Barcelona, Days 2 & 3: Parc de la Ciutadella, Barceloneta, the aquarium, date night in Gracia, and Gaudi's Sagrada Familia

16-17 February, 2012

Thursday we hit the road walking down through Parc de la Ciutadella (or Citadel Park) to the beach (Barceloneta).  We had to keep to a pretty strict schedule in order to save enough time for the aquarium.  In addition to his somewhat savage consumption of fish on our holiday, the aquarium was the highlight of the week for Bryce.  The boy likes fish, dead or alive. 

Ended our sightseeing in the late afternoon with a BANG when I drove the stroller into a hole in the overly-cobbled sidewalk.  I chased after a wheel as it rolled down the path ahead of me and Stephen tried to track down the other bits that flew off.  We tried, without success, to repair it ourselves and headed home on two wheels instead of three.

We quickly got over the rubbishy end to an otherwise awesome day because we had a sitter coming! (Thanks to the help of a friend back in the States, Joan, whose close Barcelonian (?) friend recommended a lovely woman named Anna.)  She was warm and kind and I felt very comfortable with her looking after the boys.  Stephen and I had an awesome kid-free night out, complete with cocktail hour at, of all things, a gin & tonic bar and a divine meal and romantic late-night stroll.

Started an overcast Friday morning optimistically and set out to the bike repair shop to get the stroller mended.  The Bike Man fixed it, we kissed him, took his photo with Bryce, and set off for our Dia de Gaudí.  (His unfinished Sagrada Familia and Parc Güell)  Sadly, the wheel popped off again in front of the Sagrada Familia, we took it back to the bike guy who fixed it again, and we rolled it back to the apartment gingerly.

Our day's plans seemingly thwarted, we fed the boys and put them down for a proper siesta and I ran out to try to find a shop during the hours that all the shops are closed.  I found one, dished out 50€ for a cheap-o umbrella stroller, and ran home to announce that we would be having a late Friday night family dinner out like the rest of Barcelona.  We wandered the streets looking for something good and got a recommendation from a kid's shop owner.  It was very kid-friendly, brightly-lit, and diner-ish in appearance.  However, around 8:15 it started to get packed and that had me feeling that the food must be the good.  It was delish indeed.  Walked home past the other face of the Sagrada Familia, which we hadn't gotten to see in the morning due to our stroller mishap and arrived at the apartment feeling ready for another big day in the morning.

Fat Thursday or "Jueves Ladero" is the kickoff to Carnaval, so when we set out in the morning we saw little herds of wee-ones decked out in fancy dress.

Monumental, caddy corner from where our apartment was.  This used to be the bull-fighting arena before bull-fighting was banned (just in 2010 and enforced this year.)

Outdoor table tennis in Parc de la Ciutadella.  Sadly, I did not pack my gear for a sunny face-off with Ste.

The "Cascada" or waterfall / fountain

Right after this photo Bryce kicked over a can of soda that was on the ground, which, according to some chap 10 meters from it, belonged to him.  He said, "Buy me one!"  And I proceeded to comfort poor Bryce who was scared to death of the flailing, ranting bloke.  I eventually said, fine we'll buy you another soda and the guy cursed us and left.  He was wearing a Phillies hat but very clearly not from Philly.  I wanted badly to knee him in the ghoulies, but refrained.

Parrots!  (I think)

And we have playground #3!  They are everywhere, it seems!

Ta-da!

Arc de Triomf

The seaside in Barceloneta

Bryce liked the sand, but the water not-so-much.  He hasn't been to the beach since Sept 2010 in Robert Moses Park!  Eek! 

Biggest and littllest Fearnley dudes

This is nice, but can I have some fish already?!

Cool beachy Spanish building in Barceloneta

Sadly we had to lay off the fish for the little chap based on some reactions he's had.

Mackerel, grilled squid, and crack-infused chick peas.  I have no pictures of the quickly-inhaled salt cod that we had as well.  This was by far our best meal out and chosen upon a few online recommendations.

Bryce chowing down on "tellerines" (tay-yuh-ree-nus).  They are little delicious shellfish recommended to us by the local ladies at the next table.

Understated and unsigned entrance to La Cova Fumada

Could've been a neat picture.  The cool part about this aquarium is that there is a really slow-moving walkway that pulls you through this all-around tank.  I told Bryce that there is a shark inside his nose and that if he puts his finger in too deep he will bite it, but this kid is fearless!

Such cool creatures.

Climbing under the ray tank

Cool view from the aquarium.

GD tile floors...

My infused gin cocktail was perfecto.

Foie gras stuffed with figs, Catalan salad with some super-umami dressing that we think had meat in it.

Seared duck breast with berry sauce, pistachios, and banana fritters.  Sounds weird.  But wonderful.

Butifarra (Catalan sausage)-stuffed calamari in an apple sauce.  Words. Can. Not. Describe...

Catalan pudding (like a nutty creme brulee meets rice pudding?)  It was good but I was SO stuffed.

Another meaty, cheesy breakfast.  Doesn't that cheese look like a boob?

Boys playing in the sun

Brothers loving each other

That is indeed a hug, not a strangle.

Our bike repairman who saved the day- er, I mean, half-hour.

La Sagrada Familia-- the older side with Nativity.  I took a great close-up, but thought it sacrilege to post it since I accidentally cropped out the star of the show, BJ.

Our new wheels and Bryce's new Carnaval getup (purchased for a whopping 75¢ at the "ferreteria")  I think it's for an adult because if we positioned it over his nose, it covered both eyes.  It's pretty cool because I think "Arrrrr!" is the same in Catalan.

This doesn't say much for Spanish dentistry.

Another "Catalan Salad" but much different!  I love a meaty salad!

Stephen's onion soup.  Which had a secret ingredient.  He left the super-chewy bits behind and when the waiter came to collect our dishes we asked what it was.  He grabbed his nose and tried a few words before saying "pork."  Um, yeah.  Piggy snout.  (I thought those were saved for hot dogs, but I guess not.)  Forgot to take photos of our main courses: Stephen got trout, which Bryce ate tons of, and I got grilled cuttlefish.  Both very tasty. 

Having trouble remembering what we fed this little guy, besides milk.  Check out that 'stache.

The newer façade of La Sagrada Familia, the Passion.  Not my fave, but still very impressive, especially lit up at night.  The inside is also VERY cool.  We did not brave the ridiculous line with 2 uninterested toddlers and a broken buggy, but here is a lovely photo so you can see just how magnificent it must be.