Up and off to Barcelona

After a busy and fulfilling Holy Week and Easter, the alarm went in Kingston at 4 Easter Monday morning, and by 9.10 local time we were touching down in Barcelona! The 4.34 285 bus was packed by the time we reached Heathrow, but we went smoothly through the airport procedures, and enjoyed a beautiful flight in clear weather until the Catalan side of the snow-clad Pyrenees.

We'd agreed with Matt and Merce that we were ready to hit the ground running, and in no time we were driving out of the airport and up Montjuic for an impression of Olympic Barcelona, and the view over the city, sea and surrounding hills on what was already turning into a beautiful spring day, fresh to Merce but lovely and warm for us from northern climes. Sagrada Familia was immediately obvious as also the gherkin landmark that marks the area near Merce and Matt's flat.

Then back in the car heading across the city to the Parc de Laberint d'Horta with its well-kept gardens of different styles including the impressive maze that we negotiated and photographed. Alpine swifts and serins were the first different birds I noticed, though the parakeets turned out to be Monks rather than the Ring-necked more familiar to us. Then back to park the car in the underground university car park and we climbed the 5 floors of stairs to the flat which is very pleasant and airy at this time of year.

A great Matt lunch then off on a rounds of Metro, walking and bus, seeing from the outside Sagrada Familia, the Gaudi house, another Gaudi house, a cathedral with a cloister which was a home to geese, the Ramblas down to the port and then along the front before metro back to a tapas bar near the flat where we ate well. The gherkin was now lit up in red and blue and we were ready for bed after a great opening day. Matt had researched Bernabeu tickets for a match on Wednesday, and we've booked for Barca v Almeria possibly anticipating a few goals!

Tomorrow's plans are for Monserrat and the forecast is again good.