Hi Busies!  

The third leg of our Europe trip was in Barcelona.  After a crazy amount of sightseeing and walking in Ireland and London, we were ready for a break.  Lucky for us, our Air BnB was perfect for that!  There was a rooftop terrace with a hammock and a cabana, which helped us recover from those long travel days.  We also opted for a bus tour to see some of the amazing architecture without subjecting ourselves to more walking (in London we walked over 10 miles, 3 days in a row!).

Left: We learned the art of the siesta very quickly.  Right:  my new haircut didn’t work so well on the open air bus tour!

After settling in and siesta-ing, the first order of business was trying some of Barcelona’s famous cuisine.  I had heard from several people that Barcelona operates on a very different timetable than the typical American day.  Travel and time changes had us all out of sorts, and it was almost 10pm before we were hungry for dinner.  We were worried that some kitchens would be closing, but as we walked through the winding streets of Barcelona’s old town, also called the Gothic Quarter, the restaurants were lively and bright, with people spilling out into the cobbled streets.  We popped into one of the first places we saw, and ordered a load of tapas.  Crispy ham and cheese filled croquettas, fresh ahi tuna, and pan con tomate (grilled, ciabatta style bread drizzled with olive oil and fresh tomato sauce) were among our favorites, and we ordered them a few more times from other places throughout our time in Barcelona.

Tapas, tapas everywhere!  

Our time here took on the tone of the overall city.  We moved at a slower pace and took time to enjoy the beauty around us.  There is a certain intimacy about being out to dinner after dark, alone together but surrounded by strangers, the loud music and chattering of the other diners fading away.  At home, it’s so easy to get lost in the daily grind.  It was in Barcelona that Drew and I were truly able to set aside all those topics — the logistics of the rest of the trip, worrying about how Watson and Penny were doing without us, what responsibilities were waiting for us when we got home — and enjoy more deep and meaningful conversation.  We also committed to try and keep the “distraction free dinner” practice up once we got home, to encourage more of that quality “us” time.

When we weren’t feasting on the amazing food, we spent time exploring the beach, a local park, and some of Barcelona’s famous architecture – both the modern and artistic by Antoni Gaudi and the intricate Gothic buildings of the old town.  

Some of the beautiful sights!

Left: The Sagrada Familia  Right:  A beautiful archway in the Gothic Quarter

Our favorite thing about staying in the Gothic Quarter was that around every twisting and turning cobblestone street, we found another delightful little restaurant, cafe, or bar to pop into.  Our particular favorite was the Alsur Cafe el Born, which is pictured below.  The interior is a perfect mix of cozy colors and brick walls, with eclectic lighting fixtures.  We split a brownie waffle, drizzled in melted dark and white chocolate, and let me just say that it was divine.  

And then, just like that, our time in Barcelona was over.  We still agree that this was our favorite stop of the trip, and we definitely grew closer as a couple.  We still try to remember the lessons we learned about letting the worries of the “small stuff” slip away and reflecting on the bigger picture.

On to our last stop, Paris!