December 5, 2008 by samantha.

I am not ready to go home. I have had such a wonderful time here and leaving will be very hard. It was great to see my family and know that my grandmother is doing okay. I am already making plans to return this summer. When I get back to the States, I will start researching little summer jobs that I might be able to do here. I want a little job so I can meet some people and supplement my stay here. Lord knows that a rental car will cost an arm and a leg! And I am keeping my fingers crossed that when I come back I will have a washer and a dryer! If I have those two things, along with dependable Internet access, I could be very happy here for a month or so.

I am anxious to get home and see my doggie. This trip would have been perfect if Val could have joined us. She would love France. There are not many places that she cannot go… she could even ride the bus! I know that she was in good hands while I was here, but not having her around has been hard. It is amazing how lonely I am without her! I like the little routine that we have and I look forward to getting to it.

Then again, I could have her put on a plane and sent to me here. Living in Perpignan could be very easy!

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December 2, 2008 by samantha.

I am in love with Barcelona. Our visit there was very short, but long enough for me to be anxious to return. The drive from Perpignan was an easy two hours, all on the autoroute or autopista.

We started with the crown jewel of Barcelona- the Temple of the Sagrada Familia. Words cannot describe how truly breathtaking it is. It is has been under construction for over 100 years and it is said it will be completed in the next 30 to 80 years. I have heard that temple is amazing, but I was in awe when I saw it. It is spectacular. It is a shame that Antoni Gaudi never got to see his creation completed.

We then hopped on a tour bus and got off at Parc Guell. I had seen the park on a television show and had a little idea of what to expect. Again, I was in awe. The park was very unique and I felt like I was in a fairy tale. Everywhere you turned there were twisting trails and unique sculptures. Even the bridges and canopies were one of a kind. Gaudi’s good friend Eusebi Guell designed the park and it is only fitting that the park is named after him.

When then continued our tour through Barcelona. There was so much to take in and see. Since we planned poorly and went on a Monday, most of the cities museums were closed. That did not matter. We still had a lot to see. We saw the site of the 1992 Olympics, the outside of the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, downtown Barcelona, and its busy seaport. I cannot say it enough, but the city is absolutely spectacular.

I think my favorite building in the city is Casa Batllo. It is gorgeous. The house belonged to a friend of Gaudi’s. Gaudi was in charge of the remodeling and he did not disappoint! I wish that he had been a friend of mine!

I took at least a million pictures and as soon as I am home, I will be posting them. I am sure that you are just as anxious to see them, as you are to hear the million stories I have to tell. I am very sad that my trip is coming to an end, but I will be coming back soon, maybe this summer. I am sure that Barcelona will be at the top of my to-do list!

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