Barcelona - 1

We arrived in Barcelona, Spain on October 2nd for a two week stay.  As we did for our two weeks in Scotland in 2017 we used unTours.  This meant we had a two bedroom two bathroom apartment (we were traveling with friends), 4 ten trip Metro passes each, a local cell phone, passes to 6 museums, groceries in our kitchen to get us started, a ride to and from the airport and local support in the form of a wonderful woman named Edlira. She gave us an orientation on our first Thursday and on Friday a tour of one of the markets, olive oil tasting and a tapas lunch. 

We covered a lot of territory in Barcelona and came to know our neighborhood very well.  There were three Metro stations an easy walk away, wonderful restaurants and sandwich shops, bakeries, grocery stores and a market.  We took a train to Madrid for an overnight.  Took a train south to Terragona for a day trip and one north west to Montserrat.  I have a lot to share and it will take many blog posts.

Let me start with an introduction to our apartment and the neighborhood.

Our living room/dining room had two wonderfully large windows that opened out on a small balcony facing the street below.

Looking out the front windows you can see the recycle bins lining the streets. The fitness place across there was great for Dan who thought he was going to have to walk blocks to find one.  He joined for the time we were there.

Each of the two bedrooms were in the back with large window/doors that opened on a terrace. We were on the second floor though it was called the primary floor.  The one below us was the ground floor and the one above the first floor.  There were 5 floors of apartments all together accessed by a stairwell and small elevator.

Here's the terrace.

Surrounding us were other apartments from the block we were on.  We never could see into the center area but some blocks had little parks in them.

Looking up we usually could see laundry hanging out above us.  I would find clothes pins on the terrace and one evening a knock on the door brought a dad from two floors up asking if he could retrieve the legos belonging to his oldest son that his youngest son threw out the windows.  He found them all.

Dan, Janet and Will waiting in one of the Metro stations.  The system was very efficient.

Lovely buildings everywhere we walked.

One of the neighborhood restaurants.

A cloister in the local church.

Our favorite bakery.

A midmorning snack of croissant and hot chocolate.  The chocolate was more the consistency of pudding that hadn't solidified.  I dipped pieces of my croissant in it.  

Stay tuned.  More to come.

Home Again!

What a wonderful two weeks in Barcelona!  Arrived home last night.  Adjusting to the 6 hour time difference.  Brain a bit fried at present so no long posts yet for me.  All the pictures aren't downloaded, only ones I could post to a shared album in real time from my iPhone.

So much to share.  Here's a taste.

Ok, the Roman amphitheater was not in Barcelona, nor was the beach but you'll just have to wait for future posts to learn about all these places and more.

Alzheimers Walk

Saturday, September 28 was the Alzheimers Walk - a fundraiser for the Alzheimers Association.  The Residences at Vantage Point (formerly Vantage House) where I live has been a huge supporter of this event for years.  This is our 4th September here and the first time that we were not traveling so we could participate.

I signed up as a member of the Vantage Point team and had my own page for donations.

[If you want to donate head over to that page.  HERE.]

My father in law died of Alzheimers in 2003 so this walk was dedicated to him.

We have had no rain or cloudy days all of September but this Saturday was a cloudy one.  I guess that was a bonus since it would have been hotter with the sun.

Here are photos from the event.

Some of us standing in front of the Vantage Point tent.  Lots of senior living places were represented here.  Dan is in the khaki shorts.

Our team shirts were purple as were many others but here's a group in white shirts.

Our administrator is in the center above.  Staff out numbered residents in participation.

 Starting line.  We started early because music too loud.  It wasn't a race.

View of Centennial Lake.

Its green with algae because of dry month.

Below you can see the groups behind us crossing the dam.

Sign of fall or overstressed tree?  Don't know.

As you read this I am in Barcelona, Spain.  Arrived on the 2nd and here until the 16th.  I'll have lots to share on my return.

Smithsonian Victorian Gardens.

Another trip offered by the retirement community where I live.  This time the destination was Washington, DC, The Smithsonian Institution, and specifically the Victorian garden which resides behind the Smithsonian Castle.

As we exited the Castle through these doors,

 here was the first view.

What a blue sky day, low humidity for Washington, too.

Off to the right and left are large trees with air plants hanging from the branches.

The garden is so symmetrical.

The garden is flanked by two museums which are primarily underground.

In fact the Victorian Garden is on top of the museum spaces for these two museums.

Though the museum with the circle motif is on the left, the gardens on the right have the circle motif.

Another view of the castle.

The docent took us in to a hidden garden where tropical plants are displayed.

If I'm ever here for lunch I'll have to bring it to this out of the way spot.

We then visited the gardens on the left which had a square theme.

See the Washington monument above the trees.  Just this week it has reopened.

Here's another garden we visited on our own on the other side of the Exhibition Hall

One last shot of the castle where our white bus waits to take us back home.