, with a few other attractions nearby.

We didn’t go inside, as I think most of the beauty is on the outside. From Belém Tower, it was a short walk to the Monument of the Discoveries. The Monument of the Discoveries is a massive, eye-catching tribute to Portugal’s Age of Exploration. Shaped like the front of a ship, it features statues of famous explorers, with Prince Henry the Navigator leading the way. You can head to the top for some awesome panoramic views of the city and the river, but we opted to stay on the ground for this one.

We got a cab over to the Rossio neighborhood next. Our first stop was to get a ginjinha. Ginjinha is a popular Portuguese liqueur made from sour cherries, known as “ginja,” that are soaked in alcohol and sweetened with sugar. It’s served in small shots, often with a cherry at the bottom of the glass.

We opted to walk around from there, looking at the different shops. We picked up a few souvenirs before heading to a local festival, where there were other crafts and also some sangria. We opted to take a quick break and enjoy that before continuing our stroll.

Our last stop was the Praça do Comércio – Praça do Comércio is one of Lisbon’s most iconic squares settled right by the Tagus River. Surrounded by beautiful, yellow-painted buildings and an impressive archway. It was a fun spot to soak in Lisbon.

We made our way back to the ship and watched as we sailed underneath the “other” Golden Gate Bridge – and waved by to their Christ the Redeemer.

That evening we went to a show in the ship’s theater – Oli Nez. He was a very talented saxophone player, who also happened to be quite the comedian. It was a great time.

Up Next:
– Porto
– Douro Valley Wine Tasting

Sintra: the magical misty town

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Friday, August 30, 2024

Our next stop was Lisbon for two days – we were excited that we had an overnight here, because it meant we could go to nearby Sintra and not have to rush back to the ship.

One of my girlfriends had gone to Spain and Portugal a few years back and raved about the beauty of Sintra. We knew that we needed to see it for ourselves. The ship has many of their own excursions, but none of them quite fit the bill for what we wanted to see. I was able to secure a private tour that was set up in a choose your own adventure format, our priority was Pena Palace, but there were other activities that we could choose from.

We had seen pictures of an ancient looking well – we didn’t know entirely what it was, but thought that could make a good stop. We also opted to do a famous bakery/factory in Belem.

As pulled into Lisbon, we went under a copy-cat of the Golden Gate Bridge – and Christ the Redeemer welcomed us to port with open arms.

We got off the ship pretty early, and met our guide outside of the cruise terminal. He said we were doing good on time, so he wanted to bring us up a tall hill in Lisbon to give us a great view of the city. The views were incredible – we could already tell that Lisbon was going to remind us a lot of California.

From there, we made our way to Pastéis de Belém, which is known for its iconic custard tarts, known as pastéis de nata. These have been made using a secret recipe since 1837.

These heavenly pastries feature a buttery crust filled with a creamy, sweet custard. You can choose to dust them with cinnamon and/or powdered sugar. The bakery is located in the Belém district of Lisbon and is the birthplace of this beloved Portuguese treat. I had seen pictures, and knew that I needed to have one. Growing up, my grandmother made custard pies and they were always my favorite!

After the bakery, we made our way to Quinta da Regaleira. The place with the really cool well. Quinta da Regaleira is like stepping into a real-life fairy tale, filled with mysterious gardens, hidden tunnels, and unique architecture. It was built in the early 20th century with lots of nods to secret societies like the Freemasons and the Knights Templar. The highlight for many is the Initiation Well—a spiral staircase that winds deep into the ground, offering a symbolic journey of discovery. Wandering through the palace, chapel, and gardens, you’ll find grottoes, fountains, and secret paths, making it a place where every turn reveals something new and magical.

We walked to downtown Sintra from there, and stopped for lunch at a cute Italian place with great pizza and lemon cello spritz. We continued to stroll through downtown, before getting picked up to head to Pena Palace with our guide.

Pena Palace sits atop a hill in Sintra and it is a striking blend of architectural styles, and is highlighted in bright colors. Originally a medieval monastery, it was transformed by King Ferdinand II into a whimsical royal residence, that was used as more of a summer house for royalty. The palace has beautiful fairy-tale towers and ornate details throughout. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, Pena Palace is a masterpiece of artistic imagination and natural beauty.

Unfortunately for us, it was incredibly foggy that day and we weren’t able to see the views from its high perch. Just gray clouds, but it was still an amazing visit!

Our guide took us to the most western point in all of Europe next. We drove through sunshine to get there, but within a few miles we were already covered in fog again. It was incredibly windy, but we took a quick picture before hopping back in the car.

Most western point in Europe

He drove us to Cascais next, what used to be a small fishing village but has become incredibly popular for locals and tourists alike. Each corner we came around we saw a new sandy beach. He offered to stop for us to get out and walk around, but we were already exhausted from all of the walking. So we made our way back to Lisbon.

We had a quick dinner before calling it a day.

Beautiful sunset

Up Next:
– Lisbon walking tour with Jon & Yvonne

Cadiz – Flamenco show and a walking tour

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August 29, 2024

Our first stop on the cruise was Cadiz, Spain. This is viewed as the gateway to Seville – but it was an hour and a half one way to get there. Andy and I opted to do a flamenco show in Cadiz, and Jon and Yvonne went nearby to do a sherry tasting outside of the city.

A lot of people had signed up for this excursion, so many in fact that there were three charter buses waiting. Our group had flipped the original itinerary and we were doing the walking tour first, then the flamenco show, and ending with the bus tour of Cadiz.

We were relieved that we got the walking tour over first, as it was already getting hot and humid. Prior to this tour, we didn’t know much about Spain – except that they “discovered” a lot of the world. It was interesting to learn more about the country, and also Cadiz. Cadiz is one of the oldest cities in Western Europe is situated on a narrow strip of land surrounded by the sea. It really was quite beautiful!

From there, we walked to a flamenco bar. We got there as the place was opening, and it was only our group. We met a lovely duo from Canada, but originally from India. They were very interested in US politics, so we had a fun chat about what’s going on south of their border.

As we all got settled, they offered us all a drink, we of course chose sangria (when in Spain…), and a potato omelette with a cheese and meat plate.

But the political conversation came to a screeching halt once the dancers came out. We had one sassy Spanish woman – and a gentleman accompanying her. In addition, there was one singer and a guitarist. The music, the lyrics, the dancing… they were electric!

A flamenco show is a powerful expression of passion and cultural heritage, combining expressive dance, soulful singing, and intricate guitar playing. The performance features a singer and guitarist creating a deep, emotional backdrop, while the dancer(s) responds with intense footwork and graceful movements. The result is a captivating, dynamic experience that immerses the audience in the heart of Spain’s vibrant traditions. Unfortunately, no videos were allowed – so we had to work with still pictures only. Ole!

She was so sassy – and fierce – and incredible

If you get the chance to attend a flamenco show – do it! We enjoyed it – I wish we knew enough Spanish to understand the lyrics, but our guide translated some of the lyrics to us later. The stories in the songs varied about the Spanish’s hate for the French – to a woman wondering where her husband was (probably drinking wine)… it was a lot of fun.

We were there for about an hour – and after the show was over. We went to a local market – it had a lot of fish and produce. It was fun to see – but we didn’t have time to do any shopping. We walked by a few more historic buildings before hopping on our bus.

Cathedral de Cadiz

The bus took us around Cadiz – we got to see a few beaches and a former fort. It then dropped us off at the cruise terminal.

Us with our ship

We had dinner with Jon and Yvonne on the ship and shared stories from the day. We did a pub quiz that evening with a charming Aussie as host.

Up Next:
– Sintra tour

Seas the day! Spain/Portugal/Morocco Cruise ‘24

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Tuesday, August 27th & Wednesday, August 28th

Working for a global company offers the ability to connect with colleagues around the world – a year ago I met Chester in the Philippines and he recently moved to Spain.

We were able to connect and meet up for breakfast. It was so nice to see a friendly face in Barcelona before we got on the cruise ship. He picked a place close to his apartment and our hotel, which was really nice!

Thanks for meeting up with me, Chester!

After coffee, I made my way back to the hotel to finish packing. We were now leaving our hotel and boarding the cruise ship. We asked the hotel to help us hail a larger cab for us (+ Jon/Yvonne) and all of our luggage.

Once on board we opted to have a casual lunch at the Oceanview Cafe. We knew it would be a few hours before our luggage would be delivered, so we sat around with Jon and Yvonne for a while and just relaxed.

Eventually, we went to check, and our luggage had been delivered (well, at least mine – and let’s be honest… I’m the over packer!) so I started to unpack. Once it got closer to leaving the harbor, we went up to the rooftop to watch us sail away, which is always magical.

After that we finished unpacking and then went to dinner. It was fun to be back on the ship, and this time with Jon and Yvonne. We opted for Anytime Dining, which always a lot more flexibility based off of your plans for the day.

One of our first sunsets

After dinner, we went to the Pub Quiz. It was a good day to be back on a cruise!

——————————————————————————-

Wednesday, August 28th

At sea days are a nice way to break up the trip – and because we had flown in early and already done so much in Barcelona. It was a great day for us to relax.

Andy and I started the morning off by using the fitness center for a quick workout. After freshening up for the day, and having a more leisurely morning we joined Bingo in the afternoon.

It’s sort of funny, because they’ve never had Bingo on a cruise that we’ve been on before. You had to pay for your cards, and each of us (Jon and Yvonne included) decided to split the cards up. (Each card did have a unique identifier). Well, as soon as we got into the theater for Bingo the activity manager let us know that we weren’t supposed to do that… and that we “should have been told we couldn’t do that.”

The infamous bingo card that got us into trouble

Unfortunately for us, no one did. He was really condescending in his approach about it, which was really unfortunate… because we haven’t had bad service while cruising with Celebrity.

Suffice to say, neither couple won. But it did seem like they were giving out good prizes if you did!

We had an early dinner, and then made our way to one of the production shows. It was pretty cheesy, but they are a fun way to enjoy different facets of the cruise.

We ended the night with one of our favorite activities – the Silent Disco! This time there was only one DJ, and the other stations were Latino music and more 70s/80s music. We all had a blast rotating between the different stations, since the DJ refused to play the Britney Spears music that I requested until the very end.

Silent Disco

We’re having a great time!

Up Next:
– Flamenco Show
– Walking tour of Cadiz

Sagrada Familia – Barcelona

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Monday, August 26, 2024

Just before leaving on our trip, my friend Melisa sent me a video of a Corgi cafe in Barcelona. As two avid, Corgi-parents we knew we had to visit it – we were surprised to find out it was only a 4 minute walk from our hotel!

Our Boys if you haven’t meet them (Jasper on the left, and Linus on the right)

Sunday night, as we were walking home from dinner we saw a man walking ahead of us with three Corgis (two of which were puppies!) We followed him to a dog park, where we got to meet Juice, Mocha, and Willow. Not only was he a fellow Corgi owner – but he was THE owner. Yes, of the Corgi Cafe. What are the odds of that?!

So on Monday we made our way to the cafe, I mean we had to right? It also, just so happened that it was also known for having good food. We really enjoyed it – and it was so incredible to get to see Juice again and meet Benedict (the other token Corgi).

Juice
Benedict offended he was stuck inside
Juice found some crumbs under Andy

From the cafe, we started walking to Barri Gòtic – about a 45 minute walk from our hotel. I was most excited to see the Barcelona Cathedral, but the Arc de Triomf was an easy pit stop along the way. It was built in 1888 for the Universal Exhibition and used as a gateway to the fair at that time. From there, we made our way down the winding streets to find ourselves in front of the Cathedral.

It really was everything I had read about – old (finished in 1448) and Gothic. This was just a quick stop, since we had Sagrada Familia in the afternoon. We needed to get a quick tapa since we would be there for a few hours. We didn’t want to be late for our tour, so we found the closest restaurant to Sagrada Familia.

Another uneventful restaurant, however, Jon did steal a beer glass from them. Our waitress even threatened to call the policia on him. (She was kidding – she just couldn’t sell it to him since the brewery gives them the glasses).

One of the most magical moments came when we stepped into the basilica in the mid-afternoon light. The stained glass windows—each panel a blend of vibrant blues, greens, reds, and golds—were absolutely mesmerizing. As the sunlight streamed through the glass, the entire space seemed to come alive with color, dancing across the walls and floors in a way that felt almost otherworldly. It was as if we were witnessing Gaudí’s own version of the “colors of the wind,” bringing an extra layer of beauty to an already stunning experience.

After the guided portion, we had some free time to explore on our own before our tower visit. We had originally hoped to go up the Passion Tower, but by the time we bought our tickets, the time slots had already sold out. Instead, we opted for the Nativity Tower, which, while still offering impressive views and a close-up look at Gaudí’s detailed work, wasn’t quite as thrilling as we’d imagined.

Despite this, the panoramic views of Barcelona from the top and the unique perspective on the basilica’s exterior were well worth the visit. Overall, our time at the Sagrada Família was a highlight of our trip, combining stunning architecture, rich history, and breathtaking vistas.

Our visit to the Sagrada Família was nothing short of unforgettable, thanks to a guided tour that brought Gaudí’s masterpiece to life. For about 45 minutes, our lovely guide led us through the basilica’s awe-inspiring interiors, sharing fascinating insights into the history, design, and ongoing construction. She pointed out the intricate details in the stained glass windows, the columns that resemble trees, (and the birds that live in them!) and the symbolism woven into every part of the structure. Her passion and knowledge made the experience incredibly enriching – and we left feeling even more grateful that we got to visit. (Some people try to go last minute and are turned away because they sell out).

We ended the day at La Pepita – a restaurant that two work colleagues had recommended was our choice for dinner. Jon had thankfully made a reservation as soon as they opened their calendar for this month. We could see a line as we walked up, and we watched many give up hope and head to the sister restaurant or leave entirely.

On the way home, we had two desserts. (Well, I helped Jon with his chocolate covered – chocolate filled churro). We all stopped to pick up gelato – and we called it a night!

Before bed, we went to the rooftop of our hotel for a night view.

Up Next:
-Board the Equinox

Thank Gaudí, we’re in Barcelona!

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We had a jam-packed day planned for our first full day in Spain. Antoni Gaudí is known for his unique display of architecture – weaving Modernism throughout the city of Barcelona.

Our first stop, was Park Güell. Chances are, if you’ve ever looked up Barcelona, you’ve likely seen pictures of this park. Park Güell was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. We love exploring the world and finding these gems throughout our adventures.

Our ticket time was for 10 am, and we couldn’t believe that it was already hot and sticky. Our journey took us through viaducts, up to different houses, and over to nature square that looked over two buildings that ended up being a museum and a bookstore. The view was from above, but later in our tour we were able to get closer to them.

The Benches lining park were beautiful mosaic tiles.

As we continued through the tour, we stopped underneath the nature square in a place called the Hypostyle Room, which had beautiful mosaics lining the ceiling lined with pillars. This was the way down to the museum and the bookstore, but we made a quick pit stop to look at one of the famous mosaic iguanas that Gaudí had created. The lines were long for both the museum and bookstore, so we opted to skip both of those.

We had our next tour booked at Casa Batlló – we had originally thought we might be able to walk since it was all downhill. But it was still about a 45 minute walk. Time was of the essence – so we opted to get a cab over there. (Just a note if you’re trying to sneak in a few visits in Barcelona as well!)

Casa Batlló is another modernist masterpiece by Gaudí. Often referred to as the “House of Bones” due to its organic, skeletal design, this UNESCO World Heritage site dazzles with its beautiful exterior, vibrant mosaics, and whimsical, nature-inspired details on the interior. The building’s colorful, scaled roof resembles a dragon’s back, while the interior is equally stunning, with flowing lines, intricate woodwork, and stained glass that floods the space with light. It felt like we were stepping into another world. We absolutely LOVED this stop!

From Casa Batlló, we found a place nearby before making our way to Palau Güell. Palau Güell is a hidden gem in Barcelona and one of Gaudí’s early masterpieces. Built in the late 1800s for the wealthy Güell family, it’s a blend of luxury and creativity. It’s obvious very quickly that Gaudí was involved in the design!

The palace has cool features like intricate ironwork, unique arches, and a rooftop covered in colorful chimneys that look like something out of a fairy tale. (Think Dr. Seuss!) The main hall is especially impressive, with a dome and stained glass windows that fill the space with gorgeous light, and there’s even an elegant pipe organ that adds to the grandeur. (It plays different songs every 30 minutes or so, so you get to see it in action).

The Güell family was a big deal in Barcelona, with Eusebi Güell being a major figure in the city’s cultural and economic scene. He was a close friend of Gaudí and wanted Palau Güell to be more than just a home—it was a statement piece that showed off his love for art and design. We really enjoyed being able to see more unique features

We rounded out the day by walking down La Rambla and visiting the Columbus statue near the Mediterranean. (We had a fun realization that America’s Cup is being held in Barcelona, so we saw lots of billboards and signs, but sadly won’t be able to do anything on this trip with it).

Our dogs were barking with almost 20,000 steps by the end of the day. We had a delicious meal at Indian Herbs and called it a day.

Up Next:
– Corgi Cafe
– Tour of Sagrada Familia

¡Hola España!

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August 23/24, 2024

We are on our way back to Europe (after a work trip took us to Poland in May) this weekend for a cruise in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. We had booked this cruise a while back, and have been looking forward to it ever since! It will be our first time in the Mediterranean proper. (We’ve been to Italy, but not really on the coast).

We find the most comfort in arriving a few days before so we can relax knowing that both you and your luggage have made it. This is a trip with many firsts for us – four new countries (we will visit Andorra after the cruise) – and the first time cruising with Jon and Yvonne!

Our flight with Lufthansa was rather uneventful, and we made it safely along with our luggage. We connected in Munich, which is a really easy airport to navigate through. We had enough time to get a coffee before boarding our flight to Barcelona. It would only be a 2 hour flight and then we would be in Spain!

Had to get a pretzel when passing through Germany

Once we landed – we gathered our luggage and made our way to our hotel. I’m sure there’s many different areas that are great to stay in Barcelona, but I had wanted to prioritize staying near Sagrada Familia.

I found the Radisson Blu 1882 Sagrada Familia Hotel, which was a short (5 minutes) walk to the church. Protestors have taken the streets of Barcelona in recent months to denounce tourism. It sounds like a lot of it has to do with Airbnbs taking up a considerable portion of the housing market, which has increased the price of rent by over 18%! Not to mention, Spain was the second most visited country in the world last year. The hotel was about 35 minute drive from the airport – we got checked in and freshened up.

A nice treat was awaiting us at the hotel!
Our first look at Sagrada Familia

I get the hype. It’s an incredible building that has been in progress over the last 142 years. When the building is complete, it will be the tallest church in the world! It stands out in the Barcelona skyline – and will take your breath away. This is only one of the buildings that Antoni Gaudi had his hand in! You’ll see more on that tomorrow!

We found a tapas bar nearby, and had quick bite to eat. We then met up with Jon and Yvonne who had made it to the hotel and gotten settled in.

It was already around 7:00 pm, so we made our way over to get a peek at Sagrada Familia.

Up Next:
– Park Güell
– Casa Batlló
– Palau Güell