Getting our Bearings in Barcelona

OK, most importantly (as my sister has so generously pointed out), my blog entries are basically irrelevant without photos. So we have posted some new pics, most of them unfortunately from lousy disposable cameras that basically just barely get the job done. Click on any photo to be transported to the web gallery with which it is associated.

New pictures include the Queen's Day Orange in Amsterdam as well as our trip to Keukenhof, the largest (and easily most beautiful) tulip garden in the world. I'm sad to say the pics of Queens Day don't do it justice. The good photos are trapped on my malfunctioning digital - will try to retrieve them ASAP.



















I didn't mention much about Keukenhof before, but it bears more comment. First, as any of you who knows Rob will surely know, visiting what is effectively a bulb museum of epic proportions is way up there on the list of cool things for him. Indeed, I don't think he'll mind me saying that he actually shed some some sincere tears when it's scale and beauty first became apparent. In truth, given that I was mainly in charge of the Netherlands part of the trip, I don't think Rob was expecting to see what he saw - unless you know a lot of people who have been, it would be easy to imagine the Keukenhof as being a cheesy touristy trip. Indeed it is not, it is pretty darned close to pure beauty in my humble opinion. That Rob was a bit overwhelmed by the beauty, and that it was in the form of something so near and dear to his heart makes me very happy. I'm so glad I got to see it with him.

The Keukenhof for me was something different. We actually had a picture of it hanging in our dining room, or rather a picture of it and my folks' young looking faces with a huge swath of tulips behind them. I have always wanted to see it. He may not remember it today, but my dad's stories of his own trip to Amsterdam and the things he saw there are undoubtedly a part of whatever wanderlust I have today and have had in the past. My folks steeped our family in travel - from crammed station wagon trips between San Antonio to New York City to snowmobile riding in Yellowstone. They never took us to Europe - that's complaint! - and because I went to Asia in my year abroad, I have felt this need to see what "the West" has on offer. Plus, it's supposed to have really good food and fancy hotels!

Finally, I've posted some of our first pics of Barcelona, which we continue to thoroughly enjoy. These are of an excursion we took to the lovely, but dusty, Parc Guell and the Gaudi attractions it offers. Not a great spot for kids, but a lovely view of the city and a great vertical workout for dads. The better pics would have been of the Barcelonetta beach (the one described below, with an adjacent famous fish designed by Frank Ghery), but the disposable camera we were to use to take these pictures disappeared with our diaper bag on the way there. We are on our way to resolving the camera issue, and will have more show soon. Suffice to say, this city is just beautiful.

Now for some parting anecdotes:

First, the kids are beginning to finally understand that Spanish is not just some strange thing imposed on them by Dora the Explorer, and that it has some real use here. As a result, they are starting to experiment with it. At least, that's what I'm calling it when Cory says "Delicioso!" every time he wants to say goodbye. Shawney, I assume you can provide some sage comments on new language development for young kids.

Second, our trip to the famous Olympic Park and its Olympic sized swimming pool cannot go without mention. I was very proud of Rob for having learned about this pool - water and toddlers go very very well together - and for helping us locate it and get in (for a mere $25!). Unfortunately, what all Rob's research failed to mention is that 1) the pool, while enormous, is at no point shallow enough to stand in (I'm serious), 2) has water that might be called refreshing by Barcelonans, but was just plain FREEZING to me, and, most important, 3) is
frequented only by serious, beautiful swimmers, who when not swimming laps, are bathing in the sun in ABSOLUTE silence. Please now imagine Matt and Rob (both chunky in their very handsome way), appearing with two decidedly not silent toddlers, beach blankets and plastic pails in tow, then wandering around the pool with this puzzled look, wondering where we are supposed to swim with the kids. I saw the one staff member (not a lifeguard, mind you) grinning and shaking his head at us. Never fear, we were not deterred - Rob and I jumped in and began to tread water while the kids played on the edge. No fewer than 10 people moved from their sunning spot in the general location of where we were swimming.

Three, we are learning that our gorgeous children will indeed be a ticket to ride here. While many people have been characteristically cool, the huge exception has been those who approach us because of the kiddos. We made, for example a trip to the local (FANTASTIC) market (about half a block from our house) where the kids were provided with free bread sticks, donuts, and peonies just for being cute. They are given lollypops everywhere they go, and all these gifts come with a requirement to kiss the woman who is providing it on the cheek. People randomly approach them and pinch their cheeks or pat their heads everywhere we go. Cory is called guapo constantly, and both kids are really enjoying the attention, and responding appropriately with their limited Spanish.

Fourth, my Spanish is proving reasonably strong. The two things I have been most proud of have been interpreting a Chinese menu and then handling all logistics over the phone for delivery (no one delivers Tapas, or we would have done that, I swear!). The nice woman on the other end of the phone even said I spoke great Castilian - obviously she could see a loyal Chinese food eater a mile away. Second, I believe I handled my first altercation here with decent grace. Some sour couple in front of us at the grocery store got mad at us for using the conveyor belt at the register before they were finished - we had not seen their remaining items - and said loudly to each other that we were being too pushy. I apologized in spanish, to which the woman sort of turned her nose up, and continued muttering about us audibly. I replied to her that we had not seen her remaining belongings, and that we had apologized, was that sufficient or not? She then tried to say something in English but failed miserably. Go Matt!

OK, it's late here, ciao!