The Walkers visit Barcelona!!!

I've been majorly slacking the last few weeks on my postings.  I've been so focused getting ready for our trip home that I didn't do an update with our latest visitors!!  How could I forget to post about the Walkers trip to visit Casa Marcus in early August??  So sorry Walker fam :)

The Walkers have been planning this trip to Barcelona since even before we knew we were moving here.  Yeah, a long time!  They were very lucky to be heading out for a Mediterranean Cruise on the Disney Magic (it was the Magic right???) and had planned a few days in Barcelona before embarking on their adventures!

Yes, I know the trip was planned before we knew we were moving here but once we knew that we were going to be here the planning began for our time together.  For those that know Lisa know that she was packed at least 5 months before their trip... so you know we did our planning for their visit LONG before they arrived.  It's too bad that after all that planning that a wrench got thrown in our plans.  We had planned on taking all the kids up to Tibidabo for a day of fun in the sun at the amusement park on their full day here.  Unfortunately less than 2 weeks before their arrival day there was a tragic accident at Tibidabo and a teenager was killed.  So squash those plans.  Instead we ended up with a much better visit where we played it all by ear.

Julie & Lisa having some cava sangria... yum!!

They boys in the pool - notice Liam over by the stairs where he stayed the entire time...

All of the boys in the hot tub!  Jack, Adam, Liam, Aidan

Getting ready to go to dinner... but first Adam and Jack show Aidan their new DSI's... perhaps Santa will bring one to Aidan (and he can pass his old one to Liam). 

Both Aidan and Liam were ecstatic to see Adam and Jack!  We met up with the Walkers at their hotel which was super fabulous!!!  The kids enjoyed the pool (and Aidan enjoyed showing off his new swimming skills!) as well as the hot tub while Lisa, Bill and I enjoyed some drinks to celebrate their arrival! 

Bill & Josh - Yes the beers were HUGE!!! 

Aidan & Adam do a toast as well!

The kids played and swam and we then we did a nice dinner down at La Fonda where Lisa, Bill and Josh had the paella - some of the best in the city we've been told.  And the kids, when not falling asleep at the table (remember, the Spanish don't eat dinner til after 8:30!) caught up with each other.

Friday was our original Tibidabo day and instead we just decided to do a quick tour of the city starting with a walk along the beach (in hopes of seeing the naked man riding his bike) down to La Rambla and then ending in Placa Catalunya. 

The boys climbing the jungle gym on the beach.  Even Liam made some progress today!

Just outside Placa Catalunya we stopped to watch some street performers.  Adam didn't seem quite as excited as Aidan and Liam (at one point Liam was totally comfy and laying on his belly watching!) but I think he was pretty exhausted from all the walking around!

We hopped in cabs back to our apartment to show them where we lived and so the kids could enjoy a few hours of playing after hours of walking and of course, letting the adults catch up too!  That night we did traditional Spanish/Catalan tapas at our favorite tapas place - Ciudad Condal.  The best!  And we think everyone enjoyed them as much as we did.  The night ended on a great note - we took all the kids back to the hotel where they swam and played some more til it got dark (it doesn't get dark here til well after 9 in early August).  We had hoped to watch a movie out by the pool but for some reason the genuiuses at the hotel couldn't figure out how to set up the screen (interesting since Lisa said they show a movie every night, you'd think they would know how to set it up by now) and so they didn't start playing the movie til we were getting ready to leave. 

In the end it was a quick, but fabulous visit with wonderful friends!  We're so glad you guys got to come visit us here in Barcelona!!!!

Julie