Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

We booked a Mediterranean cruise over the Christmas holiday; departing and returning to Barcelona. As rural Indianapolis residents, the evening sights and sounds of the city of Barcelona presented a sharp contrast to living amidst the ubiquitous cornfields of Indiana. During our culinary tour of Barcelona, we grabbed bits and bites as we walked around the Gothic quarter and made the requisite stops at La Boqueria and Pasteleria Escriba. Fortified by Escriba's chocolate croissants, we began acclimating to the frenetic and crowded surroundings of La Rambla. Suddenly, we found ourselves in a quiet corner of the city where local artists were displaying their work. The scene evoked memories of a previous visit to Montmartre in Paris and the truly wonderful 2-week trip around France I took with my mother-in-law (really!). It was a welcome respite, away from the usual hustle and bustle of La Rambla.