For those who know the “AMAZING RACE” we have been referring to each other as Rob and Amber as you will begin to understand……………………..

Set the alarm for 5.15am with what we thought was plenty of time to make it to Stansted airport for 8.05am flight to Barcelona………………………………WRONG!

With hindsight we should have slept in our clothes or not even gone to bed.

Got cab and headed to Victoria Station to hop on a bus, only to be told they dont take credit cards and we didnt have sufficient English pounds left to pay the fare. Mr X sprinted to nearest hole in the wall with Ms X minding the luggage and the bus about to take off. As driver about to close the doors, Mr X sprinted around corner a-la Sebastian Coe and we made it on bus….time to relax? WRONG!

Got to check-in at Ryann Air only to be greeted with “Are you the ODowds as we have been waiting for you” We were the last to check in (about to be eliminated again)

Next challenge for Mr and Ms X was to find the accommodation with a map and very little else to assist. Weaving our way through the maze that was Barcelona, again, looking for signs and clues that will either help us to get to where we want to go or help us to find our way home.

Of course there were plenty of Chevy Chase “Theres Big ben kids” moments as we tended to go around in circles in the barcelona maze.

Checked out the gorgeous cathedral, ate and drank on the Las Ramblas, visited the Olypmpic site and the Temple de la Sagrada Familia, checked out Gaudis other works, strolled the La Ramblas with all 1.5 million Barcelonians , as well as walking and walking and walking the streets of Barcelona.

P.M.I. on Barcelona

The pluses in Barcelona:

The paella

Mr X loves the beers, the size of which he could go deep sea diving in

Ms X loves the sangria

Barcelonians love their dogs- often seen walking 2 at a time

The metro

The wonderful meandering lanes

The minuses in Barcelona:
Lots and lots of grafitti with lots of rubbish around

The cars and motorbikes that appear out of nowhere and nearly run you over in the wonderful meandering lanes

The wonderful meandering lanes especially after you have had a sangria or beer

Interesting points on Barcelona:

Everyone seems to be short. old and suited up

The Church of the Holy Family- Gaudi started building it in 1888 and they still havent finished it. wont be finished till 2020

NEXT STOP: PARIS