So since I last updated this bad boy it has been a bit crazy around here! Last week started off with a bang (literally) – on Monday (7/1) Cass and I took the train to Sant Cugat and walked around town with the boys and Marisol. We got some helado and ate it in the park, later hung out at Alex’s apartment and played Ping-Pong on their mini table. We rode with Bea y Marisol to neighboring Rubí to watch their big fireworks show- it was pretty great! Afterwards we went to a local chain restaurant & bar, Dori, for a midnight meal of bocadillos y cañas.
The next day, Tuesday (7/2) Cass and I slept in at Petra’s once we heard that my Dad’s flight was super delayed out of Miami. I watched the rest of Downton Season 3 and eventually found myself weeping alone in my bed thanks to the last minute of the finale. Not cool! Later Tuesday Cass and I went on our longest run yet (down to Arc, past the park, along the beach, up Via Lietana, and back home). That night Xavi and Josh came into BCN, hicimos el botellón, took them to Dow Jones, mola! Then attempted GP, Oveja, ended up at a place in Plaza Real, night cap with a bottle of cava
Wednesday 7/3 – woke up at 8:30 (earliest yet) went to Sants; only to get nothing accomplished again, went to rents’ hotel – swanky, So good to see them! Metro’d to Plaza Cat, las ramblas, market, pizza, fish, on to Barrio Gótico, gelaaati, cathedral, park Guell cross, brutal walk home for Cass and I…. Dinner later above Las Arenas en Plaza España… later than night went to Tibidabo with Cass, Josh, and Xavi- hung out at one of the miradores, watched the sunrise around 6am – in bed at 7am
Thursday 7/4 – woke up at 11, Sagrada tour at noon with fam n cass, back to Petra’s for an impromptu fancy lunch- think everyone enjoyed that! – Packed up, went to Paris in the evening, Realization of only speaking about ten words of French, dirty martini at the lounge with Jules, slept like a baby in a plush bed!!
Friday 7/5 – slept in at hotel, went to Louvre, look at map for details, shopped at surrounding stores, lemon tart, cheese spinach quiche, garden stroll, chocolate! …Siesta, dinner at Au Bon Accluie – 3 course meal, dad was pissed, great Panacotta dessert, caught the 11pm light show at the Eiffel tower, night cap – long island back at hotel lounge
Saturday 7/6 – slept in, pizzeria lunch, Notre Dame visit, banana & nutella crepe, prayed inside, back to Eiffel Tower to catch boat cruise down the Seine River, super relaxing, café stop for apple tart, crepes, and drinks; attempted to go to the Arc de Triomf- cost… Later took taxi to CDG, only to find out we were to fly out of ORLY, 2 hrs. of Paris traffic-ridden cab rides later, arrived at ORLY just in time to make our flight back to BCN! Cass was waiting for me at home, we then met up with Mario, Xavi, and Josh near Opium, hung out further down the beach, danced for hours at Olympic, watched another sunrise along Barceloneta, boys loved the cookies from Paris
Sunday 7/7 – woke up at noon, semi- got life a lil more straightened out, packed up for Pamplona – met crew at Sants, bus ride from BCN to Pamplona, arrived there around 10pm, got the last things we needed for our San Fermines outfits, got ready to rumble at the nearby hotel, Jules, Bri, Cass, and I went out on the town, made ourselves some jumbo Kalimotxos and strolled around, eventually ending up at the beer garden/ street dance area – lots of fun
Monday 7/8 – woke up just after 6 am, went back into city center, found fam a spot to watch the encierro, we ran around to find our entrance of where to run with ze bulls – ended up not working out exactly like we had envisioned but still had a great time; once everyone was back together got churros con chocolate with everyone in the main plaza; souvenirs were bought, lunch was later had, then we waited for our return bus back to BCN… 6 hr. bus ride in mid July heat with no AC… terrible.
Tuesday 7/9 – lazy morning at Petra’s, attempted to make some travel plans progress, heading to Costa Brava with Petra and Montse soon for an overnight trip!
SAMHOPEHANSEN 