Friday 31 July 2015

Barcelona 31 July - Maverick scribed by Toni

Squarkius – How’s my Spanish?  Not many birds around here to try it out on apart from pigeons.
We are staying in an apartment close to the centre of Bardelona in Catalonya.  How do they make these places three bedroomed when you can hardly swing a Kakapo?  And by the way please don’t!
So today….. It was a wanderous day – ok google I know this is spelt wrong.  I am trying to say it was a wonderful day wandering.  Can’t you get it!?
Anyway, we had a slow start as we put paperwork into action from the lost bag (Lucy’s) caught up on paperwork (Toni) or was that messaging Patricia – ok – yes it was.
We got out around midday and spent the time getting lost along all the streets, piazzas and fountains.  We didn’t visit a single church or cathedral though the sites were wondrous.
I hung out in the Apple store with John, Lucy, Sam and James while Toni sorted the lost bag.  Firstly she organised the lost IPAD location via Icloud so that potentially they could find the IPAD and then she told us the necessary serial numbers for the police report.
John, the kids and I played on all the apple devices for ages while Toni spent the time with the Police going through the motions of a bag left in a taxi (that the taxi company didn’t return).
Toni says this has been a very interesting exercise.  As Lucy had a phone and IPAD linked with Toni’s email and play store log on, Toni went to change her password.  Curiously she found that people had been logging onto her account in Queenstown and Wanaka.   – spooky music- is it a conspiracy. Password changed, things move on. 
Time at the police eventually produces a certificate to say what happened and something for the insurance company. 
Arrrggghhh, those children – how much have they lost?
During this trip there is a bit of a sweep going and so far….
James has lost 5 hats and a Macpac jacket.
Lucy has lost a backpack, phone, IPAD and a few other bits and pieces.
Sam has lost a hat, a pair of goggles and none of his squeak
John has lost a red shirt –( in the laundry) and a filling – replaced for 75 NZD in Cambodia
Toni has lost a receipt for Lucy’s phone….
So Southern Cross are doing kind of OK, though maybe the last claim will be highish?  Perhaps there should be a premium for children who are old enough to be responsible.
So where were we? 
Having done the stop at the Police and the Apple store we head down the Ramblers and stop at the market where John drools at the stalls full of every type of ingredient a chef would want and more to inspire him.  We eventually stop for Paella and the kids tentatively try.  We are told we should stop as this is good by one of the guests  - ahhh, no, he is the owner…. Still the Paella is ok, though quite expensive.  Topped up, we head towards the port though are distracted by all these wonderful looking alleys that lead to piazzas with – oh yes, ice cream and churros and for Toni a coffee….. a real coffee.  Sammy complains that the chocolate is too chocolatey.  How can one complain about that!
Back to the Ramblers for the amazing statues – was that Christopher Columbus?  We head across to the port in search of a toilet that doesn’t cost 3 NZD and then towards the cable car.  Why does there have to be an 80 minute queue?  Did no one warn them that in Glenorchy we do not queue!  We don’t do the cables car…
OK now to the beach.  Where is the beach?  It is a sea of people!  The kids build sand castles with sand and cigarette butts.  OK, we miss the pacific. Does everyone smoke here?
We’ve walked lots and lots, we’ve eaten Spain and it is time to go back to the apartment, so we jump on a V15 and then walk home…… 17,000 Kakapo steps for me today and that was easy in just 27 degrees.
The kids are asleep.  John has gone to bed too.  Haha, it is my time to terrorise the apartment, Barcelona and Football.  Do you know how good a kakapo is with a football!











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