Well we are finally nearing the end of our fabulous holiday and slowly my thoughts are turning towards home. It has been marvellous six months (well five as I write this).
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| At the seaside Barcelona - still having fun! |
Not only have we visited some fantastic places and enjoyed some memorable experiences but we have met great new friends and spent precious time with old friends. We have also spent 24/7 (minus two evenings) together and we are still enjoying each others company - not too bad after 300 years of marriage!
From Valencia we took a six hour train journey to Barcelona and a friend (we met through Couch Surfing) met us at the train station and took us to Sabadell - his home village about 40 minutes from Barcelona.
They (Olly and Maria Jose were the best hosts - we had a very enjoyable time eating and drinking and meeting their lovely parents who are only a few years older than us!
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| Calafel Beach with Olly, Maria Jose and her Mum and Dad. |
They took us on some great days out including a visit to Sitges - a very well know gay resort area and worthwhile to see the budgie smuggling posing on the beach alone!
We also visited their family holiday apartment in Calafel- very sweet and nice just to see the Spanish on hols minus all the tourists (except for us of course).
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| Sagrada Familia Barcelona |
After five days in Sabadell we moved on to Barcelona to a large apartment centrally located in Urgell.
We spent a lot of time in Barcelona just relaxing, going for walks down the beach, enjoying lots of "Menu de Dia's", catching up with friends (including our adopted French daughter who came down from France to visit us) and we even hosted a dinner party but mostly we just lolly gaged about. Oh Richard did go to the Neu Camp to watch Barca play Napoli - apparently it was fantastic!
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| Gracia street festival, Barcelona, with our naughty French daughter, Maelle. |
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| Dinner party, Barcelona, Oriel, Metrixela, Richie, Maria Jose and Olly. |
From Barca we caught the train north to San Sebastian, in the Basque area of Spain. San Sebastian is a very, very lovely city (feels more like a big town)- has a beautiful rugged beach, surrounded by lovely green mountains, has beautiful old buildings - like George Castanza says - it's got it all!!!
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| San Sebastian beach front |
We are staying in a very sweet warehouse conversion on the outskirts of the town (still only about 20 minutes by bicycle). The owner, Itziar, is a very friendly lady who we went out with for two evenings - once to experience the famous Basque pinches and also to a Sideria (cider house). This rental has really been the best of Airbnb - great accommodation at a great price and a new friend - what could be better!
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| Sideria, San Sebastian with Itziar |
We have been walking and riding bicycles and generally taking it very easy again. Oh and doing a bit of cooking. Must try the pinchos again - although Im not converted - its fun with friends but not the most relaxing way to eat!
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| Eating pinchos - John, Sorkunde, Itziar and Richie |
Next monday we will catch a bus to Bilboa for the night to visit the Guggenheim museum and then fly to Florence. I am looking forward to eating some great food in Italy - the guide book advises to eat very cheaply or very expensive but not in-between…. hmmmm
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| View from our warehouse apartment, San Sebastian |
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