Well everything is going well over here. I am pleased to let you know that the weather over the bank holiday was much warmer and sunnier here than back home in the UK. Amber’s sling has come off her arm although she is barred from hockey for three weeks. And I am getting fitter by the day having upped my runs along the beach dodging scantily clad young ladies to four times a day. All in the pursuit of health and fitness of course.
And it must be working because today Dave, Alex and Christine have each gone down with a bad dose of colds but me, very healthy. So dodging ladies keeps you fit, proven fact!
Yesterday we built up the courage to go into the centre of Barcelona for the first time since we have been here and even that proves a success this time because we arrive home without the need to visit the police or a hospital. In fact by afternoon we don't know what to do we have never had this long in Barcelona without incurring an insurance claim.
We set of around 9.30am to wait for the bus, much easier than taking the car in although the way the drivers hurl the bus about probably more stressful. I am sure at the end of the day the drivers all sit in a bodega somewhere counting up the number of people they have managed to throw off their feet by sudden breaking or fast cornering; there is probably a daily prize for the winner. Today though has the added advantage of two American tourists getting on the bus at our stop, who after hearing us talking English decide to become our new best friends.
Now for serious readers of this Blog you will know my views on Americans, I have nothing against them really except that they should all remain in America and then we don’t need to listen to them telling us how 'great' and ‘awesome’ every thing is in Louisville. Apart from the Kentucky Derby and Cassius Clay can anyone name anything 'great' or ‘awesome’ about Louisville. As far as I am concerned it’s about as famous as Belgian who at least had Eddie Merckx and The Singing Nun.
We travel on the bus together and we promise to show them where to get off. Alex and Christine both stop me telling them exactly where to get off and the first thing they ask is the whereabouts of the English Theatre as they want to go and watch The Pirates of the Caribbean this afternoon. They are in Barcelona and they want to go to the pictures! What can you say? Americans!
As we move towards the centre of Barcelona we pass amazing buildings and palaces and the beautiful squares of which I have yet to become acquainted but what is it that Mrs Louisville spots first “Kellies Temp Agency” she says “just like the one on our high street, I can speak English I bet I could get a job”. I was stopped from telling them that the local language was Catalan and maybe she could get away with Spanish but what it was that made her think she spoke English was beyond me anyway. Her total English seemed to consist of ‘awesome’, 'great' and ‘Lousiville’.
Having listened to them grumbling about not having had a decent meal over here in two weeks we needed a plan to divest ourselves of our new best friends. Just then the bus pulled into the Place de la Catalunya, the beautiful square at the top of La Ramblas with all the buildings and shops and people that make Barcelona the town that it is. But what does Mrs Louisville immediately spot, KFC.
“Look Chuck” or whatever Mr Louisville was called “It’s KFC, we can get a coffee and come back for our lunch”. With that they are across the road and gone. What can you say, the best tapas bars in the world and they are happy with a KFC. Americans!
We of course set off shopping, well at least Alex and Christine do, I go for a wander before we meet up for lunch two and a half hours later. Christine had managed to do two shops in that time, I was surprised, Alex must have hurried her along. After a long lunch of tapas and beer we catch the bus home.
The good thing is there are no Americans insight and in any case like all good pensioners I sleep the whole way back having to be woken by Alex when we reach our stop. A good day.
