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.
Flight was as-would-be-expected from a budget airline (EasyJet)-- cramped, free-for all, no food or entertainment, but at only 2 hours it was not bad once we were situated. Bryce was entertained by his Bob the Builder magazine temporarily before screaming his head off on the descent into Barcelona. To be fair, my ears hurt too. Ellis, no surprise, slept soundly through it all. When he was not flirting with the ladies on my right, that is. This boy knows how to captivate an audience, let me tell you.
We had a loose plan of sights we wanted to see, but the details for each day didn't get sussed until after the kids went to bed the night prior. We rented a self-catering apartment in the L'Eixample (pronounced "ee-shomp-luh") district, close to everything without having to deal with late-night noise. 2 beds, 2 baths, lift, but I have never wanted wall-to-wall carpet more in my life. The high ceilings and tile floors made the boys' cries and whines amplified beyond belief. Thankfully no neighbors complained, but I did!
After getting settled around 8:30PM, I popped over to the LIDL supermarket and scooped up some groceries before they closed at 9:15. We cooked up frozen pizzas and ate late like proper Spanish people.
In the morning (and a pretty rough night for the boys in a new place) we ate a bread and cheese and chorizo breakfast, along with extra-strong espresso from the machine in the kitchen. I need to get one! Then we headed off for a nice stroll to the top of Las Ramblas, through the market (where we ate a late lunch), and then meandered through the Gothic Quarter during siesta. This was pretty meaningful to Stephen and me as we both read, loved, and highly recommend The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Someone mysteriously brought it to a book swap at one of our tree-trimming parties years ago and we have no idea who it was. Anyway, it takes place in the Gothic Quarter and it was fun to see the neighborhood and compare it to the images created in our heads.
We found another playground and then made our way back down Las Ramblas and to the water's edge. Took the metro back home and had a quick kebab for dinner on the corner of our street. They were awesome-- not like kebabs in either NYC or England. Different and delicious. Hit the sack with another big day planned.
Bryce and his Bob the Builder magazine
Ellis cozy and ready to saw some logs.
"Torre Agbar" designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, 2005
First stop on our stroll, playground #1, situated smack in the middle of the sidewalk so there was no avoiding it.
¡Hola!
I did not place Bryce in the bear's lap, he did it, the cheeky monkey that he is.
Stopped at this bakery for a treat. Stephen chose "bunyols" which I berated him for. I said, "why would you order beignets at a Spanish bakery?" Well, turns out they are a true Catalan thing- basically their version of a doughnut- and very popular before Lent. We were, in fact, eating like the locals.
Bunyols
Bryce got a chocolate cookie-thing that was so hard he almost lost all of his baby teeth.
La Boqueria market-- a colorful, mouth-watering display of food and chock full of pickpockets. Sadly no one picked our pockets. I wanted to see the look of disappointment when they came up empty-handed!
Colors have not been enhanced.
Colorful spices
Yum! Pig snout! Stephen found one of these in a bowl of soup later in the week. More on that later.
"Bombas" Read the interesting back-story to bombas here.
Patatas bravas y butifarra con judías. The latter was the most delicious sausage I have had IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
Bryce was asleep when we got to the market, but he woke up to watch them restock the fish! Exciting!
Sheep (or goat?) heads, a steal at just 1.75€, and brains only slightly more. Does anyone recognize the organs at 3.50€?
Can't decide between tripe and tongue
This little piggy went to market...
Delicious raspberries
Fearnley boys strolling down Las Ramblas
Bryce loved looking for dragons and "monsters" carved into the fancy buildings
Carrer del Bisbe Irurita
wiggle wiggle!
Carrer dels Comtes
Stephen claims this is the elephant and castle, but i think it looks like a tusked anteater. Upon further investigation and internet research, I am going to conclude that it is a mastodon, with its straight tusks and small ears. Nevermind the castle-esque structure on its back.
Stopped at a playground at Plaça de George Orwell when the kids got a second wind
Had to get out of the carrier for a stretch!
Agencia Estatal de Administración Tributaria (Main Federal Tax office)
