Spain

We decided to go to Spain on our own (no tours) so we flew in to Girona airport (about an hour from Barcelona).  We stayed in Santa Coloma de Farners - a cute little town near the airport and rented a car to get around.  We spent one day in Barcelona and did a bike tour which we highly reccommend.  The next day we went to an outdoor "park" where we essentially did this ropes course high up in the trees (not good for those like me who are afraid of heights - but it ended up being fun).       Spain was probably one of our most fun trips because it was an adventure - we were always lost, either in direction or language.  In that part of Spain, they speak Cantalunyan which is part French, Spanish and Italian.  We were only prepared to speak the little Spanish Andrew had learned in his Spanish class.  It was fun, though, because we never knew what we were getting to eat for dinner - once we ordered cheese tacos thinking it would be like a quesadilla but it was only cheese cut into the shape of a triangle!  One of the times we got lost was trying to find our hotel.  Everyone in that little town - Santa Coloma de Farners - was so nice though.  When we stopped to ask a group of elderly men who were out walking how to get to the hotel, they tried feverishly to draw us a map and explain in Cantalunyan, I might add.  Finally, one just asked if he could ride with us to show us which we thought was very nice.            We enjoyed our trip very much in Spain and would reccommend everything we did to anyone going (minus the part on the bike tour where we saw, or actually HEARD, a dog get hit by a car - now there's a sound you NEVER get out of your head!)

Andrew in our little rental car.  The military is constantly briefing us on how to blend in when traveling so as to avoid being a target for terrorists.  We thought this bright neon green rental car was a great example of "blending in".  Yeah right!!

On one of our many driving trips where we got lost, we managed to see some of Spains beautiful coast line!

This was an amazing cathedral in Barcelona that pictures will never be able to do justice!  They're still building it and say it won't be done for another 80 years!  Every bit of it is carved figures into the stone.  There are 12 spires - 1 for each disciple.  4 of the spires are taller and represent Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  They're planning to build 2 more - the heights equilivant to the Washington monument - 1 for Mary and the other for Jesus.

These are the steps in Barcelona that Columbus stood upon when he returned to Spain to tell the Queen he had found a new world.

Swinging in the trees.  This was the ropes course I talked about earlier.  As you can tell by the look on my face, I'm thrilled.  Andrew completed the entire course, I only completed half and decided I had had enough fun for one day (Andrew was impressed that I did as much as I did).  The picture of me looking back was the last and highest zip line I rode.  It's pretty high up and you're supposed to just jump off this little platform and ride down.  It was fun but taking that first step off that ledge is a hard one (even if you're harnessed in)!!