I have a new favorite year.
1971
Under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, bank holidays are proclaimed each year by the legal device of a royal proclamation. A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom. Banks are closed, most everyone is off work. Royal proclamation is also used to move bank holidays that would otherwise fall on a weekend. In this way, public holidays are not 'lost' in years when they coincide with weekends. These deferred bank holiday days are termed a 'bank holiday in lieu' of the typical anniversary date. In the legislation they are known as 'substitute days'.
In essence, the Queen creates 8 3-day weekends throughout the year.
This weekend is one.
Woo Hoo!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Existence Testing
Done. No exceptions noted.
(This one's for my PwC peeps. If you find yourself confused, ask an auditor to explain.)
(This one's for my PwC peeps. If you find yourself confused, ask an auditor to explain.)
Monday, August 15, 2011
Balloons & our first visitor!
I’m trying not to entitle every post heading with an ending exclamation point, but there have been so many exciting things this past week that it’s hard to contain myself. For the sake of some of my co-workers back in Texas, I did hold to only one. You know who you are.
A rundown of the week timing partly for you, mostly for me; so I can remember the chaos. I had a week’s worth of vacation (or holiday time as it will hence forth be known as) that I had to use by September 30th. Adam starts classes on September 19th, so I really needed to use it up by then. So, I decided just to take a full week off for our pre-puppy trip (or puppymoon as Cara from Petrelocation called it) and the girls arrival. A week ago Friday, I went to work as usual, then Adam picked me up from the office & we headed straight for the airport. 4 wonderful days in Barcelona. See the (as he described it) mega post below. We got back to Bristol late Tuesday afternoon/early evening.
When we’d originally booked the trip a month or so ago, the girls were supposed to arrive Wednesday afternoon, however the flight schedule changed and they couldn’t leave DFW until Wednesday which put them in the UK Thursday. It actually worked out really well because it gave us all day Wednesday to run errands & get ready for them to be here. You know, little things like buy dog food & bowls, figure out where to put their crates, assemble the dog gate. They made it safely to us about 7:30pm Thursday evening. You’ll even be proud of me, I did not let them sleep in our bed; they had to go in their crates the first night. I was so exhausted from not sleeping Wednesday night because of worry and pacing in the house most of the day Thursday that I knew it was best for all the parties involved that I get a good night’s sleep (read: mostly Adam).
Friday we went park exploring during the day. We weren’t sure how far Ginger would make it, so we split it up into several smaller walks, but she did really well. We’ll start trying to lengthen them out some as we go. We’d planned to go out to the Bristol Balloon Fiesta for the evening balloon launch at 6pm. About 3 or so we loaded up the car to head out. A moment for a detour in my train of thought. I will never, ever, ever purchase another vehicle with cloth seats again. Dog hair wipes off leather, it does not off cloth. Poor Adam and the vacuum cleaner had about an hour long date after the 45 minutes the girls were in the car.
We’re on our way to the Fiesta in our Fiesta (got to get a joke in about the car ) & it starts pouring. My mother has always claimed that the British have a sixth sense on rain. Like they know just when to bring in their laundry off the line or how to wait an extra 15 minutes before walking home so they avoid the shower. She says she doesn’t ever think she’ll figure out how they do it. I’m with her. You can even ask them & they just claim their lucky. I’m not buying it – they know something that they’re not willing to share. So, the Americans without the internal radar system turned around and went home.
Saturday morning we stayed at home & I caught up on paperwork and bills. Okay, I’m going to tangent again (isn’t it nice that I warn you?). We have gotten no less than seven bills from British Gas (our electric & gas provider). We got one, then a correction – it was £1.17 less than the first and had a later due date, I accepted. We got another correction back to the original price, but an even later due date. Then we got a form requesting us to do our own meter reading and send info back to them. I did that & we received another bill. I can’t remember the amount for it, but the due date was later still. Then we got two bills on the same day one which read across the top “Final Bill” and one “First Estimated Bill”, they were for the same amount (and two different due dates). Then last week we got another one that says it’s our “First Actual Corrected Bill”. It’s not due until August 31st, but I went ahead & paid it just to see if they’d quit sending us bills that confuse me. I’m pretty sure that they have now spent more on postage & printing costs than they got from my payment.
I promise, I really am getting to the point of the title of my post.
In Fort Worth, PwC has a client who also has manufacturing facilities and some operations in Europe, one location being about an hour south of Bristol. Because of these operations, the PwC Fort Worth office requests the PwC Bristol office to do part of the audit over here & send the information back to them. This summer, the manager and partner from PwC Fort Worth are also doing a tour of some of the European locations, meeting the clients & the PwC folks that they have been emailing and calling for the last couple of years. Even in the super technology world we live in, it’s nice to put a face with a name! I was pretty excited when the manager emailed me & said she’d be in Bristol over the weekend. Not only did we work together occasionally, Robyn is a friend, a confidant & a sounding board for me in the office, and I was thrilled to get to show off my new city to her. Plus now we can officially say we’ve had a visitor!
Robyn called Saturday afternoon to let us know she’d landed and we made plans to pick her up at the hotel and go try the balloon fiesta again. We did just that. After a few minutes of both me & Adam thinking the other one had checked the directions on how to get out there, we realized that we were going to give Robyn the scenic tour of Bristol. Mental Note: next time we have visitors, plan better. We made it out there and managed to find a spot to stand where we could see the inflation and launching process. There were so many more people there than I expected. I felt safe knowing that the weather sixth sense had told all these people it was okay to be outside tonight.
We watched as 87 hot air balloons were inflated and lifted off all within about an hour of each other. It was one of the neatest things I’ve seen. I can’t imagine the logistics of coordinating that many balloons in a tight space all trying to go up at once. We tried guessing the shape and size as the fabric came to life. Most were pretty tame, but occasionally they’d be a square balloon (how does that even work??) or one shaped like a dragon. It was really neat seeing them taking off. The only downside we realized on the walk back to the car…up a hill again – I now have a witness to the extent of hills in this city…was that we couldn’t really see them flying once they were up because of our vantage point. I think our plan for next year’s fiesta is to sit on top of a hill somewhere to watch them in the air. I’m glad we get to be here to see it twice so we can experience both sides of the event.
Anyone want to make reservations at the Powell Inn for next year’s Fiesta? August 9-12, 2012. Mark your calendar now!
A rundown of the week timing partly for you, mostly for me; so I can remember the chaos. I had a week’s worth of vacation (or holiday time as it will hence forth be known as) that I had to use by September 30th. Adam starts classes on September 19th, so I really needed to use it up by then. So, I decided just to take a full week off for our pre-puppy trip (or puppymoon as Cara from Petrelocation called it) and the girls arrival. A week ago Friday, I went to work as usual, then Adam picked me up from the office & we headed straight for the airport. 4 wonderful days in Barcelona. See the (as he described it) mega post below. We got back to Bristol late Tuesday afternoon/early evening.
When we’d originally booked the trip a month or so ago, the girls were supposed to arrive Wednesday afternoon, however the flight schedule changed and they couldn’t leave DFW until Wednesday which put them in the UK Thursday. It actually worked out really well because it gave us all day Wednesday to run errands & get ready for them to be here. You know, little things like buy dog food & bowls, figure out where to put their crates, assemble the dog gate. They made it safely to us about 7:30pm Thursday evening. You’ll even be proud of me, I did not let them sleep in our bed; they had to go in their crates the first night. I was so exhausted from not sleeping Wednesday night because of worry and pacing in the house most of the day Thursday that I knew it was best for all the parties involved that I get a good night’s sleep (read: mostly Adam).
Friday we went park exploring during the day. We weren’t sure how far Ginger would make it, so we split it up into several smaller walks, but she did really well. We’ll start trying to lengthen them out some as we go. We’d planned to go out to the Bristol Balloon Fiesta for the evening balloon launch at 6pm. About 3 or so we loaded up the car to head out. A moment for a detour in my train of thought. I will never, ever, ever purchase another vehicle with cloth seats again. Dog hair wipes off leather, it does not off cloth. Poor Adam and the vacuum cleaner had about an hour long date after the 45 minutes the girls were in the car.
We’re on our way to the Fiesta in our Fiesta (got to get a joke in about the car ) & it starts pouring. My mother has always claimed that the British have a sixth sense on rain. Like they know just when to bring in their laundry off the line or how to wait an extra 15 minutes before walking home so they avoid the shower. She says she doesn’t ever think she’ll figure out how they do it. I’m with her. You can even ask them & they just claim their lucky. I’m not buying it – they know something that they’re not willing to share. So, the Americans without the internal radar system turned around and went home.
Saturday morning we stayed at home & I caught up on paperwork and bills. Okay, I’m going to tangent again (isn’t it nice that I warn you?). We have gotten no less than seven bills from British Gas (our electric & gas provider). We got one, then a correction – it was £1.17 less than the first and had a later due date, I accepted. We got another correction back to the original price, but an even later due date. Then we got a form requesting us to do our own meter reading and send info back to them. I did that & we received another bill. I can’t remember the amount for it, but the due date was later still. Then we got two bills on the same day one which read across the top “Final Bill” and one “First Estimated Bill”, they were for the same amount (and two different due dates). Then last week we got another one that says it’s our “First Actual Corrected Bill”. It’s not due until August 31st, but I went ahead & paid it just to see if they’d quit sending us bills that confuse me. I’m pretty sure that they have now spent more on postage & printing costs than they got from my payment.
I promise, I really am getting to the point of the title of my post.
In Fort Worth, PwC has a client who also has manufacturing facilities and some operations in Europe, one location being about an hour south of Bristol. Because of these operations, the PwC Fort Worth office requests the PwC Bristol office to do part of the audit over here & send the information back to them. This summer, the manager and partner from PwC Fort Worth are also doing a tour of some of the European locations, meeting the clients & the PwC folks that they have been emailing and calling for the last couple of years. Even in the super technology world we live in, it’s nice to put a face with a name! I was pretty excited when the manager emailed me & said she’d be in Bristol over the weekend. Not only did we work together occasionally, Robyn is a friend, a confidant & a sounding board for me in the office, and I was thrilled to get to show off my new city to her. Plus now we can officially say we’ve had a visitor!
Robyn called Saturday afternoon to let us know she’d landed and we made plans to pick her up at the hotel and go try the balloon fiesta again. We did just that. After a few minutes of both me & Adam thinking the other one had checked the directions on how to get out there, we realized that we were going to give Robyn the scenic tour of Bristol. Mental Note: next time we have visitors, plan better. We made it out there and managed to find a spot to stand where we could see the inflation and launching process. There were so many more people there than I expected. I felt safe knowing that the weather sixth sense had told all these people it was okay to be outside tonight.
We watched as 87 hot air balloons were inflated and lifted off all within about an hour of each other. It was one of the neatest things I’ve seen. I can’t imagine the logistics of coordinating that many balloons in a tight space all trying to go up at once. We tried guessing the shape and size as the fabric came to life. Most were pretty tame, but occasionally they’d be a square balloon (how does that even work??) or one shaped like a dragon. It was really neat seeing them taking off. The only downside we realized on the walk back to the car…up a hill again – I now have a witness to the extent of hills in this city…was that we couldn’t really see them flying once they were up because of our vantage point. I think our plan for next year’s fiesta is to sit on top of a hill somewhere to watch them in the air. I’m glad we get to be here to see it twice so we can experience both sides of the event.
Anyone want to make reservations at the Powell Inn for next year’s Fiesta? August 9-12, 2012. Mark your calendar now!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Puppies!
I have had a massive countdown. A countdown until our family is together again. If you've seen facebook lately, you might have noticed the minute by minute reporting which occurred regarding their arrival.
It's been great having them with us again. I'd forgotten how much I love to hear the jingle of their collars in the morning & how they get so excited when I walk anywhere near their food (how did they figure out where I keep it so quickly??). I may have also forgotten how much they shed - mental note, vacuuming goes up one notch on the weekly chores priority list.
Next up: teaching them to bark British.
August 10 at 11:09pm:We feel complete again. Daisy has successfully planted herself behind me in the office chair which gives me just enough to sit on without being on the floor. Ginger has taken to her new water bowl - ears and all. We've taken several short walks around the neighborhood to discover new smells. We've learned we don't like blackberries or at least the bushes they come on.
Amanda: The girls are over Kentucky heading towards Amsterdam & I'm heading to bed before the refresh button on the flight tracker wears out. They should be here by 2pm Texas Time tomorrow.
August 11 at 2:13pm:
Adam: Dogs are in the country. Just need to clear immigration & drive out to see us (we hired a driver -- We're not letting Ginger take the wheel on the wrong side of the road). Just 5 more hours...Amanda may already be sitting by the front door.
August 11 at 6:43pm:
Amanda: Girls have cleared immigration. I'm officially pacing in the house.
August 11 at 9:43pm:
Pictures of their arrival
It's been great having them with us again. I'd forgotten how much I love to hear the jingle of their collars in the morning & how they get so excited when I walk anywhere near their food (how did they figure out where I keep it so quickly??). I may have also forgotten how much they shed - mental note, vacuuming goes up one notch on the weekly chores priority list.
Next up: teaching them to bark British.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Catalonian Holiday
For the first of hopefully many excursions to mainland Europe, we decided to trade in our cloudy skies and soggy weather for the sunshine and warm ocean breezes of Barcelona. I picked Amanda up from work Friday afternoon and we made our way to the airport for our evening flight to Barcelona. We were booked on EasyJet to leave Bristol at 6:40 PM and arrive in Barcelona around 9:45 PM local time. EasyJet is a similar to Southwest Airlines in both cost and service provided. Let’s just say you get what you pay for and leave it at that.
The flight was uneventful and we arrived in Barcelona on time without incident. After passing through Customs which took all of ten minutes (mostly because Amanda requested the officer to stamp her passport rather than just looking at it) we made our way to the airport lobby where we were supposed to be able to purchase bus tickets in order to make our way to the hotel. Time, however, was quite literally against us. At 10:00 PM on a Friday evening none of the public transportation kiosks were manned which meant we had to try and manage to use the automated ticket machines scattered throughout the airport. This also proved to be a difficult task as well. Amanda has mentioned our issues with chip and pen credit cards when trying to buy things in England. Well the automated ticket machines will only accept chip and pen cards which we still do not have. So at 10:30 there we were wondering around Barcelona International with no cash, no transportation and approximately 15 miles separating us from our hotel.
Thankfully, we found a friendly train attendant who patiently listened to our struggles (in Amanda’s special version of Spanish) and allowed us to board a bus that would take us to another station that would have a manned ticket counter. We thanked the attendant and boarded the bus for our twenty minute ride to a station downtown Barcelona. Upon arrival, there were no manned ticket counters. So we located another attendant and proceeded to explain what had happened. Unfortunately, this attendant couldn’t understand that American credit cards don’t have the chip and pen feature which makes them practically useless in Europe. After wasting half an hour with this attendant and getting no closer to the hotel we politely told the attendant we would try and find another way to the hotel. At this point we were tired and frustrated and it was well past our bedtime. It was about the time I suggested that perhaps we just walk the rest of the way to the hotel that another attendant came by and asked if he could help. We told him our troubles and that we were about to set out on foot and simply shook his head and beckoned us to follow him. He led us down to the line platform entrance and passed us through security and even told us what metro we would need to take to get to our hotel. We didn’t even really get to express our gratitude effectively because he made the decision to let us pass so quickly we didn’t realize what had happened until we were already through security. The rest of the night passed uneventfully as we arrived at the hotel around 12:20, checked in and collapsed on our "married" bed - that's European for two twins pushed together.
On Saturday morning we made our way to Plaça de Catalunya and the top of Las Ramblas. After walking through Plaça de Catalunya we found a busy little Café were we stopped for a croissant and fresh glass of orange juice before we began our Rick Steves’ walking tour of Las Ramblas. When I say fresh glass of OJ, I mean, I watched a guy take an orange and make my glass of juice. It doesn’t get better than that. Las Ramblas was packed with tourists, entertainers, and street vendors.
Las Ramblas is an experience that I don’t know that I’ll be able to fully describe here. My favorite part was La Boqueria, a market just off the main street…well, maybe it was the gelato shops on the Ramblas, but more on them in a minute. The market has a wealth of colors and smells which compete for attention almost as much as the booth operators wanting those tourist Euros. The fruit was so brightly colored; every kind of melon and berry that you can think of was there. They were fresh and just begging to be eaten (I obliged). There were also legs of ham hanging from the booths and fresh fish from the boats just that morning. All the booths were mixed together in one hodgepodge of semi-organized chaos so your nose never could figure out if you were near meats, melons, fish or flowers.
At the bottom of Las Ramblas is a monument statue dedicated to Christopher Columbus who is depicted standing triumphantly pointing out to sea as if he is beckoning the people of Barcelona to take to the seas and discover the world.
From the statue we started towards Montjuic and the castle that bears its name. On the way we managed to find the steepest road in all of Spain as our route to the top of Montjuic. Side Note: Amanda is starting to think that I’m searching out these hills. It’s not true. A little less than half way to the top we came across the swimming and diving arena for the ‘92 summer games which has been converted into a public swimming facility. Just outside the entrance to the swimming facility is a cable car that we elected to take for the remainder of our journey up Montjuic. At €9 per person the price was a bit steep, but then so was the hill we were trying to climb. In the end I think it was worth the price. Besides, it helped us complete the transportation trifecta for the trip…plane, train & cable car (okay, bus & car were in there too, but they’re not nearly as cool).
Upon ascending the mount in our cable car, we disembarked and made our way to the castle. Built in the 18th century and used by Spain’s fascist leaders to repress the locals it is appropriately intimidating. The main battery of guns face the Mediterranean ready to repel anyone foolish enough to attack the fortified position perched high above Barcelona’s port. There are few guns facing inland from the castle but the walls and towers can be seen from nearly every area of the city that has a clear view of the mountain. Inside the castle the inner ward has been transformed into a large gathering area with a small restaurant nestled into the arcade and what used to be sleeping quarters and administrative offices for the castle. Opposite the restaurant the castle is in the process of being transformed into a museum. Most of the magazine spaces and auxiliary facilities were closed to the public as they are being turned into exhibit spaces for the new museum. Above the parade grounds is very expansive walk wall that affords a commanding 360 degree view of the city, port and surrounding land and seascapes.
After taking the cable car back down to the Olympic swimming facility, we made our way to the Olympic stadium. I got to stand directly beneath the caldron where the greatest torch lighting ever took place.
Leaving the stadium we made our way back to the hotel to rest our feet and get ready for dinner. Along Passieg de Garcia (near our hotel) there are dozens of tapas restaurants and Rick Steves’ recommended one in particular known as QuQu. I must say it’s hard to go wrong when Rick makes a suggestion of any kind. The food was good. I like the snack through your entire meal style of eating. I’ve also discovered that I really like Sangria. Seriously, where have I been the last 30 years?
Once we finished our tapas we walked back towards Font Magica de Montjuic for a water and light show choreographed to music. I have to admit that Amanda pretty much had to drag me to the show. We’d had a very walk intensive day and the thought of walking about another mile just to watch a fountain and some lights really didn’t sound that great. I’m going to put this out there just for her: I was wrong. There, I said it. Well, I have many other times too, just not quite so publicly. Anyway, the fountain show was a wonderful way to cap the evening and was my favorite sight of the day. For about 30 minutes, over 680 gallons per second of water are pumped through this massive fountain in three concentric pools. That’s impressive enough, but also a variety of music blares out of the air– from the Star Wars theme song to some very classical piano pieces to even California Girls and then add the light show behind it all. It really was quite amazing.
On Sunday, we got up early to beat the crowds that gather at the Picasso museum. We still managed to wait 45 minutes in line before entering but there was an excellent café next to the museum where Amanda had another croissant and I indulged in a chocolate muffin. It was by far the best breakfast we had during our stay and only costs about two dollars US. After getting into the museum, we made our way to the permanent exhibit which displays around 1,000 pieces consisting of paintings, sketches, sculpture and lithographs all created by the museum’s namesake. I have to admit that walking around the museum and studying the different types of art that make up the collection I began to see Picasso as a “jack of all trades” type rather than one of the truly great artists. The pieces in the museum are all exceptional however when compared to others, his work doesn’t appear to measure up in my mind. He certainly wasn’t the greatest realist ever although First Communion clearly demonstrated the talent that he was born with and had he continued down that path I might view him differently. I will admit that it’s difficult for me to judge him on his abstract work because by its very nature it’s nearly impossible to compare one artist with another. There is no doubt in my mind that he had incredible talent and a gift for portraying things in a manner that few others possess. Yet every time he approached mastery of a specific discipline he changed gears and went off in a completely different direction. I did however enjoy our time in the museum and would definitely recommend it to anyone interested with one caveat. Make sure you go on the first Sunday of the month when it’s free of charge!
Our next stop was the Cathedral of Barcelona. After a short walk from the museum we arrived around 11:30 and made our way into the Cathedral. It is currently under renovation so much of the church is filled with scaffolding however the areas that are free of construction equipment are very impressive. It’s not the most ornate Cathedral I have ever been in and certainly looks its age. But what it lacks in luminescence and vibrancy it more than makes up for with a rustic Spanish charm. A soft glow that emanates from the hundreds of prayer candles that surround the naive reflect off the un-plastered walls and ceilings and wrap parishioners and guests alike in a warm blanket of light. While we were there, Mass was taking place so we weren’t allowed to wander the aisles so after snapping a few inconspicuous photos we decided it was time for lunch before we made our way to the Chocolate Museum.
We decided that instead of heading back to the more touristy areas of the city we would venture off on our own and find a café that catered to the local populous. We managed to find a quite little sandwich shop down a claustrophobic side street in the Old City that served the best Chorizo sandwich I’ve had in a long time. Not only was the food great but for both mine and Amanda’s meal we spent just under ten dollars. So all of you keeping score at home we managed to have breakfast and lunch for fewer than thirteen dollars and they were the best morning and afternoon meals we had during our stay.
After a relaxing stroll through the side streets of the Old City we made it to the Chocolate Museum. Six dollars grants you entrance into the museum as well as a complementary chocolate bar to munch on as you view the exhibit pieces. Every year there is a chocolate sculpting contest and the best pieces get admitted into the museum and put on display for the visitors to enjoy. Many of the sculptures were very impressive and the plaques were surprisingly informative. Amanda may have also found a replacement for her Kitchen Aid Mixer.
We spent about an hour in the museum and decided we were pretty well walked out for the day. On the way back to the hotel we tried to get further into the Cathedral again but another Mass had started and since we didn’t think we would make it through the service awake we decided to go to the hotel.
Power naps are great! Once we arrived at the hotel, we crashed as our heads hit the pillows. I never even got my shoes off. By the time I came too it was nearly 6 o’clock and I was starting to get hungry again. I let Amanda sleep a little while longer and we made it to dinner around 7:30. We chose another Rick Steves suggestion just up the street from our hotel. The food was a little better than the first night and the Sangria was very good but the people watching was disappointing. This particular restaurant sat on a corner but the view across the intersection was blocked by large potted shrubs so the only people we could see were those who walked directly between the building and the dining area. Once we finished off our Sangria we made our way back to Las Ramblas and tried one of the many Gelata stands that line the promenade. It was our second Gelata in as many nights and was an excellent cap to a long day sightseeing.
Monday was reserved for Gaudí. We made our way to the famed Sagrada Família where the lines to get in were already wrapped around the Cathedral at 10:00 AM. As we patiently waited for in line we chatted with a couple of Penn State graduates who were celebrating graduation with a tour of Europe. They were the first Americans we had met since we celebrated July 4th at the Texas Embassy in London. As we swapped stories on our latest adventures we marveled at the size and unique design of the Cathedral.
Started in 1882 Segrada Família is still under construction and has approximately another 15 years of building left before it is completed. Once through the gate we took a few pictures of the Passion Façade and made our way to the old school house that was used to educate the children of the construction workers in the late 19th and early 20th century. The school house has since been converted into a museum and contains Gaudí’s actual desk as it was when he died in 1926. After exiting the school house we walked down to the crypt were another museum has been set up to depict the Cathedral as it has progressed through different times in its construction. There are pieces that date from the 1890’s that fell from the Cathedral as a result of the Spanish Civil War which began in 1936 and was concluded in April of ’39. Also on display were several pieces such as the pulpit and one of the confessionals both designed by Gaudí and built prior to his death. At the end of the crypt museum is the model shop where the current architects create scale models of the cathedral in the same way that Gaudí would have done nearly 100 years ago.
Exiting the crypt we were now on the opposite side of the Cathedral from where we entered and were looking at the Nativity Façade. I found this façade far more impressive than the Passion Façade because it more closely reflected some of Gaudi’s previous work such as Casa Milà and Park Güell. Rick Steves describes it as looking like melting ice cream and I believe that’s a very fitting description. We entered Segrada Família through the Nativity Façade and were immediately amazed at the size and majesty of the naïve. The columns appear as stems or trunks and extend towards the ceiling and split into smaller columns that support a leaf-like canopy. Light filters down through the canopy to create a naturalistic effect which has makes the cold concrete interior feel warm and natural. This effect is enhanced around the apse where the colorful stained glass windows have been installed and bathe the alter in a myriad of colors. In total Amanda and I spent nearly 4 hours taking in the cathedral and trying to imagine what it will look like when it’s finally completed.
Our next stop took us to Casa Milà which is an apartment building designed by Gaudí that sits a few blocks up the street from Plaça de Catelunya on Passeig de Gràcia. While not as impressive a structure as Segrada Família the unique design is eye catching in its own right. Nothing within the building is square and the rooms are a multitude of shapes and sizes. I found the roof to be the most fascinating aspect of the building. Whereas the interior contains walls that never seem to square with each other the roof is a constantly rolling walkway were seemingly every step is a different height or length than the one before. It was enough to drive type-A, everything has to fit in a box, accountant Amanda crazy. The ventilation shafts are designed to be an extension of the façade and add to the unique skyline as you look out across the top of the building towards different areas of the city. From the roof you can easily see the towers of Segrada Família as well as the distinctive oval shaped Torre Agbar.
Our final stop of the day took us to Park Güell which was Gaudí’s attempt at creating a gated community. A concept that was well ahead of its time the project was a commercial flop which the city eventually purchased and turned into a park. The entrance of the park is guarded by what appear to be giant gingerbread houses that have been converted into a book store and small museum. Once through the gate we passed a pavilion with ornate fountains and went up the grand staircase and entered the “Hall of 100 Columns.” Originally intended to be the communities local market the hall now provides a meeting area out of the ever present sun where tourists can prepare for the rest of their park experience.
To the left of the columns is a walkway with unique arcade that looks like the inside of a cresting wave.
At the top of the walkway is the main Terrace which was designed as a common area for the planned 60 unit development. It sits directly above the “Hall of 100 Columns” and affords magnificent views of the city as it sprawls down from the foothills of the mountains and flows towards the sea.
Dinner was similar to the night before and we finished off the day with another stroll down Las Ramblas while I completed my hat trick of chocolate gelata. It was another busy day sightseeing but well worth the tired feet and aching legs.
Tuesday was our last day in Barcelona and we checked out of our hotel early so we could make our way down to the beach before we had to catch the train to the airport. The only negative about where we stayed is that I wish it would have been closer to the beach. Although for what we had planned during the day we likely wouldn’t have spent much time soaking up the sun anyway. And Amanda insists that I sunburn easily so perhaps it’s a good thing we weren’t very close to the beach. We walked along the shore taking in the cool morning breeze as it swept in off the sea and watched the sun ascend into the heavens. The beach was pleasantly quite as most of the locals and tourists had yet arrive so it was like strolling along a semi-private estate.
We managed to find a café that was opened and served something other than alcohol (seriously, they have full pints at 8am!) and stopped in for a light breakfast. After indulging in fresh squeezed orange juice and a chocolate croissant we made our way back towards the Christopher Columbus memorial and one last walk through Las Ramblas. By this time the streets were starting fill with tourist and street vendors and the city was waking up. We stopped in at La Boqueria halfway up Las Ramblas and grabbed a couple of sandwiches and some fresh fruit that we could eat on the train.
After taking in the sights one of Las Ramblas one last time we made for the hotel and our luggage that we had left at the counter and then on to the airport. It took us nearly two hours to get from the hotel to the gate and we nearly missed our flight home. We really weren’t anxious to leave Barcelona. But we managed to make it five minutes before final boarding and still got to sit next to each other on the return flight.
Barcelona was an amazing holiday. We probably could have spent another day and seen everything we were interested in like the Cava fields and La Iglesia del Tibidabo which sits atop the highest peak of Collserola on the fringe of Barcelona. More than anything though I thoroughly enjoyed the city itself with its wide promenades’ and curb-side restaurants’ it’s a vibrant and romantic place to visit and somewhere we will definitely return to in the future.
The flight was uneventful and we arrived in Barcelona on time without incident. After passing through Customs which took all of ten minutes (mostly because Amanda requested the officer to stamp her passport rather than just looking at it) we made our way to the airport lobby where we were supposed to be able to purchase bus tickets in order to make our way to the hotel. Time, however, was quite literally against us. At 10:00 PM on a Friday evening none of the public transportation kiosks were manned which meant we had to try and manage to use the automated ticket machines scattered throughout the airport. This also proved to be a difficult task as well. Amanda has mentioned our issues with chip and pen credit cards when trying to buy things in England. Well the automated ticket machines will only accept chip and pen cards which we still do not have. So at 10:30 there we were wondering around Barcelona International with no cash, no transportation and approximately 15 miles separating us from our hotel.
Thankfully, we found a friendly train attendant who patiently listened to our struggles (in Amanda’s special version of Spanish) and allowed us to board a bus that would take us to another station that would have a manned ticket counter. We thanked the attendant and boarded the bus for our twenty minute ride to a station downtown Barcelona. Upon arrival, there were no manned ticket counters. So we located another attendant and proceeded to explain what had happened. Unfortunately, this attendant couldn’t understand that American credit cards don’t have the chip and pen feature which makes them practically useless in Europe. After wasting half an hour with this attendant and getting no closer to the hotel we politely told the attendant we would try and find another way to the hotel. At this point we were tired and frustrated and it was well past our bedtime. It was about the time I suggested that perhaps we just walk the rest of the way to the hotel that another attendant came by and asked if he could help. We told him our troubles and that we were about to set out on foot and simply shook his head and beckoned us to follow him. He led us down to the line platform entrance and passed us through security and even told us what metro we would need to take to get to our hotel. We didn’t even really get to express our gratitude effectively because he made the decision to let us pass so quickly we didn’t realize what had happened until we were already through security. The rest of the night passed uneventfully as we arrived at the hotel around 12:20, checked in and collapsed on our "married" bed - that's European for two twins pushed together.
On Saturday morning we made our way to Plaça de Catalunya and the top of Las Ramblas. After walking through Plaça de Catalunya we found a busy little Café were we stopped for a croissant and fresh glass of orange juice before we began our Rick Steves’ walking tour of Las Ramblas. When I say fresh glass of OJ, I mean, I watched a guy take an orange and make my glass of juice. It doesn’t get better than that. Las Ramblas was packed with tourists, entertainers, and street vendors.
Las Ramblas is an experience that I don’t know that I’ll be able to fully describe here. My favorite part was La Boqueria, a market just off the main street…well, maybe it was the gelato shops on the Ramblas, but more on them in a minute. The market has a wealth of colors and smells which compete for attention almost as much as the booth operators wanting those tourist Euros. The fruit was so brightly colored; every kind of melon and berry that you can think of was there. They were fresh and just begging to be eaten (I obliged). There were also legs of ham hanging from the booths and fresh fish from the boats just that morning. All the booths were mixed together in one hodgepodge of semi-organized chaos so your nose never could figure out if you were near meats, melons, fish or flowers.
At the bottom of Las Ramblas is a monument statue dedicated to Christopher Columbus who is depicted standing triumphantly pointing out to sea as if he is beckoning the people of Barcelona to take to the seas and discover the world.
From the statue we started towards Montjuic and the castle that bears its name. On the way we managed to find the steepest road in all of Spain as our route to the top of Montjuic. Side Note: Amanda is starting to think that I’m searching out these hills. It’s not true. A little less than half way to the top we came across the swimming and diving arena for the ‘92 summer games which has been converted into a public swimming facility. Just outside the entrance to the swimming facility is a cable car that we elected to take for the remainder of our journey up Montjuic. At €9 per person the price was a bit steep, but then so was the hill we were trying to climb. In the end I think it was worth the price. Besides, it helped us complete the transportation trifecta for the trip…plane, train & cable car (okay, bus & car were in there too, but they’re not nearly as cool).
Upon ascending the mount in our cable car, we disembarked and made our way to the castle. Built in the 18th century and used by Spain’s fascist leaders to repress the locals it is appropriately intimidating. The main battery of guns face the Mediterranean ready to repel anyone foolish enough to attack the fortified position perched high above Barcelona’s port. There are few guns facing inland from the castle but the walls and towers can be seen from nearly every area of the city that has a clear view of the mountain. Inside the castle the inner ward has been transformed into a large gathering area with a small restaurant nestled into the arcade and what used to be sleeping quarters and administrative offices for the castle. Opposite the restaurant the castle is in the process of being transformed into a museum. Most of the magazine spaces and auxiliary facilities were closed to the public as they are being turned into exhibit spaces for the new museum. Above the parade grounds is very expansive walk wall that affords a commanding 360 degree view of the city, port and surrounding land and seascapes.
After taking the cable car back down to the Olympic swimming facility, we made our way to the Olympic stadium. I got to stand directly beneath the caldron where the greatest torch lighting ever took place.
Once we finished our tapas we walked back towards Font Magica de Montjuic for a water and light show choreographed to music. I have to admit that Amanda pretty much had to drag me to the show. We’d had a very walk intensive day and the thought of walking about another mile just to watch a fountain and some lights really didn’t sound that great. I’m going to put this out there just for her: I was wrong. There, I said it. Well, I have many other times too, just not quite so publicly. Anyway, the fountain show was a wonderful way to cap the evening and was my favorite sight of the day. For about 30 minutes, over 680 gallons per second of water are pumped through this massive fountain in three concentric pools. That’s impressive enough, but also a variety of music blares out of the air– from the Star Wars theme song to some very classical piano pieces to even California Girls and then add the light show behind it all. It really was quite amazing.
On Sunday, we got up early to beat the crowds that gather at the Picasso museum. We still managed to wait 45 minutes in line before entering but there was an excellent café next to the museum where Amanda had another croissant and I indulged in a chocolate muffin. It was by far the best breakfast we had during our stay and only costs about two dollars US. After getting into the museum, we made our way to the permanent exhibit which displays around 1,000 pieces consisting of paintings, sketches, sculpture and lithographs all created by the museum’s namesake. I have to admit that walking around the museum and studying the different types of art that make up the collection I began to see Picasso as a “jack of all trades” type rather than one of the truly great artists. The pieces in the museum are all exceptional however when compared to others, his work doesn’t appear to measure up in my mind. He certainly wasn’t the greatest realist ever although First Communion clearly demonstrated the talent that he was born with and had he continued down that path I might view him differently. I will admit that it’s difficult for me to judge him on his abstract work because by its very nature it’s nearly impossible to compare one artist with another. There is no doubt in my mind that he had incredible talent and a gift for portraying things in a manner that few others possess. Yet every time he approached mastery of a specific discipline he changed gears and went off in a completely different direction. I did however enjoy our time in the museum and would definitely recommend it to anyone interested with one caveat. Make sure you go on the first Sunday of the month when it’s free of charge!
Our next stop was the Cathedral of Barcelona. After a short walk from the museum we arrived around 11:30 and made our way into the Cathedral. It is currently under renovation so much of the church is filled with scaffolding however the areas that are free of construction equipment are very impressive. It’s not the most ornate Cathedral I have ever been in and certainly looks its age. But what it lacks in luminescence and vibrancy it more than makes up for with a rustic Spanish charm. A soft glow that emanates from the hundreds of prayer candles that surround the naive reflect off the un-plastered walls and ceilings and wrap parishioners and guests alike in a warm blanket of light. While we were there, Mass was taking place so we weren’t allowed to wander the aisles so after snapping a few inconspicuous photos we decided it was time for lunch before we made our way to the Chocolate Museum.
After a relaxing stroll through the side streets of the Old City we made it to the Chocolate Museum. Six dollars grants you entrance into the museum as well as a complementary chocolate bar to munch on as you view the exhibit pieces. Every year there is a chocolate sculpting contest and the best pieces get admitted into the museum and put on display for the visitors to enjoy. Many of the sculptures were very impressive and the plaques were surprisingly informative. Amanda may have also found a replacement for her Kitchen Aid Mixer.
We spent about an hour in the museum and decided we were pretty well walked out for the day. On the way back to the hotel we tried to get further into the Cathedral again but another Mass had started and since we didn’t think we would make it through the service awake we decided to go to the hotel.
Power naps are great! Once we arrived at the hotel, we crashed as our heads hit the pillows. I never even got my shoes off. By the time I came too it was nearly 6 o’clock and I was starting to get hungry again. I let Amanda sleep a little while longer and we made it to dinner around 7:30. We chose another Rick Steves suggestion just up the street from our hotel. The food was a little better than the first night and the Sangria was very good but the people watching was disappointing. This particular restaurant sat on a corner but the view across the intersection was blocked by large potted shrubs so the only people we could see were those who walked directly between the building and the dining area. Once we finished off our Sangria we made our way back to Las Ramblas and tried one of the many Gelata stands that line the promenade. It was our second Gelata in as many nights and was an excellent cap to a long day sightseeing.
Monday was reserved for Gaudí. We made our way to the famed Sagrada Família where the lines to get in were already wrapped around the Cathedral at 10:00 AM. As we patiently waited for in line we chatted with a couple of Penn State graduates who were celebrating graduation with a tour of Europe. They were the first Americans we had met since we celebrated July 4th at the Texas Embassy in London. As we swapped stories on our latest adventures we marveled at the size and unique design of the Cathedral.
Started in 1882 Segrada Família is still under construction and has approximately another 15 years of building left before it is completed. Once through the gate we took a few pictures of the Passion Façade and made our way to the old school house that was used to educate the children of the construction workers in the late 19th and early 20th century. The school house has since been converted into a museum and contains Gaudí’s actual desk as it was when he died in 1926. After exiting the school house we walked down to the crypt were another museum has been set up to depict the Cathedral as it has progressed through different times in its construction. There are pieces that date from the 1890’s that fell from the Cathedral as a result of the Spanish Civil War which began in 1936 and was concluded in April of ’39. Also on display were several pieces such as the pulpit and one of the confessionals both designed by Gaudí and built prior to his death. At the end of the crypt museum is the model shop where the current architects create scale models of the cathedral in the same way that Gaudí would have done nearly 100 years ago.
Exiting the crypt we were now on the opposite side of the Cathedral from where we entered and were looking at the Nativity Façade. I found this façade far more impressive than the Passion Façade because it more closely reflected some of Gaudi’s previous work such as Casa Milà and Park Güell. Rick Steves describes it as looking like melting ice cream and I believe that’s a very fitting description. We entered Segrada Família through the Nativity Façade and were immediately amazed at the size and majesty of the naïve. The columns appear as stems or trunks and extend towards the ceiling and split into smaller columns that support a leaf-like canopy. Light filters down through the canopy to create a naturalistic effect which has makes the cold concrete interior feel warm and natural. This effect is enhanced around the apse where the colorful stained glass windows have been installed and bathe the alter in a myriad of colors. In total Amanda and I spent nearly 4 hours taking in the cathedral and trying to imagine what it will look like when it’s finally completed.
Our next stop took us to Casa Milà which is an apartment building designed by Gaudí that sits a few blocks up the street from Plaça de Catelunya on Passeig de Gràcia. While not as impressive a structure as Segrada Família the unique design is eye catching in its own right. Nothing within the building is square and the rooms are a multitude of shapes and sizes. I found the roof to be the most fascinating aspect of the building. Whereas the interior contains walls that never seem to square with each other the roof is a constantly rolling walkway were seemingly every step is a different height or length than the one before. It was enough to drive type-A, everything has to fit in a box, accountant Amanda crazy. The ventilation shafts are designed to be an extension of the façade and add to the unique skyline as you look out across the top of the building towards different areas of the city. From the roof you can easily see the towers of Segrada Família as well as the distinctive oval shaped Torre Agbar.
Our final stop of the day took us to Park Güell which was Gaudí’s attempt at creating a gated community. A concept that was well ahead of its time the project was a commercial flop which the city eventually purchased and turned into a park. The entrance of the park is guarded by what appear to be giant gingerbread houses that have been converted into a book store and small museum. Once through the gate we passed a pavilion with ornate fountains and went up the grand staircase and entered the “Hall of 100 Columns.” Originally intended to be the communities local market the hall now provides a meeting area out of the ever present sun where tourists can prepare for the rest of their park experience.
Tuesday was our last day in Barcelona and we checked out of our hotel early so we could make our way down to the beach before we had to catch the train to the airport. The only negative about where we stayed is that I wish it would have been closer to the beach. Although for what we had planned during the day we likely wouldn’t have spent much time soaking up the sun anyway. And Amanda insists that I sunburn easily so perhaps it’s a good thing we weren’t very close to the beach. We walked along the shore taking in the cool morning breeze as it swept in off the sea and watched the sun ascend into the heavens. The beach was pleasantly quite as most of the locals and tourists had yet arrive so it was like strolling along a semi-private estate.
After taking in the sights one of Las Ramblas one last time we made for the hotel and our luggage that we had left at the counter and then on to the airport. It took us nearly two hours to get from the hotel to the gate and we nearly missed our flight home. We really weren’t anxious to leave Barcelona. But we managed to make it five minutes before final boarding and still got to sit next to each other on the return flight.
Barcelona was an amazing holiday. We probably could have spent another day and seen everything we were interested in like the Cava fields and La Iglesia del Tibidabo which sits atop the highest peak of Collserola on the fringe of Barcelona. More than anything though I thoroughly enjoyed the city itself with its wide promenades’ and curb-side restaurants’ it’s a vibrant and romantic place to visit and somewhere we will definitely return to in the future.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Dear Girls,
A week from tomorrow, you finally get to come see our new home and city and country that Dad & I have put together for you. There are so many parks and other dogs (and people too, Ginger). We really think you'll like it. Also, the weather has been so great - highs around the low to mid 70's. It rains alot, so Daisy you'll just have to get used to getting your head wet. Many of the parks are off leash, so if you can demonstrate responsibility to us, we might let you have some extra freedom that you weren’t allowed in Texas.
Grandma Powell is going to come get you from Toothacres next week so that she can take you to your last vet appointment. Give her a big kiss for us. Make sure to tell the vet to sign all the paperwork in blue ink. We don't know why that is so important, but it's one of the rules and we want to make sure to follow them all. Then some really nice people are going to put you in your crates and into the airplane. The plane is air conditioned and pressurized, but Dad & I are very nervous so please drink lots of water to stay cool. We won't mind if you have to go potty in your crate just this once. I know your ears will feel funny as the plane takes off and lands, it's okay to howl a little -- just not so loud that the passengers get concerned.
You have a layover in Amsterdam before you can come to London. The nice people there will let you out of your crates and let you walk around some. Please, please, please, whatever you do, stay out of the Red Light District. You are both far too young to see the things that go on there.
Once you get to London, you have to clear immigration. Dad & I have been so meticulous with your paperwork, but be patient it might take awhile. Someone will meet you there and drive you out to us. Dad & I will be waiting.
We can't wait to see you again.
Love you lots,
Mom
Grandma Powell is going to come get you from Toothacres next week so that she can take you to your last vet appointment. Give her a big kiss for us. Make sure to tell the vet to sign all the paperwork in blue ink. We don't know why that is so important, but it's one of the rules and we want to make sure to follow them all. Then some really nice people are going to put you in your crates and into the airplane. The plane is air conditioned and pressurized, but Dad & I are very nervous so please drink lots of water to stay cool. We won't mind if you have to go potty in your crate just this once. I know your ears will feel funny as the plane takes off and lands, it's okay to howl a little -- just not so loud that the passengers get concerned.
You have a layover in Amsterdam before you can come to London. The nice people there will let you out of your crates and let you walk around some. Please, please, please, whatever you do, stay out of the Red Light District. You are both far too young to see the things that go on there.
Once you get to London, you have to clear immigration. Dad & I have been so meticulous with your paperwork, but be patient it might take awhile. Someone will meet you there and drive you out to us. Dad & I will be waiting.
We can't wait to see you again.
Love you lots,
Mom
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