Back to Reality

But y'all...I'm having a really really hard time. Sigh.

We just got back from four days in the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Hands down. Sardinia. I'm already dreaming and scheming about a way to get back! :)

Full post and recap coming soon.

Also- fun Stuck on You spotlight soon. They have some great labels for camp! Look for both of those posts later this week.

As soon as I unpack and get everything washed I'll be back to packing again. We leave for Barcelona+Valencia next week. We've never been to Spain and would LOVE any tips and thoughts you'd like to share!

Love to you all!

xo

Comments

[Jennifer]

Stunning!

[becky d.]

I loved Spain when I went!

For Barcelona, you must go La Sagrada Familia -- it took 100s of years to finish the cathedral. I think it is finally done. Park Guell for some awesome mosaics and sculptures/climbable areas. Monserrat (monastery, etc) had some awesome views. The Picasso Museum was neat because he was so much more than just a cubist. Poble Espanol is like a village with buildings from different time periods. There is a CHOCOLATE museum in Barcelona.

[CJ]

I just got back from Cornwall (southwest England) on Saturday, and I have a real post-holiday energy slump. I'm really hoping it passes soon, I can't seem to get anything done. You'll all love Barcelona, I hope you have a wonderful time. I'll look forward to seeing a few photos. CJ xx

[Julie B]

Check out Paige's post on Barcelona: http://www.paigeandchris.com/2014/02/the-one-with-barcelona-spain.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChrisAndPaige+%28Chris+and+Paige%29

Enjoy all the architecture and history of this fabulous city!

[Helen]

Barcelona - don't try to do too much! It'll be boiling hot, very busy and will be very stressful if you try to do too much.....and, my goodness, if you were bowled over by Sardinia...you must go to visit some Greek islands.....!!!!!

[Janell Knudson]

Take a planned tour of Barcelona.

As in all European countries, you miss so much if you try it on your own, and you waste a lot of time.

We did a tour in the morning, then the beach in the afternoon, then the Magic Fountains of Montjuic in the evening (a must!).

I LOVE that you get to do all this traveling while you're there!!!!

[Maura]

This is the first time I wrote you a comment, but when I saw your picture I know I have to do it! You are right, Sardinia is beautiful! My parents were born in Sardinia and then emigrate to Switzerland. Every year we spend 1 month there, with all my family, relaxing and going to the beach! It is really a wonderful place!

And Barcelona is my dream city! We spent four days there on Easter Holidays this year and it was wonderful! I love the architecture, the long walks around the city, the zoo, everything is beautiful!

Have a nice day with all your wonderful family!

[Melissa]

Steph, I have a friend and fellow Army Wife that lives in Valencia. Would you like me too hook you up?

[Stephanie Howell]

YES please!!!

[Bea Monforte]

Hi Stephanie! I think I didn't comment your blog for months (but I like it as allways!) but I had to comment it. I live in Barcelona since I was born and would love to tell you some places to visit, tips etc. How long will you stay here? Because maybe you can visit the "Costa Brava" too (it's Girona's coast) it is about an hour from BCN but they have some of the most beautiful beaches and sea towns of Spain, in some of them you can see trees(pines)reaching the sea :)

About Barcelona, you can't miss the "Barri Gòtic" where the Catedral is, but there are tons of little squares with little churches (like "Plaça del Pi"), and you MUST go from "Plaça Jaume 1st" (the square where is the City Hall and the autonomous community government) to the cathedral, there is an outstanding "passageway" where it looks like you are in the gothic ages :)

Other wonderful things (a part from Sagrada Família, Parc Güell etc):

Casa Batlló (this is my favorite modernism building, the facade is all based on natural elements, since flowers to bones, amazing and elegant, really)

Barri de Gràcia, a little district in the middle of Barcelona, with tons of little squares with "terrazas", you'll see in Spain having a coffe, a wine or a beer outside a bar is a MUST ;) this is a very artistic district (lots of independent designers shops, little theatre companies, etc)

Barri del Born (right next of the gothic) an old district plenty of charm but with the most trendy restaurants, boutiques, etc

And, as I know you can appreciate good wines, it's a mandatory for you to taste spanish wines, we have a lot of zones producing good wines, I'm not a somelier (not at all) but there are fine and rich wines here: Rioja (there are a lot of wines from the zone of La Rioja, so good, specially red wine or "tinto"), Priorat (another wine producing zone, the NY Times published a reportage about them) or Penedès (this are good, not like the other 2, wich are some of the best, but it's quite good too and the zone is near Barcelona so you can visit it with the family, it's fun and so fresh!)

I don't know if you've read any of Carlos Ruiz Zafón books (and "The Shadow of the Wind" trilogy, but they describe the old Barcelona so beautifully that some tourism companies organize thematic routes based on the books to discober those magical-scary-romanthic Barcelona, just in case you are interested :)

I have tips about food etc, but I don't want to write the encyclopedia here, eheh, could you send me an e-mail adress? I'm happy to help :)

Hugs, Bea

[Stephanie Howell]

BEA!
Why didnt I think of emailing you?
Id LOVE food tips.
We tried to go to Costa Brava but just couldnt make it work. We will be spending 5 days in Barcelona and 3 in Valencia.

Do you have any Valencia tips?

[chris]

I really enjoyed Spain and I expected the Spaniards to be like the Italians, latin and all. NOT. Of course this is 30 years ago and things may have changed.

[Bea Monforte]

Hi! I had a really crazy week at work, but I'm preparing a (major) e-mail with food tips and other interesting things to do in Barcelona, and one of my friends is sending me info about Valencia too :)

And I've found your e-mail adress (yes, it's just where it says "e-mail me" xD)

By the way, I have a new e-mail adress so don't use my old one, pelase, because I almost never check it >_<

So, this week I'll send you my tip e-mail :)