The Montjuic circle

The second half of day two in Spain we took the funicular car ( it seems that is what everybody up here calls an ski gondola) to the top of Barcelona. There are a lot of great places to get great views, but these were the best. If you look close you can see the Sagrada sticking up above the skyline.

Any picture of Tiny kissing her momma like that makes it on the blog, even if it isn't helping the storyline.

It took us to the top of the hill where the Montjuic castle stands. Everyone looking over the wall to see the sea. I love how Tiny is trying to keep up with big sister.

Although no three year old told us a theatrical and historically accurate I am sure, overveiw of the castle, we liked this castle even more then the last. It was more authentic.

It was built in the 1600's and was used as a prison and execution sight, untill recently. The girls loved playing in the look out towers, and looking over the roof.

Audrey is still being a cuddly bunny wanting to be wrapped up snuggling everywhere we go. She kept burying her head in the blanket and then popping out with a peek a boo.

Next we were off to the Pablo Espanyo. It is the Spanish depiction of a traditional village that was built in preperation for the 1929 Olympics. The girls loved chasing the piegons and picking out candy at the store.

Kaylie was trying to pick an orange of the tree. Dad and the girls are showing how small all the streets are here.

Then to the Palau National . Barcelona as no shortage of fantastic buildings. We loved that about 500 yards of escalators took us all the way to the top . See the delight on Audrey's face.

We took another right to the front of the Olympic stadium. We like the Olympics just as much as the next person, but you would think we were fanatics....both international exursions we have taken have had an Olympic stadium on docket. The stadium was built for the 1936 Olympics, but the Spanish Civil War got the location cancelled. The hosted them in 1992 in the same stadium.

And that is the end of a day as long as two. Everyone fell into there beds alsleep, no questions asked.

The best of Barcelona Part 1

Barcelona wasn't exactly on our list of must see cities as we planned our time out here. Fast forward a few weeks, and bitter cold Europe expedited Barcelona to the top of the list. Goggling weather in an 8 hour radius from us, Spain was the only place in the 50's so it became must see territory. Sky scanning airplane tickets it came up at 150 Euros and we were packing our bags.

Before we had even left the Barcelona airport Jeff and I agreed we had made the right choice.

We have enjoyed every place we have been able to see, but after our time living and working in Phoneix, the line between American and Spanish culture has become blurred. You are talking to a lady who cooks Tex-Mex food three out of four times. And for those of us feeling a little homesick after 6 weeks away, the familiariaty of it all could not have come at a better time. And between our stint in Phoenix, the time we have spent studying spanish and portugeese and the countless hours of Dora, the Explorer that we have endured in this lifetime, we loved that we were able to understand about 70% of what was said to us, and read 100% of what we saw. Which is 1 millon percent better than our German batting average. We loved not being confused.

And even more... we loved the sunshine! This is part of the Sagarada Familia and Kaylie playing near a window inside . A cathedral built in Barcelona, by Anthony Gaudi. It was started in the 1880's and they joke that it will never be finished. It is true gothic archetecture.

It is ridiculously ornate and over the top. No wonder it takes hundreds of years to complete. I love this picture of Tiny on Dad's shoulder. The poor little one did not feel good most of the trip. She is teething, which with her, also means her belly is uneasy. I will spare you the details of a very well timed paper bag that apperead and saved us all from distaster on the what was probably the smallest commercial airplane flying the blue skies.

The place was amazing. I am always really disappointed when I look through the pictures I take of an adventure. My camera is acting up. ( For all you photo savy friends - the ISO is turned way up and still most of my pictures are so dark. Any suggestions?) That and every place is so grand I can't fit it in one shot and then I want pictures of the girls at all these places, so I take a picture and they are this tiny invisible dot in the corner. Please help a girl out...any suggestions?

To continue next we went to the Park Guell. Wait. First a stop at Subway, see it really was like home.While we tried to eat authentic while we were in Spain we also went familiar and did Subway and KFC. Oh well. When you have hungry kiddos sometimes you just have to go with what you know.

Now on to the Park

Everyone at the top of the park. Silly us, we brought a stroller. It was beautiful and did I mention sunny. There were people playing music all over the park. There were palm trees. It felt like vacation. That is Kaylie in front of Gaudi's house. He built the park too. She is becoming quite the little traveler. As we were walking up the hill to this park, she was holding my hand and I was telling her all the things we were going to do today. Then she told me "becuase where ever we are...we explore." I love it. She might have some of her Grandpa Anderson or her great Grandma Guernsey in her.

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The sloppy child must be an American. Finally awake and feeling okay Audrey wants to explore the park too. I love that little person sitting on such a big seat ckecking things out. Turns out she was also cranky becuase her shoes were hurting her. I packed her shoes, and two pairs of shoes in the size bigger for her from home and the girl has grown out of them all. I went looking for shoes for her this week, but couldn't bring myself to spend $50 on ugly shoes so she will be wearing her Nikes the rest of the trip....yes, she even wore them to church today. She will always be our "Tiny"but perhaps she wont be so tiny much longer.

Our girls are such troopers. Kaylie is starting to be so cooperative and, dare I say it, obedient. I really am so proud of them both. Somedays she acts like something closer to that dragon above ...yes even spitting water...more then a little girl, but mostly she is really wonderfully helpful.

We blindly picked a great hotel. It was right off Las Ramblas and right by the metro station so it was easy to get everywhere. We were able to come back mid-day everyday and let the girls take a break for a minute. Kaylie even had her own little room off of ours and the Disney channel in English so she was all set. After a break we went and saw Colombus.

That is him on top, finger extended. Funny mistake, he is not pointing to his grand discovery as intended....ooppps!

We took a very small elevator to the top for a few Euros. the views were amazing. It was not for those afraid of heights or the claustrophobic. The space at the top was small, and high, and swayed in the wind. It was not my favorite thing although those things typically don't bother me....well perhaps the swaying in the wind, but the girls didn't seem to notice anything unusual.

My favorite thing...Las Ramblas and the Boqueria. So many pretty sights, sounds....tastes.

The girls favorite thing, little natural smoothies...

Mom's favorite thing.....the candy stand. Maybe Audreys too!

Nobodys favorite.

Dad's favortie thing....gelato.

And then four exhausted Carpenters found there way back to the hotel and fell into bed. The girls refused to sleep so we "i tuned" them Ferdinand the Bull and "you tubed" some flaminco dancinng. Fitting in all the Spanish culture we possible could.

The 6th place our 3 year old will have called home

I am pretty sure my husband is part gypsy.

I wanted to put a tour of our place in the book...here it is.

This is the one picture of our apartment we had seen before we met. Minus the suitcases and stroller of course. Needless to say we were a little worried...are those brick floors? But it was really the only thing in our price range....well scratch that; nothing is in our price range here, but atleast for sky high rent we got two bedroom. It was the only one, that and it was so close to Jeffs office. so we figured for a few months we could deal with anything.

We were plesantly surprised when we walked in. First off, the "brick" is actually smooth tile, and it is heated and so not awful like brick as we were anticipating. In fact I think the whole apartment is heated by these floor as we do not have a thermostat anywhere. Secondly this is the kitchen above. And while it is about the size of our closet at home, it is modern, white, clean and practically new. A germaphobe like me couldn't ask for more. well perhaps a spatula, bowls.

This is the bathroom. It is also germaphobe approved. Whenever anyone showers there is condensation on every apartment window and we open the windows for a little bit. The girls love that tha shower head is detachable. It is a little awkward in that if you open the front door you see right into the bathroom, and even if you have the bathroom door shut, it is the only door in the whole house that is see through. strange? I have considered hanging newspapers up for privacy, but it is not exactly like people drop by or anyone comes over. The toliet has two flushes, you can gues what number one and number two are for.

Our living room/playroom. Don't you love all the white furniture and glass. Perfect for any household with one or more toddlers I would say. This picture was obviously taken right after the housekeeper ( yes, that IS pretty awesome) had been over. As evidenced by the lack of toys, toys, melted cheese wax wrappers, dirty diapers, kaylie wardrobe change discards;sippy cups, did I already mention toys.

The housekeeper speaks italian. The first day she came, I was sure to be there. I wasn't sure if they had keys or not. She walked in and spoke to me in german, and quickly realzied that I did not understand...then she said what I can only assume was the same thing in french and italian . Then I said to her I only speak english...she chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. What kind of country is this? You speak 3 languages and you are cleaning my aprtment. I must be the most unemployable person in the whole country.

And the best part of the living room, besides the apple tv that streams me American cartoons for my children when they decide at 2 in the morning that they are still on Mountain Standard Time... is the windows with no screens that open easily and so wide an adult person could easily step out of them and fall two stories to the ground. Obviously not awesome. I walked in to discover Kaylie sitting on the back of the couch one day near a window she had opened herself.

Panic. Hug Kaylie dearly. Rearrange furniture.

Our room. It has lots of great light, and a little view. We probably would have been okay with just the one bedroom since Jeff actually never sleeps...ever, and even if he is chances that both girls are also sleeping is slim. The best part if I open my window I can hear my neighbor...a profesionaly trained opera singer at all times of the day. That is not sacrasm, I love it. Somedays I will be just at home, listening to the screaming and crying of girlies, making lunches, washing clothes, and forget where I am ...and then I will hear her belting out italian solos, and I go oh...thats right...I am in some awesome place. And I appreciatively listen to her . And sadly all she gets in return for her performance is screaming and crying through her side of the paper thins.

The girls room. They are sharing a room better then I expected. Especcialy Audrey who has been in a playpen and has been doing mostly just fine. We were really unsure if there was a second bedroom becuase it was only listed that there was a single bed and a double bed in the apartment not that it had two bedrooms, but hallelujah just for the extra closet. Kaylie walked in and the first thing she said after she smacked her head on the shelf by her bed," was why are there nothing on the walls" and then by the next day had three of four coloring pages taped up to fix her problem.

It is not briarwood lane by any means, but we are definately more comfortable then we expected here. It is amazing how little you actually need. Well perhaps I will spring for a spatula.

Bits of Normal

It is a freaking ice box over here. Really it is. Is it making the news back home? I am curious. Googling places to visit while planning our weekend here we saw temperatures at like -11 degrees. We even got snow down by the lake Needless to say, we decided the best place to be was home. Snug in our apartment.

But we are not homebodies, and so after a half day at home snug we bundled ourselves up and went "exploring" as Kaylie calls it. That is what we say when mom and dad set out to find someplace fun for your girls and so, even though we are armed with our subway schedules and our iphone trasit apps, not being 100% sure we will be able to locate what we are after, we do not make promises of anything fun. Failure to navigate properly and spootty buisniess hours over here lend themselves easiliy to disspointment.

We were not dissapointed in the least.

To the delight of little girls....."starbies". A place like I have never seen before. Like the Chick fil a playland and jump on it had a baby and then it grew exponentially. This place was great. The girls were giddy. Kaylie ran from one thing to the next at super speed, giggling, and told us she wanted to come here every day. For as difficult as I would expect it to be to get there agian sans dad I am sure we will give it a try.

Audrey scram "jump-in, jump-in" like the entire time we were there. They had a ball. And it felt like the familiar type of fun they are used to.

Tiny throwing balls at Jeff....she has quite the arm for a baby girl.

And then by happy accident,and mostly my delight, we stumbled onto this....

Yes, mexican food. And it tasted much like Mexican food. And sitting inside a resturant that reminded us of "on the border", we felt at home. Jeff and I both agreed on that....also looking at all the pictures of cancun made us agree to go someplace warm when we get home. Forget Europe, next time I get on a plane it will be headed to Phoenix. It broke our per diem, but guacomole and homemade tortillas are totally worth it in my book.

And then last, but certainly not least for weekend adventures, Movenpick. Not an accident. We are well aware of the location of the ice cream shoppe....we are Carpenters after all. The girls absolutely hate it here can you tell?

So in the end, even though I had begged and pleaded with Jeff to let us go someplace , and he thought it was best between his load of work and the freezing temperatures to stay put, he was probabllly right. Especcially if we left it up to a poll....the girls would vote this was thier favorite weekend yet. That I in the end I am glad for the low key weekend and the chance to rest up. No not for anything big or exciting....think me, and the girlies, alone in a mostly strange place ( here) where we don't know anyone, and we have no car or telephone. Jeff is off to someplace else for work for a few days and I am to say the least; anxious about it.

Wish us all the luck you have.

Thanks