European Trip, Part 4

December 12 2009
This was my last day with Deborah and it was my only chance to buy gifts for my friends and family.  After Deborah had to drop off the twin Jessie at a friend's house, we stopped over in St Albans, where my Dad had grown up before going to where Barry and Sheena lived, whose house I was going to be staying for the night.  Their house apparently is over $3 million and just by seeing just three rooms, I can see why.  It was so beautiful!  Deborah, Barry, Sheena and I all went to an Italian restaurant which was amazing.  The items in the walls varied from fish nets to vespas to clowns.  I had the "Mama's Meatballs and Spaghetti" as well as real Italian vanilla and chocolate icecream for dessert.

My dad's birthplace in St Albans

Barry and Sheena's amazing house

House up close

December 13 2009
That morning, I was taking a flight to Barcelona, Spain where I would meet my other Aunt half an hour after I touched down since her flight from Switzerland.  My large suitcase was 5 kilograms lighter and Barry had given me €50, which was so nice of him.  I bought an Elle magazine, two packets of M'n'Ms, two London bus keyrings and two earmuffs - one for Cherish. 

After I had reached Barcelona, I bought two more magazines before waiting for my Aunt to arrive.  During the time while I was waiting, I read my Allure magazine and some of the M'n'Ms, before one of the Spanish security guards tried to have a conversation with me which was incredibly awkward before we couldn't understand each other.  Thankfully my Aunt arrived and we left to go to the apartment we were staying.  After we had put our bags in our room, we walked down La Rambla, had a meringue, went in the backyard of the cathedral which we called our "local church" (Note: I am not religious, so going into churches was to see the architecture and items on display) and went to a Christmas Market.  On the first night, I had whacked my ankle on the shower because there was no mat (it was incredibly slippery) which gave me a bruide.

My aunt took a photo as I ate a meringue

Candles inside the "local church"

At the Christmas Markets

Street mime hugging my Aunt

Jesus statue in the "local church"

December 14 2009
It rained this day, which was quite annoying but we both bought slippers for only €3 ea.  My Aunt and I also took a tour of Palau de Musica Catalana before seeing Gaudi's works the Sagrada Familia and to Casa Batllo - Casa Batllo is my favourite Gaudi work.  That night from 8-11PM, we went to a concert at the Palau de Musica Catalana.

First night I saw this, it scared me

Barcelona

Palau de Musica Catalana

Sagrada Famila

Casa Batllo, just as the lights turned on

December 15 2009
Went to the Picasso museum, which was brilliant, since Picasso is my favourite artist.  I was amazed to see his artworks before they became all abstract, he was incredible with "normal" paintings.  After the Picasso museum, we passed a masquerade mask shop (Wanted to go in sooo badly) before going to Parc Guell and Casa Museu Gaudi.  On this day, I had also bought my Barcelona bag.

Picasso Museum

Masquerade masks

Parc Guell

Close up

Underneath Parc Guell on the ceiling