Barcelona 2013

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get all of our cruise photos up on the blog, I just can’t seem to sit down at the computer these days but finally, the last of our 2013 transatlantic cruise posts. 

Barcelona was our final port and I was so excited as we planned to spend a few extra days visiting this beautiful city.  Maisie and I visited Barcelona back in 2010 as it was the final port-of-call for our Disney cruise.  My one regret from our last visit was that we only spent one day there before flying home.  I knew better this time so we planned some extra days and I was excited to see more of the city.

Once we disembarked from the ship we made our way to our hotel and then met up with Maisie’s friend Mahe and her family.  We spent a nice afternoon together walking the city.  We started by strolling along Las Ramblas, seeing all the human statues.

We enjoyed a nice lunch together and of course had to have some paella.

and just a small Sangria.  :)   

Mahe and Maisie keeping themselves and the adults laughing.

As we walked around the city Eammon found a place that called to him.

And I found “my” store.

On our way to the Plaça de la Catedral.

Mahe & Maisie in the Plaça de la Catedral directly in front of the Catedral.

Eammon just HAD to have his picture taken in front of this bar.

Cuties Mahe & Maisie feeding the birds in Plaça de Catalunya.

The girls and the Dads taking a break before we went our separate ways for the night.

Each family had plans for our days in Barcelona so we wouldn’t be seeing Mahe and her parents again so the girls hugged good-bye and promised to see each other one day soon.

On our second day we decided to take a tour of the city.  Back in 2010 Maisie and I toured Barcelona with Trixi Tours and it was such a fun, wonderful and up close way to see the city, we just had to do it again.    

One spoiled pooch but what a nice ride!

Our guide/driver Alejandro took us to our first stop, La Casa dels Entremesos to see the gegants i capgrossos.

It was so interesting seeing the giants up close.

We continued our travels along the roads to the Arc de Triomf at the entrance to Parc de la Ciutadell which was built for the 1888 Universal Exposition.

La Sagrada Familia is one of Gaudi's most famous works in Barcelona. It's a giant temple that has been under construction since 1882 and it's not expected to be completed for at least another 20 years.  Honestly the only difference that I noticed from our visit 3 years ago was that Maisie looks three years older.  La Sagrada Familia, to me, looked just the same.

The newer side of La Sagrada Familia.

I wish that I knew the name of this building as it was so interesting.  This picture is of one facade, ornate and pretty…

and the other facade, colorful and highly decorated.  I think we were told that it was an apartment building.

Gaudi’s Casa Milà.

Gaudi’s Casa Batlló on Passeig de Gracia. The building was designed by Gaudi for Josep Batlló, a wealthy aristocrat, as an upmarket home. The Batlló family lived in the lower two floors and rented out the upper floor apartments.  From the outside the façade of Casa Batlló looks like it has been made from skulls and bones. The "Skulls" are in the balconies and the "bones" are supporting pillars.

The building next to Casa Batlló, not by Gaudi but just as interesting.

Many buildings had depictions of Sant Jordi slaying a dragon.  Sant Jordi is the patron saint of Catalonia.  When Maisie and visited Barcelona in 2010, it was actually La Diada de Sant Jordi (Saint George's Day) and the streets were packed with people celebrating the day.

A building built into the remains of a Roman viaduct.

One of the narrow streets that we traveled in our Trixi cab.

On our way down to the Port Vell we stopped at Santa Maria del Mar.

View from Port Vell.

The beach looked lovely but too cold for this gal.

Because Eammon was so interested in the Roman walls, Alejandro brought us back to the Trixi Tours office as the back wall of their space was a 2,000 year old Roman wall.   (Maisie, Eammon and our wonderful guide Alejandro)

Tower of a Roman wall in Plaça dels Traginers.

An interesting fountain in Plaça de Sant Just.

On our third day and final full day in Barcelona we decided to visit Park Güell where we ended up spending most of the day.

The grand staircase leading to the Hipóstila room.

One of the buildings at the main entrance to the park,

Maisie on the Grand staircase with the famous Gaudi lizard.

Looking down the Grand stairway to toward the main entrance.

Ceiling of the Hipóstila room.

Maisie in Nature Square, sitting on world's longest bench, a colourful, serpentine creation designed by Gaudí's creative partner Jujol.

View of Nature Square, the serpentine bench runs all along the edge and views of Barcelona in the background.

Carob’s viaduct from Nature Square.

Walking along one of the many paths.

Very interesting plants.  The little “thorn” in the center of each leaf isn’t a thorn at all, just tender leaf.

Beautiful day and paths to enjoy.

Maisie posing just because she wanted to.

View of Temple de Sagrat Cor on the summit of Mount Tibidabo.

Maisie in front of Planter’s viaduct

Turó de les tres creus

View of La Sagrada Familia from Turó de les tres creus.

My beautiful Maisie on the base of the Turó de les tres creus.

Maisie found some interesting trees.

Another interesting tree.

 Gaudi House Museum

Gaudi House Museum

Planter’s viaduct

Planter’s viaduct

Below Planter's viaduct

On top of Planter’s viaduct

Top of Planter’s viaduct

More views of Planter’s viaduct

Maisie sitting in one of the coves along Planter’s viaduct

Carob’s viaduct

When Maisie and I visited Barcelona back in 2010 we met up with fellow  China adoptive mom, Fina.  Fina and I have been corresponding since we each received our referral for WanZhou girls back in November 2006 and we had hoped to meet in China but Fina traveled to get her Abril a week after we met Maisie so that meeting never happened.  When Maisie and I were last in Barcelona we weren’t able to meet Fina’s daughter Abril but this time we were able to meet up with Fina, meet her husband and finally meet Abril.  Unfortunately Fina doesn’t speak English and I don’t speak Spanish or Catalan so I’m thankful for translation software as we sat in the lobby of our hotel and used technology to help us communicate.   Hopefully next time we meet I’ll have learned some Spanish and Fina some English.  Even with our difficulty communicating it was wonderful to meet again.

Two WanZhou beauties.

We had a wonderful time in Barcelona and on our entire trip.  I’ll tell you though, it took us almost a full week to recover from our travels and the jetlag.  Even though it took time to “recover” from our trip, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.  We met wonderful friends, enjoyed relaxing sea days, had wonderful food and some fabulous days in port.  No new cruises on the horizon but I know that we’ll be cruising again and hopefully soon!

Eammon recently put in a request for one of his favorite meals, Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole so I decided to make it and feature it again here on Moments with Maisie.  This casserole is so simple and delicious and it’s always a huge hit every time it’s made.  Click on the link or the picture to be taken to Cook Lisa Cook and the recipe.

Other buffalo-ed foods, delicious appetizers and casseroles on Cook Lisa Cook include:  Loaded Buffalo Chicken Texas Toast, Buffalo Cauliflower, Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings, Slimmed Down Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole, Chinese Five Spice Wings, Chicken Dumpling Patties, Crab Cake Stuffed Mushrooms, Sweet Italian Sausage & Roasted Chestnut Stuffed Mushrooms, Lacy Cheese Crackers, Slow Cooker Ranch Mushrooms, Crispy Zucchini Chips, Fried Green Tomatoes, Bacon & Cheese Zucchini Fritters, Chicken Tenders, Strawberry Soup, Broiled Sushi, Pork Dumplings with Rice Wrappers, Rum Cured Salmon, Aloo Tikki, Jamaican Jerk Meat Pies, Pesto Pita Pizza, Spicy Brown Sugar Bacon, Grilled Prawns, Wicked Good New England Lobster Rolls, Holy Guacamole, Grilled Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing, Lasagna Soup and BBQ Chicken Quesadillas, Corn Soufflé,  Grilled Corn & Bacon Pudding, Slimmed Down Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole,  Sweet Potato Casserole, Baked Macaroni & Cheese and Baked Reuben Casserole.

Enjoy!