Spain: Igualada and Barcelona Adventuras

So here I am again sitting in the Barcelona airport waiting for my suitcase from baggage claim as I was two January's ago. Last time I was nervous because I was without wifi waiting to be picked up by someone I had never met before. Today I've already taken a peek outside and saw that the entire family was here to pick me up. I'm incredibly excited to see them again and want the baggage claim to turn on and release my suitcase so I can go see them. I had no idea the kids would be here too to greet me and I'm trying to figure out what I want to say to them. It's been more than a year since I've seen them and as I said goodbye to them last June, I thought that may be the last time I'd ever see them again. Luckily, my suitcase was the first to come out and I immediately went outside to say hello. After hugs we all got in the car and headed to Sitges. I have never been to Sitges before but that city is very popular during the time of carnival.

Just a sample of what Google images had to offer for "Sitges Carnaval"

This is what Sitges was actually like when we were there

Today it was less crazy and we got some pizza and gelato then walked along the coast. After a few hours, we drove back to Igualada and I was happy to hear that they remembered many of the words to English songs I had taught them. They even had the CD I made them in the car. Like many children in the US, they had also seen Frozen and of course their favorite character was Olaf. Once we arrived home they were determined to go swimming. I never had the opportunity to swim with them when I was an Au pair because I was there during the winter and spring. Half my size with much less body fat for warmth, they jumped fearlessly into the water, so obviously I had to go too. We didn't last more than 5 minutes though because it was quite cold. We played a little more than all passed out that night.

The next day, I went to another one of my friends houses. When I was an Au pair here I joined a gym and swam each week and my friend was the swim coach there. I stayed with his family the second day and I played board games, uno, and some dragon ball z. During the day, I visited some of my English students from the year before. We had coffee and pastries and filled each other in on our lives during the past year. That night, my old swim coach and his family had casteller practice so I joined! It was so much fun because they let me be a part of the soca, which is the very bottom part of the tower. Basically, my job was to keep my arms by my side and pack in with everyone else like a sardine. Then we all pushed toward the middle to make a stable base for the tower. This is the most difficult tower because the base has two parts: the soca and folre. The folre is the second base that is on top of the soca so the entire tower ends up having 8 different levels. It's an enormous tower and the Pom, which is the top two levels, are always very brave children. I may have mentioned this is another blog post but the bottom of the tower looks very unorganized. In reality though, it is extremely organized and each person has a place with a specific job. When you see everyone's hands reaching up, normally they are holding the wrist or elbow of the person in front of them and pushing up in order to provide stability. After practice ended at 10 I visited another woman I used to swim with at the gym. It was such a great opportunity to come back to Igualada and see everyone. Not much had changed around the town except that a few shops have opened and few have closed.

Casteller Practice

Casteller demonstration in the town square.  Unfortunately I missed this event but my friends sent me a picture!

Main plaza in Igualada

The next day I stayed with one of my English students and saw more people throughout the day. We had the traditional tapas night, filled with tortilla (Spanish omelet with potatoes), boquerones fritos (small fried fish), pan con tomato (bread with tomato), calamari, pan con jamón (bread with the typical Spanish ham), and a surprise chorizo looking meat that turned out to be whale! (Purchased in Norway). I even helped make some of the dinner! That night was a great time as we talked and laughed over dinner and I did my best to talk in spanish.

Tapas!

The next day I took the train back to Barcelona and met my friends at our apartment. I saw another one of my friends that day for lunch and we all relaxed that day until the fiesta for Hayden's birthday!

Visiting Judit in Barcelona!

After that night, the next few days were full of walking around, seeing the sights, and relaxing. We went on the bike tour as we had a year previously (see last years blog for Barcelona), visited the beach and played in the waves, walked to the park, tried chorizo, crepes and smoothies in the boqueria, meandered down the rambla, etc. The boqueria was one of our favorite places to visit because it was an enormous area filled with fruit, the typical jamón, chocolates, fish, etc.  A couple of my friends sprung for the expensive crepes that they claimed were the best they'd had in their lives.  I'm convinced I will eventually buy a special stove top to make crepes.

Google images from the Mercat Boqueria

I saw the Font Mágica (Magic Fountain in Catalan) for the first time in Mont Juic.  It is a fountain with a light show and music and an incredible experience when seen in front of the lighted Mont Juic.

Font Mágica!

Hayden in front of Sagrada Familia on our bike tour

Ryan and I enjoying Parc de la Ciutadella.  In front of "Gaudí Fountain" even though Gaudí was only an apprentice on this structure

I didn't take many pictures of Barcelona this time around, knowing that I had all the same pictures from the previous year.  There's more information of my older blogs of Barcelona, Igualada, and Catalonia.  It was a wonderful way to end our vacation but I am quite excited to get home and see the family. I can't believe I had the opportunity to travel to Europe again as I had not been expecting to do so for many years.

Until next time!