Home for the weekend

This past weekend was spent staying around Barcelona, which was actually a nice change of pace from the previous couple of weekend. Friday evening I met up with about 15 other iaeste students to go to an open air cinema in Monjuic Park. The films were shown in a open field beside Monjuic castle which is at the top of the hill around which Monjuic park is based. While I'm sure the main film was excellent, as the director was Canadian, the plot would have been easier to follow had it not been in French. Oh well,... it was still nice to see everyone. I think we will be returning to see another film (Everything is Illuminated directed by Liev Schreiber) tomorrow evening.

Saturday morning Lily and I meant to see the Picasso museum, but by the time we arrived the line was way too long, and instead we went shopping. At noon I got a call from none other than Ms. Miranda Chow, (Miranda has just graduated with me from Queen's, only in mechanical) who just happened to be in town! We met up with her, and spent the afternoon walking around downtown and of course more shopping. That evening we went to Placa Espanya to show them the fountain, as I think it's so nice and relaxing, no one should visit without seeing it. Miranda described it as the 'Fantasia' fountain in her blog (see link), and she's absolutely right; that's definitely be best way to picture it.

Sunday morning, Lily and I took the train up to Girona (which is a small city 1.5 hours north of Barcelona). There we saw the amazing cathedral, and the cloisters, which are quite famous in this city. As well as the Arab Banys (the Arab baths), which were built during the time when the Moors controlled Catalunya, and were modeled after the Roman baths with cooling systems. We had lunch at a nice cafe and wandered around for a bit. On our way back to the train station there was a electronic sign which gives the current temperature,... it was 42 degrees in the sun,... brutally hot! I'm just not used to these high temperatures.

Sunday night Lily and I again met up with Miranda, and her best friend/travelling partner, Andrea. They are both from Calgary, and have now been travelling europe for 10 weeks. We went out for dinner to La Fonda, and if it was possible, my dinner was even better than last time I was there. It was great to see these girls, pass on our advice about Spain, and wish them well, as they left of San Sebastan, in the North of Spain, Monday evening by a night train.

Congrads mum and dad on your 28th wedding anniversary.

Carino, Sarah