We've had a wonderful time catching up and keeping up with the Barcelona night life. There is something about hanging out with friends that have known you for over 20 years that just refills the soul. We have danced on tables, laughed so much we've cried, reminisced about old memories while also making new ones that we'll cherish as if we're 15 again. We've spent a lot of time on the beach - shocking, I know - I was just thankful we shared the same intent of the trip - RELAXATION (and "socializing")...on Saturday we took the train back down to Sitges, the beach town I had gone to with Ramey. There is something about the cute town and its narrow streets that I just love - kinda reminds me of the place I fell in love with on my last trip to Europe - Capri!
We did manage to check one thing off the tourist to do list yesterday when we walked to the Sagrada Familia. I am definitely glad I toured it while here and learned more about Gaudi's background and inspiration for the structure and his other works (I was definitely clueless prior to this trip). We had our 2nd attempt at seafood paella last night which was really good - at a cute restaurant in Port Vell, which is the beautiful port of boats near my flat in Barceloneta.
Today we took a train out to the wine country (the Penedes region) to do a biking winery tour. It was beautiful out there! Unfortunately I am fighting a bit of a cold (I guess that's what happens when at 33 I try to act 23 again!) so it wasn't quite the perfect day for me to enjoy wine and or bike on gravel roads in 80+ degree weather BUT, I am still glad we went and I learned a lot about the process of making cava. Definitely fitting since many of my memories of this trip have involved cava. Our guide was an Irish man named Paddy who is married to a woman from Chicago and they have lived in Spain since meeting in Barcelona 14 years ago.
The first winery was called Mas Bertran Viticultures and it was a tiny, family run winery that produces cava (I got some great pics that I'll have to upload this week!). We walked in and the main guy (Santi) was releasing sendiment from capped bottles, the mom was using a device that looked like a hamster water feeder to refill the bottles to the top after the cap has been released and the sister was monitoring the machine that corked and put the cap on the final bottle. The room was barely big enough to fit the 7 of us! Apparently Santi used to work at major wineries and distributors across the world but decided to branch off and make his own specialized cava - one special batch of just 30,000 bottles had already been completely sold to Japan. I purchased 2 bottles to drink on a special occasion (I may have one or 2 in the near future) for a whoppin 5.50 euro.
After some lunch and biking to the next winery I decided to skip the tour and instead nap on a bench under a tree at the winery so, Erin or Kristen would have to fill you in on the 2nd location - though from what they told me they also learned a lot here and had some wonderful wine and olive oil.
Erin leaves tomorrow morning and Kristen the following day - I am sad to see them go but am just so grateful to have shared this experience with them. Though I originally planned this trip to spend a few months alone I have certainly realized that my favorite memories will be those that I've shared with people I care about. I have been reminded several times on this trip that it really is not where you go but who you are with that really matters. And, on that note I am going to give a belated shout out to my pops who turned 65 yesterday. I am really sad that I was not with him to celebrate his big day but sounds like it was a great day. Dad, without your love and support there is no way that I'd be where I am today so for that I say THANK YOU and, I love you!!!
Love you too. You may not have been here in body, but you were in spirit and I thought of you having a great time in Barcelona. Love, Dad
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