Viva Barcelona...

Park Guell, Barcelona
Home to a lot of Gaudi's work.

Me, Lauren Decker, Nikki, Amy in front
of Sagrada Familia

I have to start posting about my European cruise I went on 3 weeks ago, but it's just taking a while with work and whatnot.  So bear with me... slowly but surely, they will be up here!
Amy, Caitlin Putre, Lauren Schuetz, and I all met up in Barcelona for a day and a half before we got on our European Cruise!  I was even more excited to have Nikki Pritchard and Lauren Decker (2 more Navy Nurses) meet up with us there for the weekend.  I haven't seen Nikki in over a year when she was passing through Kuwait on her way home.

Nikki & I

Even though I arrived pretty late, it was perfect timing for Barcelona time to go out to dinner.  We ate at a pretty good Italian place and the spent the rest of the night drinking sangria while listening to live music.  We spent the whole next day sightseeing!  Of course we did all the sights... Park Guell, Sagrada Familia, Las Ramblas, and Pueblo Espanol.  I loved all of Gaudi's artwork all over the city.  Park Guell was amazing with all his intricate mosaic artwork.  Sagrada Familia is a famous cathedral designed by Gaudi but still under construction for over 100 years!  After seeing it, I can see why it's taking so long to complete with all it's details.  We went to the fresh market on Las Ramblas for lunch.  That was probably one of my favorite parts of Barcelona with all the fresh fruit and veggies and organic dishes!  The rest of the afternoon we spent walking around the shopping district.

Front side of Sagrada Familia.  Each side had a different theme.

Organic tapas at the market... I had the cuscous stuffed bell pepper!

Fresh market off of Las Ramblas.  These juices
were fresh squeezed and delicious!  I had mango-coco!

Dried fruit and nuts... of course I got some for snacking on
during the cruise!

That night we went to a flamenco show in Pueblo Espanol.  Pueblo Espanol is an old Spanish village left over from one of the world fairs that now they house many shops and restaurants.  During the show we enjoyed traditional spanish tapas and sangria!  What a perfect combo!!

Lauren, Amy, Lauren and I wine tasting before the flamenco
show in at a shop in Pueblo Espanol.

Lauren, Amy, me, Caitlin, Nikki and Lauren waiting before
the flamenco show!  It was awesome to watch!

View of Barcelona from the top of Park Guell

Sitting on the mosaic bench designed by Gaudi.

So intricate!!!  Wow!

Lauren and Caitlin finally met up with us and we finished
the rest of the sites of Barcelona after lunch in the market.

Fountains in Plaza Catalunya.

Montjuic Castle

Casa Batllo, one of Gaudi's designs.

The girls shopping for sangria in Pueblo Espanol

A mosaic wall in Park Guell.

Cool looking grotto in Park Guell.
Project Runway did a show here.

Park Guell

Entrance to Park Guell

Caitlin, Nikki and I in Pueblo Espanyol

Montjuic Castle lit up at night!