Back in Chicago.

Our last few days in Sitges were so easy and relaxing I failed to write of them. A few highlights will bring us up to date. On Sunday we had a wonderful lunch at La Salseta. We have dined here on each of our four trips to Sitges and the food, wine, and service are always wonderful. Other than this we walked around town, shopped, sat the beach, napped on the roof terrace, had cafe con leche and flautas at Cafe Roy, enjoyed long leisurely lunches in Sitges and relaxed with evenings in the piso with wine, salad, olives, and cheese. Rough.

Fish stew in a rich bisque.

A Catalan take on Baba. Soaked in a liqueur of malvesia de Sitges.

Mojitos!

At the Madrid airport we ran into old friends who were headed home from Bilbao. Small world isn't it.
Our flights home were uneventful. Iberia once again out shone American Airlines with much better food, real silverware, and drinkable wine. Our flight was full of college kids from Notre Dame's marching band who had been in Italy, France, and Spain. When we arrived in Chicago and after we cleared passport control and customs, Sharon left me with her suitcase and headed to terminal 3 and flew to Cleveland! I will be glad when she is not going to Cleveland every week.

Lazy Saturday in Sitges

Piso cleaning, window shopping, wine shopping, long lunches, sun sitting. Yes, another hard day in Sitges. High points? A leather murse for me and a local artistsan neckace and earrings for Sharon. We spent the day with Claire before sending her back to Barcelona. A most enjoyable visit! The day was finished with wine and brandy on the roof then dinner or salad, jamon, cheese, olives, and wine in piso #2.

 

Montjuic and Osmosis

Wow. Just wow. Our second luncheon at Osmosis and better than our first last year. The food - exceptional. The wine - perfectly paired. The service - attentive and good natured. The company - our wonderful extended family of friends can't be beat. The room - full of wine and books. All in all an experience to be fondly remembered.

Earlier in the day we took the train from Sitges to Barcelona and the the Metro to Placa Espanya then up the stairs and escalators to Monjuic. We split up and Beth, Dave, Sharon, and Jorge and I went to the Miro foundation. If you enjoy Miro this is a place not to miss.

A day in Barcelona with Claire

Claire as been studying in Barcelona since January and will be heading back to the U.S. in May. We were lucky to have our timing match so that we could spend some the day together. It is obvious that she loves Barcelona - she certainly is a top tier tour guide! Is was good catching up and sharing with Claire. Thanks.
Back in Sitges, Beth and Dave have arrived. More good friends made for a raucous late night dinner in the piso!

Ahhh, Sitges

Time to relax. Last night we had a wonderful Sitges meal in the piso. Four and a half bottles of,wine, three kinds of olives, three cheeses, two begets, a big salad, jamon Serrano. We had a great time.
Today Katie and Sharon did laundry. I wandered the town taking pictures. All of were on the beach at one time or another. We had another great lunch and then went to a place by the sailing club for cafe. Then all to the beach to lay in. This is serious vacation time! A little computer time, then shopping for our late night dining, then cocktail time, then dinner. Jealous?

 

Perpignan-Barcelona-Sitges

We are on the train from Perpignan to Barcelona and currently pulling into the station at Cerbere. We were up early and walked to the train station and waited for our train. It is nice to be sitting on a train letting someone else do the driving.

Breakfast this morning and yesterday were at our hotels as there was no other nearby option. Sadly, the hotel breakfasts, which are not inexpensive, do not come close to matching the experiences outside the hotel. In each of them our coffee was delivered by a push button operated device, not a person. And, the quality of the coffee was not nearly as good as at a cafe. On the other hand, the croissants and pan chocolat were as delicious as usual. I did have cereal on Monday morning and yogurt both days and that was a pleasent change. But no sitting and watching people pass by on the street.

When I organized this trip we discussed driving versus training our way south. I was leaning toward the train, Sharon toward the car. The car won and I was happy with our decision. Now though, in hindsight, we probably would have preferred the train and visited different cities. The only thing we would have missed was the gorge, and of course the rain, and the problems getting out of Orly and returning the car in Perpignan. Of the places we have been so far we, of course, enjoyed Paris the most and then Limoges. I would say if we were to do this sort of thing again we would, if the TGV ever gets figured out from Paris to Barcelona, that we would go direct from Paris to Barcelona. Perhaps a stop in Lyon? Bordeaux?

At the border the Policia came on the train, in force, to check passports. They were at each door and then others in the aisle, highy organized.

We arrived at Barcelona Sants at 11:50, schlepped upstairs, stood in a very short line to buy tickets for Sitges, went back down to the tracks and were on the train to Sitges at 12:08. Smooth! A short familiar walk took us to the Soler piso and soon we were off to lunch. Ahhhh! They are all at the beach and I am kicking back at the piso.

Aftermath

A little shopping and we are stocked with wine for a day or so. Eleven assorted bottles of Spanish wine for €94. We are now ready for serious relaxation.