Bugaderia in Barcelona

 Saturday, August 15, 2026

Do you wonder what a bugaderia is?  It's a laundromat!  And we found a bugaderia autoservei (self-serve) just around the corner from our hotel. 

We loaded up a week of dirty clothes in a suitcase and hauled it to the laundromat to prepare for our next adventure.  We were surprised it was so busy!  One guy from Australia had just come in from a cruise, was out of clean clothes and was spending 3 more weeks in Spain.  There was a family and a few young guys that were all vying for a washer and/or dryer.  We got everything done in two loads for under $20....At least we'll arrive at our next trip with clean underwear!

With the clothes done, we set out to do some souvenir shopping and more exploring in the city.  We got the required Starbucks mug after a debate on whether to get Spain or Barcelona. 

Barcelona is a huge port city, so we walked a few kilometers to the waterfront.  Yesterday there were three cruise ships moored at the port, surrounded by stacks of containers.  

At the harbor plaza sits the Christopher Columbus monument overlooking the harbor.  The 197 ft tall monument was built for the World's Fair in 1888 in honor of Columbus' first voyage to the Americas. 

The monument points to the harbor filled with sailboats which are steps from city buildings.

There is a lot of activity around the area, including a huge shopping mall across the boardwalk, and of course we checked it out. 

We found the most interesting store...a mystery package store...lost parcels.  I was tempted to try my luck but decided to stash my cash and preserve any extra space in my suitcase.  I wanted to hang around and see if anyone was going to open their package, but didn't find anyone ready to open.

The city is filled with interesting buildings and designs.

It was really hot and humid again today, so we stopped for iced tea and iced cappuccino.  

We noticed the rest rooms had names but no pictures...how do you decide which one to pick?

We went to evening mass at the Parish of the Virgin of Bethlehem.  It was a beautiful church and the first time either of us have been to a Spanish mass.

We met friends for dinner and then headed to the hotel rooftop.  The temperature has cooled and there was a nice breeze, along with some good music and great views of the city.  It was the perfect nightcap for a great day. (16,000 steps!)

We have an early flight tomorrow, so it's time to pack and see if everything fits back in the suitcase!

Spectacular Sagrada de la Familia

 Friday, August 14, 2026

Barcelona is the 2nd largest city in Spain (after Madrid).  As you can see, the city is very compact, with people everywhere!

The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia (Church of the Holy Family) is an icon in Barcelona. 

It is the tallest church in the world, (566 ft), and the final tower was just completed this year.  It's a magnificent structure with so much history--a "must-see" place, recommended by anyone who has been to Barcelona.

Construction began in 1882. Antoni Gaudi took over the project in 1883 and had significant influence in the area.  He was an architect and an artist, inspired by nature, and translated nature into the building. One of his quotes was "The great book, always open and which we should make an effort to read, is that of Nature." 

Gaudi designed the building but only lived to see a portion of the building constructed.  Others used his models to continue construction of this beautiful place. His remains are entombed in the crypt below the basilica, along with an actual cast of his face.

Pope Leo celebrated mass in June 2026 to celebrate and bless completion of the central tower and commemorate the100th anniversary of Gaudi's death.  

The cross on the tower weighs 11 tons!

There is so much symbolism throughout the structure, from the columns to the windows, to the etchings, to the sculptures on the exterior.  Everything has a meaning, with thoughtful planning.  The stained-glass windows represent the seasons, and the light paints a picture on the inside.

The main door is inscribed with words "Our Father" and "Give us this day our daily bread" in 50 different languages.  (English is found to the left of the words "Vostra" see if you can find it!)

The AG on the door handles is for Antoni Gaudi.

It is so impressive and quite moving to see this place...both inside and outside.

As evidence of more symbolism, check out the square with numbers on one of the sculptures.  No, it's not a sudoku puzzle.  It is a mathematical puzzle where every row, column, and diagonal adds up to 33, representing the age of Jesus at his crucifixion.

Sagrada is a work of art, an architectural treasure and a spectacular place to experience that you'll never forget!

Afterwards, we did a quick bus tour of the city and saw a brush fire in the distance--kinda scary!  It has been very very hot and dry.  

  

  Temps today were 95, and yesterday it was triple digits.  Jim spotted an interesting thermometer on one of the streets outside the hotel. (Celsius at 9:30pm!)

We had our farewell dinner tonight (the best dinner yet!) and our astronomers David and Lou toasted to a successful eclipse and many new friends!

We will have more time to explore the city tomorrow--it's a day on our own.  

Barcelona Bound

 Thursday, August 13, 2026

Even though the eclipse is over, everyone is still abuzz with excitement.  Here is our group photo, along with some other photos that were shared.

Jim has been checking out the cars...there are so many makes that we've never heard of...

Seems like one of these came from Indy!

Another thing I haven't seen in a while is a cigarette machine.  There are a lot of smokers everywhere.

On our way to Barcelona we stopped at Zaragoza, the 4th largest city in Spain, but it seemed like a small town compared to Madrid.  There was a large plaza bordered by a beautiful basilica.  

...and a spectacular fountain/sculpture

...and a local musician entertaining visitors.

We strolled around through the town and wish we had more time to explore this charming area.

We finally got to Barcelona after 6pm, and the street was closed in front of our hotel for cable work.  That meant we had to schlep our luggage about 5 blocks to the hotel.  Then, there was a line of 40 people waiting to check in.  Jim went and got us a beer and offered to trade for a spot in line (no takers but a few smiles).  Then, to pacify the guests, the hotel brought out champagne and made everyone much happier!

We are staying at Hotel 1898 La Rambla which is right in the heart of a busy area.  It was built in 1881 and formerly housed the Tobacco Company of the Philippines!  It was refurbished in 2005 as a beautiful hotel.

We had another late dinner (these Spaniards don't like to start early!) at a nice restaurant by the water.  We will be able to do more exploring tomorrow. 

EEk It's an Eclipse - Part 2

 Wednesday, August 12, 2026

It is finally time for the big event!  A total solar eclipse! 

Astronomer David Eicher

We loaded the bus to depart for the viewing spot--an area at a private vineyard in the center of the path of totality.

It was a perfect location--not a lot of people, plenty of viewing area, chairs, wine, and some shade too!

It was pretty hot when we arrived (about 97 degrees!) but it didn't seem to matter as everyone found a place to settle in and many began setting up equipment.  It was about 2 hours before the first stage.

 The astronomers were monitoring the sun and providing updates to let us know the timing....

...while others were relaxing and getting excited about the main event!

We decided to take the advice of the experts who said to just enjoy the eclipse experience--the best pictures will be in your memory.  

The vineyard brought out cheese and sausage as an appetizer, and provided wine as well as water to keep everyone hydrated.

Our tour guide Rigo and company president Cingas were excited about the day with a sigh of relief that the weather was good.  The tour in Iceland was not so lucky, as they had rain.

Rigo

Jim found some almond trees and picked almonds to share.  I didn't really know that almonds grow on trees, but found out it is a major crop in this area, along with olives and grapes.

Finally, the first stage of the eclipse arrived, and everyone got serious about getting the glasses on and the eclipse watch began.  Even the bus drivers got involved!

As it moved through the stages, the lighting and weather changed...

Everything got quiet and cool and dark.  And when the first diamond ring hit, (a tiny bit of sunlight at the edge of the moon)  there was a shout, and the astronomers yelled "It's time to take off your glasses!"  Everyone cheered!  I got the binoculars and was able to see the "Bailey's Beads" small bits of red light around the dark edge of the moon. You could see the black moon surrounded by the sun's corona--it almost looked like an eyeball!  It was an amazing sight.   It is very hard to describe the experience...strange and wonderful at the same time..   

 

After totality, the sun provided a beautiful sunset, and later as we drove away, popped up over the hills to show us a bite still missing.

A perfect close to a perfect eclipse experience!