After our streak of bad fortune in Madrid, we didn’t know what to expect in Barcelona. Arriving at the hotel, however, we were pleasantly surprised by the ultra-sleek interior of the rooms with Bang & Olufsen telephones, flat-panel LCDs, and motorized shades. And though we didn’t reach the hotel until almost 7pm, we were able to squeeze in a visit to L’Aquarium, deemed the largest aquarium in Europe, and even a late night stroll down Las Ramblas. On Thursday, we took a Modernist walking tour with visits to Gaudi’s many architectural marvels including Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, and La Sagrada Família. Opting for food over the hour-long wait to ascend the cathedral’s tower, we kicked back at a tapas bar for lunch, where we learned that blood sausage is something we’re not very fond of. Afterwards, we strolled through Park Güell, and spent the evening browsing the various street performers and vendors at Las Ramblas again. Dinner that night consisted of a sampling of both rice and noodle paellas at a romantic seaside restaurant. Our final day in the city was much more relaxed, with brief visits to some cathedrals, the Museu de la Xocolata (yes, the chocolate museum), and the Palau de la Música Catalana. The trip back to Boston on Saturday, however, brought back the horrors of our first flight, as another hour-long delay almost cost us the connecting flight again. Fortunately, after a lot of huffing and puffing, we made the half-mile run across the airport in just the nick of time. Looking back, our Spain vacation wasn’t exactly a journey of immense satisfaction or smooth sailing. It did, however, give us a full week of time together, which should hopefully soften the blow of being apart for the next few weeks, as she begins working nights and I embark on the wonderful world of thesis writing.

Our trip to Spain did not begin under the best of circumstances. Even with careful planning, we could not foresee a flight delay which caused us to miss our connection, leaving us stranded in the Paris airport for 7 full hours. Despite losing most of day one, we caught the last portions of the Sunday evening bullfight shortly upon arrival, and even took a stroll around the touristy El Centro and Plaza Mayor before returning to the hotel. Our second day began with equally poor luck. A combination of outdated guide books and recent changes in train services led us to lose another morning to useless commutes, leaving only enough time to visit the Palacio Real that afternoon. Determined to overcome our fate, we ascended the slopes of Toledo early Tuesday morning. Though the main attraction of the small town was closed (of course), we nevertheless scored some souvenirs including a pair of Damascan earrings for Melody and some handmade marzipan for myself. Upon returning to the city for lunch, we were blessed with a most delicious Spanish stew which brought a smile to both our faces. After the meal, we ventured through the halls of the famous Museo del Prado, perusing the many works of Velasquez, De Goya, and El Greco among others, followed by a tour of the adjacent botanical gardens. Our stay in Madrid concluded with a visit to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. Unlike the Prado, this hospital-turned-museum focuses instead on 20th-century art, with works by Dali and Picasso, as well as some ridiculously eccentric pieces which can only be described with one word: weird. As we flew out of Madrid on Wednesday, it was hard not to compare the city with Paris, which we visited 2 years ago. Despite the many palaces and museums in both capital cities, we felt that everything in Madrid was just a little less impressive, leaving us only a mediocre opinion of the city overall.