BARCELONA SPAIN!!!!!!

Oh my goodness it’s been a VERY long day!


So we started off my waking up at 7 am to watch our ship come into port and get all tied up. That was pretty cool amazing how they can steer this thing into a space like that!  Grabbed a bite to eat and then returned to the room to get ready for the day!
Then as Kristi is like five minutes into her shower the voice makes an announcement saying that in 7 minutes we have a diplomatic briefing in the union. Last night at preport they weren’t so clear that it was something for us to go to.  So we had to go up to the union for about an hour and listen to Mr. Parliament talk. Pretty interesting but nothing too special.

Then at 10 we were able to return to our cabin to finish getting ready.  We didn’t want to try to get off the ship and be back before our SAS trip so we just took our time getting ready.  At 11:30 Kristi and Jackie (one of our neighbors) headed down to step on land for the first time in 9 days!!!! So weird! But we were very early (45 mins) so we just hung around the gangway and ship for awhile until it was time to go! The three of us were on the Barcelona City Tour with Flamenco Dance SAS trip.  It was really cool. They first took us to the Gothic Quarters.  Our tour guide was kinda hard to hear and understand, so that’s a bit unfortunate but I got some things from her.  Some of the walls of the gothic quarter were from the 6th and 7th centuries (I believe if Im remembering correctly..) the walls to the buildings used to be walls to the city.  We walked through the streets of the quarter and heard lots of street musicians playing which was really cool.  This whole thing is so surreal though that it felt not real like you’re looking at a remake of something in a park, the music reminded me of Seaworld almost.. but it realy added to the atmosphere I liked it a lot! My favorite was a guy on the sax and another on something that reminded me of a steel drum. There is a really pretty cathedral located here as well that we got to see the outside of. Kristi and I want to try to return there and go inside it before we leave.

Next we drove past some of the Gaudi houses. Very cool but I don’t remember their exact names.   One that I keep referring to as the egg carton one (because that’s how the outside of it kinda looks) you can go up in it and onto the roof so we are also going to do this before we leave (hopefully tomorrow)

Next we went to La Sagrada Familia!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!! Soooooooo pretty, and huge and just wow.  It’s a church.  The name translates to The Sacred Family.  The outside of this building is crazy detailed, if you have time you should google it! =)  it was started by Gaudi a couple hundred years ago but is still under construction and isn’t scheduled to be finished to maybe around 2026.  There are 12 towers that stand for the 12 apostles and one of the doors has part of the Lord’s Prayer on it in 50 different languages! Again I’m pretty sure that’s what is on it but I might be slightly off due to trying to hear the guide. It is some holy saying though in 50 languages on the door that part I am sure of. On another side there is a nativity scene on the building and on yet another side there are different scenes to the crucifixion of chirist. Including him on a cross and the last supper.  There are scenes from all sorts of bible stories all over the entire building more than I can explain, but it’s super cool. Again we can pay to go inside it and I’ve heard it’s even pretty inside so that is one thing we are for sure doing tomorrow!

After La Sagrada Familia we headed to the Spanish Village on top of Mont Juic. Here we went to a place that performs flamenco dancing.  This was much different than I had expected! We got to sit at tables and had tapas (snacks) chips, olives, and goldfish that weren’t orange.. we also were served water and SANGRIA! While enjoying all this we watched a 40 minute performance! Then they drove us to a place on the top of the hill/mountain (mont juic) for a panoramic view of all of Barcelona! Then back to the ship.

Once on the ship the 3 of us met up with 5 others to just go explore.  We went to Las Ramblas which is the main street with lots of stands and shops and restaurants all along it. So we headed there and this is where they say to watch your stuff for pick pocketing and bag snatching.  So one girl in our group had some other girl on the street try to swipe her purse off her shoulder but she didn’t succeed thankfully.  Then five minutes later I realize that my purse strap is broken!  I still cant figure out if it ripped on its own or if someone tried to cut my strap and take it from me!! And I think the second is the more likely option….  I even had it in front of me like held in my arms which is what really freaks me out the most but now my yellow purse isn’t the best option and im just super paranoid about that happening again..i don’t think im going to carry a bag anymore.. and if I do its not going to have anything important what so ever inside of it!  My money belt will always be on and I think money in my bra is going to be the best option.. that’s where I put it all after I saw my broken strap.. and my camera was in my hand straped to my wrist all day and that was fine.. what makes me most nervous though is they said this isn’t the bad port with this stuff and it happened to two of us within 10 minutes.. it’s crazy also to realize all the distractions they create to form crowds and pick pocketers have real easy access to taking stuff… just a whole different world..

We had more tapas in a little place I had a ham and cheese sandwich, a real small one. And then we went to try to find somewhere for dinner.. it took us quite some time to come up with a place and a few times asking directions. Mine and my other neighbor Christina’s Spanish skills combined worked really well for us thank goodness. Surprisingly though many people here speak English too.. and since we all are clearly American girls they start speaking it to us which is kinda helpful.. but it’s fun to have to try to communicate with the Spanish to some extent too!  This one shop we went into the guys working were real funny. They asked if we could speak Spanish and only a few of us could semi speak it so others wer1 e totally lost. But as we left we were saying gracias and adios and they tried saying bye bye good morning!!  =) =) hahahha so one girl said well its good night now.. and he smiled all sheepishly it was funny and what makes it even better is at least three people said good morning to us as we were leaving.

So we ate dinner at 10 at a place called El Attic. It was a really nice restaurant and had some interesting but good foods. We got coquietas de jamon as an appetizer, which is like ham shopped up with potatoes in this fried crusting thing but really yummy. And then I had 3 cheese risotto with asparagus and tried someones lamb! You should all be proud im trying to step out of my comfort zone the best I can! Others got seafood plates and im not that daring =)

After dinner we walked back down Las Ramblas to the bus pick up spot to  take us to the port and now it’s time for bed!!!
Busy day of lots of cool things tomorrow too!!!