Week 167–168 – London and Barcelona

Alexandra had a long spring break and squeezed her "semester abroad" into 2 weeks with her friend Ariel. I was able to catch up with her on the way over through London and met her in Barcelona on her second-to-last stop. After a long flight from LA, instead of a nap they wanted to go to Stonehenge — so off we went. It was the coldest day of the year so far.

Stonehenge & Barnes — The Old Neighbourhood

We then came back through Barnes and made the old neighbourhood and house visit. On Monday we went into London and hit the tourist spots before dropping her at Stansted Airport — cheap flights but about halfway to Scotland. While she enjoyed Portugal and Spain, I worked the next 10 days then met her in Spain.

On the Westminster Bridge Attack — 48 Hours Before

With regard to the terrorist attack on Westminster Bridge — we were both safely outside of London when it happened. But we were in the very spot where the car went on the pavement about 48 hours before the attack. That is the "photo spot." So always have to be on guard wherever you are.

Buckingham Palace — painted green for St Patrick's Day

Pretty hard core — have to pay to enter airport to drop off — £50 charge if longer than 10 minutes

Recording studio across street from old house — Rolling Stones, Beatles, Zeppelin, Bowie, Madonna, U2 and Massive Attack

Sounds like somewhere I do not wish to go

Stonehenge — about 17 years to the week · Buckingham Palace painted green for St Patrick's Day · Our old townhouse in Barnes · Airport drop-off charge sign · Recording studio across the street — Rolling Stones, Beatles, Zeppelin, Bowie, Madonna, U2 and Massive Attack · Barnes Pond

Barcelona — One of My Favourite Cities

In Barcelona, the weather was cooler than the UK and we only got a few sunny spells. I don't think I cramped their style too much as I was happy to head to the hotel at 10pm while they went out. We tried to balance our "budget" priorities — they were trying to get by on $3/meal whereas I was in the $5/meal range (but more likely to deviate whenever I felt like it). I did "make" them have some Sangria on Las Ramblas — $20/pitcher and they had been paying about 10% of that in the small Spanish towns — but it is Las Ramblas and worth it. Barcelona is one of my favourite cities.

Background — Barcelona & the Sagrada Família

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and Spain's second-largest city with approximately 1.6 million people. Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) is the city's defining architect — Park Güell, Casa Batlló, and the Sagrada Família are all his work. The Sagrada Família basilica has been under continuous construction since 1882 and is still unfinished, though it was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. It has been funded entirely by visitor ticket sales — no public money has been used. Gaudí devoted the last 15 years of his life entirely to the project; he was hit by a tram in 1926 and initially unrecognised due to his simple appearance. Las Ramblas is a 1.2-kilometre tree-lined pedestrian boulevard running from Plaça de Catalunya to the waterfront — one of the busiest tourist streets in Europe, which was also the site of a vehicle terror attack in August 2017, six months after this visit.

Sagrada Família — never made it inside, all tickets sold out

Cycle superhighway down the main street from beach to Sagrada Família — Barcelona

Rented bikes — park near the zoo, Barcelona

Rented bikes to see the city — Barcelona

Barcelona from Park Güell · Best McDonald's patio on Las Ramblas · Before & after · Sagrada Família — tickets sold out · Parliament · Barcelona Cathedral · Cycle superhighway to Sagrada Família · Rented bikes near the zoo

"I 'made' them have Sangria on Las Ramblas — $20/pitcher, they had been paying 10% of that elsewhere — but it is Las Ramblas and worth it."

BarcelonaLondonStonehengeSagrada FamíliaLas Ramblas

Week 167–168 · March 2017

London &Barcelona

London &
Barcelona