On the way to Barcelona

The last day of the cruise was supposed to be a straight shot from Livorno to Barcelona but unfortunately for one passenger on board, that was not the case. Apparently a passenger became critically ill and the ship needed to change course and race to Marseilles, France so that the passenger could be treated as soon as possible. Not sure how things worked out for them but we sure hope for the best. It basically only cost us about 2 hours extra sailing time which was not problem for us as our vacation continues in Barcelona. But there were several passengers that had flights leaving from Barcelona early so I guess there was a big scramble to get all that resolved. Anyway, the port in Marseilles was a beautiful sight all lit up at night. However, we did enjoy a relaxing day at sea. In order to make up some time, the ship was moving along at about 26 knots so watching the waves from the balcony was nice. We arrived in Barcelona about 12:30 local time and after a quick taxi ride we found our hotel. Hmmm... I gotta say... this is the STRANGEST hotel I have ever been in. The name is Chic & Basic and it is supposed to be one of the trendy spots. The experience is fun but I have determined beyond a shadow of a doubt...that I am neither Chic or Basic! The walls are lined with lighted beads that change colors based on your moods. The shower is basically a clear tube stuck in the very middle of the room. Did I mention a CLEAR tube? It looks like a giant drive-through bank deposit tube! The furniture (what there is of it) is all "multifunctional. Meaning, the nightstands are also the headrests for the bed, the ottoman is also supposed to be combined with a plastic shelf in order to make a desk... like I said, strange but cool. Actually, the best part of the room is that there is a little balcony that hangs right over the street. We are in an area of Barcelona called Born and it is a busy, lively neighborhood that was once referred to as Old Barcelona. So lots of interesting clubs and cafes nestled in among fantastic old buildings.

Barcelona

Barcelona is a city in the province of Catalonia. Here in Catalonia they celebrate three days of Christmas. Today is Christmas Eve and just as back home, people oare bustling around trying to get everything done before the shops all close up early. After a great Argentinian lunch of Falafels and Gyro-style roasted Chicken, Jim and I celebrated by doing laundry and just taking in the flurry of life going on around us. We picked up a few little trinkets so we would have something for each other to open on Christmas morning. We had reservations for dinner at the Avalon Restaurant in the Grand Hotel for this evening. As it is a holiday, there was just one fixed menu they served. Luckily both Jim and I are a bit adventurous when it comes to trying new foods although I will admit, he is way more willing to try the "odd" things than me. But it really was very good. The first course was Scallop Tartar It had avocado, pine nuts, scallops and pea shoots. I know you are thinking...tartar, isn't that raw? well, kind of except that it is soaked in a great citrus juice marinade so the citric acid actually "cooks" the fish slightly. The second course was veal cooked like pot roast and served with a red wine reduction and purple Peruvian potatoes. Awesome. And dessert was a warm carmel cake with carmel fudge inside and served with homemade ice cream. Yummm! They also offered wine with each course and champagne with dessert but we opted for coke and coffees. Then it was a nice slow stroll back to the hotel to wait for Santa. From Jim and I here in Spain, to all of you wherever you are...Feliz Navidad (that is one Spanish phrase almost every American knows thanks to Jose Feliciano!) Merry Christmas and Sweet Dreams.

Christmas Morning and guess what???? He FOUND us, yup all the way over here and Santa still found us! Our Christmas Tree is a bit tiny (I found a pine bough someone had thrown away, but hey...ya do whatcha gotta do) and the gifts were just trinkets but waking up together is the best gift we could ask for anyway. As we were told, many of the stores and museums would be closed so we took the opportunity to sleep late, rest up and then grab some breakfast at a nearby cafe. then we just walked around the Born Region taking in all the breathtaking architecture. We came across a great park filled with orange trees and awesome old buildings. And I loved this fence... see the lizards? Later that night we ate supper at El Foro Restaurant. Jim had some Four Cheese Ravioli and I opted for the cannelloni..only this one tasted NOTHING like Chef Boy'ardi. The best part of the meal (as is often the case) was the dessert. It was a freshly baked-to-order chocolate lava cake served with ice cream. I didn't even have a chance to focus the camera before it was half gone! A nice relaxing holiday.

December 26th is known as Saint Esteve Day in Catalonia and is celebrated much like Christmas Day. It is set aside so that families can share the holiday one day with the mothers family and the second day with the father's or vice versa. Though Saint Esteban Day is recognized as a Holy Saints Day in the rest of Spain, it is not a designated holiday as it is in Catalonia. So, again as much of the city was closed we spent it just exploring and napping and reading and relaxing.... Ahhh, it IS a tough job but we got through it. Ended the night at a cozy little neighborhood Tapas bar Jim had discovered on one of his photo exploits through the city. SO, the menu was basically Post-it notes hung on the walls, mostly in Spanish, so we just took the waitresses suggestions and went for it. Duck Leg Confiet, Olives, Roasted Brie Cheese with Bread, Sausage Plate and some Onion Jam! Yummmm. A delicious Apple Tarta Tartan finished us off.

December 27th and things are pretty much back to normal so we decided that since there are about 60 fabulous museums in Barcelona, we had to go to at least one. The Picasso Museum was directly across the street but I am not much of a fan of his stuff and many of the others would have required taxi rides so we decided on one of the nearby museums that had the most cultural and educational benefits.... Museu de la Xocolata... The CHOCOLATE MUSEUM!!!! Now don't let the name fool you...chocolate really has played an important role in the history of the world... It was highly prized in Mexico as a Nectar of the Gods and once it made its way back to Spain, its popularity took off. It is purported to have many medicinal benefits (really now, who DOESN'T feel better after chocolate?) and of course, its taste soon lured in the rest of us. At first, it was a sign of stature whether you went to a Tea House versus a Chocolate House for your afternoon beverage. As Chocolate was the "new" thing and much more expensive, only society's higher echelon went to have Chocolate while the "commoners" headed to the Tea Houses. But fortunately now it is chocolate for us all hahahaha After we soaked up all the culture of the museum (and the chocolate candy bar that doubles as your entrance ticket, we grabbed a light tapas lunch. Sounds like a lot, but the best part of true tapas is that you can have a lot of different flavors because each dish is really tiny. For example, we got Onion Rings (3 rings in the order), Fried crab claws (2), Hot Sausage ( 3 bite size links), One Spring Roll, Bacon Wrapped Dates (3)...these were Jims Favorites! and some Melon with Ham. This is an AWESOME way to dine. I see a MAJOR Tapas party soon at our house... who wants to come? Then it was a little more shopping, reading, napping and before we knew it, it was 8:30 and time for dinner! I had my first genuine Spanish Paella. Love it! Back to the hotel to get ready to leave Barcelona in the morning. Next stop.... a scenic ride along the Costa Brava (coastal highway) up to Figueres, home of Salvadore Dali. I wonder if he ever used chocolate in his paintings? Get some rest now...wheels up at 6:30 am!