Thursday, September 10, 2009

September: Sat the 5th and Sun the 6th

Last weekend was great, after 50 plus hours alone with the girls during the day last week (while their parents worked and one day I had the 2 7year olds and the 2 10 year olds for a sleepover), I got 2 days off to go play myself in Barcelona.

Saturday I took the train to Plaza Catalunya, which is the main plaza int he city, and went to Barrio Gracía to walk around and find a second hand english bookstore opened by some Irish guys called Hibernia (which either Ireland or Dublin was once called). After finding a couple good books and an hour or so later, I walked around the neighborhood. Spain had great Oxfam stores that sell fair trade and environmentally friendly products while taking the money and putting it towards a good cause. Then I took the metro to Park GÜELL, designed by Guadí, in the northern part of the city. There are beautiful views from the top, but it is quite a climb. It was nice to walk around by myself and see more of the city.

Sunday I went into the city again and walked around a different neighborhood and the El Palau (palace) de Musica de Catalunya which was designed by Gaudí too with really neat designs in the modernism era. Then I walked to the Picasso Museum and saw a lot of his works throughout his lifetime...I really like his work around the turn of the century. Since the Parque Ciudatella was near by I walked a little around there and read and watched all the dogs and their owners running around the park...I miss Bailey....

By the way, it´s hard to say, but the 28th of August I got a call from my Dad saying that Bailey, my little terrier, got hit by a truck and died instantly. I havent seen him in 5 months and I really miss him. R.I.P.

Also, it is Catalunya´s independence day tomorrow, the 11th of September, so we will see all the exciting things that will happen in the city tomorrow. The Leris family, my family here, are going to their mountain house for the holiday so I will have some time to relax Friday and Saturday! I plan on soaking up the sun and swimming in the backyard and taking the bike to Barcelona and eating and that´s about it. The girls start their trilingual school (which I found out runs from 9-5pm every weekday where they learn Catalan, Spanish and English) on the 14th adn then on the 18th I leave for a 7:40am flight to London and then to SFO or LA or wherever United will let me on a flight to.
I am excited to be going home, sad to leave Spain, and also sad to be coming home to my Grandmother having surgery...but I am still counting down the days!! After almost 5 months being in Europe I am ready to see what CA has in store for me!

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