Day 7: Tossa de Mar

And on the seventh day, Jason rested.

Just kidding. On the seventh day, Jason needed a good chunk of time to work without interruption. So the kids and I played instead. Here's breakfast in our bungalow--yum! Making my tummy growl. 

We did some much needed laundry and swam for a bit in the pool. There was a large school group there and I could tell Annika wanted to play, but the language barrier made it hard so we didn't stay long.

Instead, we walked across the main road to the beach.

Perfect choice! There are pools everywhere, but for us landlocked citizens, it can be hard to get to an ocean.

Brrrr! The Mediterranean was chilly. But hey, we got in and swam anyway--even me.

Playing in the sand. I have such fun memories of Brooklyn and Talia being buried in the sand here years ago.

Dang it, these kids all grew up too fast.

Camping del Mar, who knows? Maybe in another twenty years we'll be back again.

Later in the day we decided to take a day trip to nearby Tossa de Mar. But first, we had to pick up lunch at Brooklyn's very favorite supermarket, Mercadona. It. was awesome! You'd be hard-pressed to find this much Jamón ibérico in the states.

I'm not gonna lie--parking was a bit of a struggle. While there was plenty of paid parking available, we couldn't get the parking app to work, probably because we were in a rental car. We found free street parking a little farther away, but it was kind of tight and on a steep hill. I was actually doing a pretty good job parallel parking until the very last bit when the car shifted into neutral instead of drive. I slammed on the brake and managed to stop with literally less than an inch to spare (see photo evidence.) Gotta say, this didn't do a lot to boost my confidence driving a rental! I had all the kids get out and shove the car forward as I pulled into drive so that it wouldn't roll back any as I scooted it farther up the hill. In the end it worked out, but definitely gave me some gray hair!

In the end, the Gran Platja was stunning and the stress was worth it. Plus, I gotta admit, the winding drive along the shore to get to Tossa was pretty fabulous as well.

Annika's keloid scarring is pretty prominent, but I find the scars to be beautiful. Strength and courage and love etched forever.

After a while, we took turns exploring the castle on the hill. (Annika wanted to stay and continue her search for underwater sea creatures.) I liked it so much that I hiked up to the old town twice.

Thanks to Talia for these photos, as my phone ran out of battery.

Yeah, I could live here.

As evening fell, we made our way back to Malgrat to reunite with Jason and take showers. And hey, after a day swimming in the ocean, our mermaids discovered that a dinglehopper really is great for hair! Travel is full of beautiful surprises. 

Day 6: Barcelona

Barcelona Photo Dump! Way too many pics because, well, if they don't get uploaded here they may never get looked at again. Plus, it was a truly remarkable day and one I want to remember forever.

So Barcelona--can't you just hear Ed Sheeran singing? The city carries charm and nostalgia for us, but not because of sangria or even dancing in the street. Instead, I think of these quaint little bungalows in the tiny beach town of Malgrat de Mar. Seventeen years ago we "camped" here with Brooklyn, Talia, Papa Kay and Uncle Lance. As soon as we added Barcelona to our itinerary, I started researching to see if Camping del Mar still existed. Amazingly, it did! Not only that, the bungalows have received a fresh coat of paint over the past couple of decades. Check out the last pic of this post to see the comparison.

In truth, the property was much expanded and improved. It had a lovely store and restaurant where we were able to purchase fresh bread, cheese, and eggs every morning.  The pool had also been remodeled, although we waited a day to check it out since we wanted plenty of time in the city.

As for Jason, this hard-working man stayed up super late working most of the time we were in Spain, getting only a few hours of sleep before joining us as tourists during the day. He's incredible and never complains, but gosh, the intensity of his work can be exhausting.

Fortunately a tasty breakfast is perfect for waking up, especially when Nutella is involved.

Here we are waiting for the train to pick us up from Malgrat. We missed the first train so we had a little bit of time to enjoy the beach.

Here we are riding the train. Annika was pretty surprised by the topless beaches. I recall her asking, "Mom, is that legal?"  

Thanks to Brooklyn's navigational skills, we quickly scurried to La Sagrada Familia, only to discover that our scheduled entry was two hours later than I'd anticipated. 

So, we had plenty of time to admire the exterior instead. The cathedral has changed significantly since the last time we were here, especially with the completion of the Christi tower.

This photo reminds me of Papa Kay checking out La Sagrada Familia for the first time was well.

Whether you love it or find it to be too much, La Sagrada Familia certainly makes an impression.

Of course, even great architecture can't be properly enjoyed on an empty stomach.  Eva's ice cream al rescate.

On a sugary high.

Within the gates at last. We started with the Nativity facade on the East. The carvings are so intricate! I love the idea of musicians, including a bassoon, heralding the birth of the Christ child.

Jesus and Joseph. The sculptures of La Sagrada Familia tell so many beautiful stories! It's easy to appreciate the cathedral's beauty up close, just as it feels cohesive from a distance. The middle ground, however, can seem confusing and muddy. I feel like perspectives on life are similar. 

I also loved that there were insects on the beautifully cast doors. As Annika would love to remind you, even spiders are God's creations.

As a "familia numerosa," our family contacted La Sagrada Familia ahead of time to request a discount. Imagine our delight when we discovered that our discounted tickets included a tour of the Passion Towers!

Don't drop your phone! Also, if you looked up you could see some of the bells in the belfry. Gaudi intended for the cathedral to have enough bells to span the entire range of a piano.

Representation of abundance or the sacrament? Perhaps both.

I was pretty amused by the bottles incorporated right into the facade.

Eli looks like he's trying to figure it all out. 

The spiral staircases were a work of art all in themselves. I felt like I was descending deep into the heart of a nautilus.

On the inside, the stained glass lighted a magnificent forest of stately columns. The vibrant colors were a remarkable change from our initial visit.

We credit Gaudi with La Sagrada Familia, but it is truly the masterpiece of so many artisans.

The West facade is the Passion Facade, depicting the death and crucifixion of Christ. Far more austere and angular, it stands in stark contrast to the detailed ornamentation of the East facade. 

The South facing Glory Facade depicting the resurrection is still under construction, so I am excited to visit La Sagrada Familia once more in a couple of decades to experience all it has become.  I'm guessing this gent will gladly join me. Love you, Peanut Butter!

Celebrating La Sagrada Familia with the tastiest kebab of our trip. It definitely hit the spot!

Okay, this is where Maximizer Me kind of overdid it a bit. As much as I adore Antoni Gaudi, exploring La Sagrada Familia and the Parc Guell on the same day is a lot. As amazing as the park was, I kind of felt like we were all saturated. We still loved the park, but didn't appreciate it quite as much as we would have if we had experienced it with fresh eyes and legs. If I had it to do over again, I would at least splurge on an uber to take us there!

Sleepy but smiling.

Photos for days, but I love them all.

An iconic view of the park. Sadly the sun had just dipped below the horizon, so we just missed the light on the tiles.

But hey, the lizard was still there!

Looking out over the city.

My favoritest peoples.

One final view of La Sagrada Familia and out beyond into the ocean. Barcelona, thank you for the magnificent day!