We Love Barcelona (Wednesday 24th July 2013)

We slept in until midday. The heat of yesterday took it right out if us. The girls were very tired and needed a long rest. So be the kind and generous chap that I am I didn't open the window curtains until then. By the time we got organised it was almost 1:00pm. We thought we had wasted the day. Wrong! We found a little store nearby for “breakfast” (croissants and coffee) and then walked up to La Sagrada Familia which just a couple of blocks away. There is much work on the exterior going on at the moment so the building well covered in scaffolding. Bad and good. Bad, because one can't get a good photograph from any angle. Good, because it means that a lot if work is being done and it might be finished by the next time we are in Barcelona. We lined up in the queue and heat to go in a view the basilica. This part wasn't open in 1987. The queue moved pretty quickly and we were inside in about 40 minutes.

Well, in a word word, we were gob-smacked. Spectacular, breath-taking, extraordinary, magnificent, cavernous, and above all, beautiful! Hands-down this is the most stunning cathedral and the most stunning work of art we have seen to date – and I doubt if it will be beaten. If any one wants to know how to smile while your mouth is agape, ask Emily. That's how she was most of the time while in the Basilica. We left after about an hour and and found it really hard to do. If you ever have the change to go to Barcelona do not miss the La Sagrada Familia – not matter how long the queue may be.

We popped down to the metro beneath the cathedral and popped up in the El Born district of the old quarter. Here we found the bicycle rental company we were looking for and picked up our bikes. Six euro for two hours or so per bike was a bargain. Kerry was very apprehensive but with Emily's help slowly gained in confidence. We rode off down the lanes in search of the port where we knew from yesterday there was a cycling path. We found the path and rode out to the beach. The beach was very well supported by locals and tourists alike. From one end of the beach it must be 5 or 6 kilometres with a wide promenade all the way. We rode from one end to the other and then back again.

The promenade was a busy place with many people out being active walking, roller-blading, running, strolling or cycling. People on the beach were sun-baking, swimming, paddling and playing beach volleyball. It was a truly splendid scene to be a part of. We made it back to Barcelona Rent-A-Bike about 40 minutes late but they didn't mind. No extra charge! Incidentally, this is the cheapest of many rental companies in Barcelona. They were very considerate of Kerry's lack of confidence and provided a bike that would best suit her.

After all that exercise we needed a rest so we found the nearest Metro and Emily directed us to a station close to one of the little beaches we had recently passed. The water was warm and clear, the sun was warm (not so hot anymore) and there was a slight swell in shoulder depth water at about 10 metres from the beach. Perfect swimming conditions! I stayed out there until I started to “prune-up”.

We showered of the salt in one of the many freshwater showers along the beach and dried off walking back along the promenade looking for dinner. Kerry was keen to choose a beach-side restaurant and I think she was right. But we chose a port-side restaurant instead and enjoyed a nice meal of paella and sangria. The underground was nearby so we caught that back to the hotel arriving home by about 10pm.

A great day. Tomorrow we head across the country to the Atlantic coast and San Sebastian but we could have stayed a day or two longer in Barcelona.......