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.