Wednesday 10 December 2008

Barcelona - December 2008

As Michelle was to spend Christmas in England, an end of year visit to Spain was formulated and executed. After having had to change my flight time a couple of times and using that ricketty bone shaker of an English train network, I arrive early afternoon at the airport. No hassles, no delays later and I am standing in Barcelona airport. Train to the city, one to Sabadell and I am meeting Michelle.

Greetings exchanged and we are off to the supermarket, a rough outline of what we intend to do for the next few days dictates our requirements. This all done and dusted we proceed to drop everything at home then we are are off out again, this time to eat and be entertained. Taditional salad for me and a lasagne, and for Michelle soup and sausages (not together, that would be......hmmmm).

Now for the evenings entertainment, an Arabian Orchestra, at a venue where you are actually allowed to smoke, and smoke some people do. The tell tale sweet smell of a herbal kind permiates the air, while the band entertains with all kinds of emotional Arabic soundscapes. many pictures are taken and some video shot. They are most enjoyable, and different, a refreshing change at the end of a rather hectic day.

Next day, Michelle is working, so I sleep in, mooch about the place and wait until Michelle gets home, beer and chat follows.

Friday is a day of work for both of us, Michelle has the day off, so we set to work tidying up the patio and stockpilling logs. Wood is gathered for laters BBQ. A BBQ in December you may question the logic in this, but it was a glorious day, we had bought suitable supplies the previous day, and so we set about grilling it all before the sun went down. Spanish black pudding, ribs, goat and some bacon, hmmmmmm. Many beers are drunk before darkness decends, and the wind ends our time outside.


Saturday was a trip to the city, for I had a personal mission to complete. My mum had asked me to take some of my dad's ashes and to place them in the sea, he was a sailor for 10 years after all, so some part of hime belonged there. A suitable place was found and a moments reflection undertaken and it was all done. We had intende to eat in Barcelona, a traditional Paella, so many visits I have made here, and never have i sampled this traditional dish, but all was in vain, as the restaraunt we had intended to eat at was so busy, we had to leave it for another time.


So it was off back to the Sagrada Familia, that magnificent cathedral never fails to impress me. As it was the beginning of December a market open just outside the cathedral, selling all kind of Spanish Christmassy wares, logs with faces, figurines for your nativity scene, and the obligitory little shitting man, 'The Caganer'. I had to treat myself to one, so bought myself a little shitting Yoda. We had hoped to bump into Gabi's brother Luca, as he usually has a stall on here, but unfortunately he was not around, but we managed to track him down to a local cafe, so we joined him and had a coffee.

So we left the city behind and headed back home to treat ourselves to a takeaway pizza. All wa going well until Michelle found a nail clipping in one of them, not nice. So we were down to one pizza, which was consumed with care and washed down with sangria.

Sunday was my last full day here, so we had a bit of a lazy day, lounged around the house, took the dogs for a local walk, finished off the meat we had bought, and generally did nothing.

Next day, hassle free flight, home sweet home.


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