Yesterday was absolutly priceless! We went to 2 games and had a blast. The first was in the morning United Kingdom against Germany. Germany won with a big upset. We discovered a new favorite food at the ballpark. Keep in mind we are at a nice hotel near the airport, with absolutely nothing around it resturant wise etc. Anyway, back to food...they sell a sandwich on a foot long bagguet (sp)called a cheese and bacon sandwhich. amazing!! They call bacon what we would call ham and I don't know if it was because I was so hungry or it was that good, but it was fabulous! The bread was soft and chewy and the cheese was to die for. There were around 2 hundred people there. We sat up in the stands in the shade and just chilled. It's out in the country in the middle of nowhere. Some taxi's wouldn't even take us there because they didn't know where it was. Soooo, after the game we started walking, looking for a taxi to take us back...we kept walking, and walking and (yes, like the pioneer song) walking. It's a beautiful 75 degrees during the day, so no complaints there, just tiring. Finally got to a hotel that could call us a cab. Anyway, so Ted says, we need to leave about 2 hours early for the night game, because it's Spain against Holland. I was like "ok, what ever" After a nightmare taxi ride (got lost and then road closed) we got to the stadium about 1 hour before. We were almost too late. The place was packed and rockin. I have never seen anything like it. Holland has fans in Orange, EVERYWHERE! Spain is of course the home team looking to upset the number one team. It was a frenzy!! Spain was ahead for a lot of the game then Holland came back and tied it. Finally in the 11th Holland won. Amazing fans. You could put them in Safeco and until they opened their mouths, you would just think ordinary USA crowd. A girl sat next to me who was from Holland, was fluent in spanish, english, german, Dutch of course and greek. Then she said I do ok in french and italian. cracked me up! she was yelling stuff in lots of languages. We were in the Spain crowd, so she'd yell in spanish for the Holland team, just to get everyone fired up. They had trumpet players, noise makers of all kinds and I am telling you, not sure which was more fun, watching the game or the crowd. You really would have thought it was for the gold medal!
Observations: Men wear Capri's over here...lot's of them, the old and the young! Men also carry purses, while practical, hard to picture Ted with a purse over his shoulder. Don't ask for Coke...they don't understand...Coca Cola they do. French fries come with little plastic forks to eat them with, and taxi drivers are not so friendly :(
We are watching one last game this morning and then heading out to shop!!! That's right. Sight see and shop at the street Mercut. Adios
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Spain
First, I apologize I have no pictures. I'll add them in a few days. Forgot the correct cable. Anyway, having a blast!
We went to the first game to see Italy play the Czech Republic, in a loser out game. Ted's friend Moro (used to be a European Scout for M's) was one of the coaches for Italy. Heard many, many languages on the field. This took place up on the Parc de Mantjuic. This is where all the venues for the 92 Olympics took place. There are beautiful big stadiums and old Palaces to see up on a gorgeous mountain.
Then we went to tne Mediterranean Sea and Port Vell. First, our funny (sort of) story. We decided to take a scenic cruise on the sea, see the coastline and beaches. We started off well enough, but as soon as we got into open waters, the swells got bigger and bigger and before we know it we are being thrown around the boat. We kept laughing, but inside I kept thinking, what can I swim with, what should I leave on the boat. Then the song from Gilligans Island came into my head and I of course got the giggles. The captain had to keep cutting his engine as we hit the big waves. We were up on the second story, observation deck and getting soaked! It was quite scary! When we got the the other Port where we were to have a 10 minute break, we were supposed to get on the boat and go back!! No way...we were about to lose our cookies as it was and we were happy to be on solid ground. Another hour back to the other Port, would have probably done us in. Instead we just explored some more of the city and got our bearings. We tried to figure out the subway system with no success. We decided that Taxi's worked just great!
Observations: On the pier going out to the shops near where we caught the boat for the tour, there were no railings, no nothing to keep little ones from going off into the water. I thought, this would never happen in America...OSHA and the like. I then jumped to how to parents handle their kids at this place...they don't! We didn't see one child in all the big crowds. I thought, Man, Casey would just run off the edge into the water!
Also observed more graffiti in the city, than anywhere in the US. That surprised me.
Didn't realize that those who live in Barcelona have a variety of skin shades. Many, many white spaniards. Very few darker skinned people like I assumed it would be. Also, very modern in many, many area's of the city.
Until later....
We went to the first game to see Italy play the Czech Republic, in a loser out game. Ted's friend Moro (used to be a European Scout for M's) was one of the coaches for Italy. Heard many, many languages on the field. This took place up on the Parc de Mantjuic. This is where all the venues for the 92 Olympics took place. There are beautiful big stadiums and old Palaces to see up on a gorgeous mountain.
Then we went to tne Mediterranean Sea and Port Vell. First, our funny (sort of) story. We decided to take a scenic cruise on the sea, see the coastline and beaches. We started off well enough, but as soon as we got into open waters, the swells got bigger and bigger and before we know it we are being thrown around the boat. We kept laughing, but inside I kept thinking, what can I swim with, what should I leave on the boat. Then the song from Gilligans Island came into my head and I of course got the giggles. The captain had to keep cutting his engine as we hit the big waves. We were up on the second story, observation deck and getting soaked! It was quite scary! When we got the the other Port where we were to have a 10 minute break, we were supposed to get on the boat and go back!! No way...we were about to lose our cookies as it was and we were happy to be on solid ground. Another hour back to the other Port, would have probably done us in. Instead we just explored some more of the city and got our bearings. We tried to figure out the subway system with no success. We decided that Taxi's worked just great!
Observations: On the pier going out to the shops near where we caught the boat for the tour, there were no railings, no nothing to keep little ones from going off into the water. I thought, this would never happen in America...OSHA and the like. I then jumped to how to parents handle their kids at this place...they don't! We didn't see one child in all the big crowds. I thought, Man, Casey would just run off the edge into the water!
Also observed more graffiti in the city, than anywhere in the US. That surprised me.
Didn't realize that those who live in Barcelona have a variety of skin shades. Many, many white spaniards. Very few darker skinned people like I assumed it would be. Also, very modern in many, many area's of the city.
Until later....
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