Happy New Year !

Ian : I'm cooking some ANZAC biscuits to commemorate the great recent event when our new Australian government finally delivered the long over-due apology to Australia's original inhabitants for the appalling treatment they suffered because of the government policy of taking children away from their parents in the recent past.

I was glad when I heard that there was going to be an apology, but I was amazed at how well Kevin Rudd delivered it, what words he had chosen and how the whole thing was handled. I haven't been so moved in a long time !

AND NOW ! . . .

Ian : Our second trip to one of our favourite places in the world !
A couple of bargain flights and very nice, central apartment-style accomodation found by my lovely & clever sweetheart through his mastery of the internet travel world.

Michael: Awww.. shucks. This is the view from the balcony of our apartment in the Eixample district. Nice and central.

Dont forget - click on the photo to see the large version.

...or Glasgow, for that matter !

Our lovely San Franciscan friend J, flew over to join us !

Silly, childish amusement at the menu in a cafe.

Passing buildings - in focus , Michael - blurred , I dont know how I managed that !

Michael: I was a bit hung-over on our way to Sitges.. that's probably why I appear a bit vague and blurred.

On our way to the seaside resort town of Sitges. Quite the gay haunt in summer too !

Warm and sunny, but I couldn't leave my foot in the water for long ! too cold !

They take their public transport security seriously here ! Dog handlers.

Up to the heights of Montjuic - to see Castell de Montjuic (that's the Catalan name - naturally it would be a Castille in Spanish) and the 1992 olympic stadium

From the front of the Palau Nacionale there's a great view down to Plaça de Espanya</font>

It seems Condolezza Rice is regarded as a deity in Barcelona - this was the last one on the shelf of this store.

Michael: Below, the Mercat de Sant Josep, just off La Rambla. Lots of lovely things here - we did buy plenty of chocolate :)

We stumbled upon a fashion photo-shoot.
Unfortunately, we weren't nearly close enough to actually stumble UPON them !

our own version of a fashion shoot.

Michael: No comparison really, is it? :(

In Sitges we took a break to try the wonderful institution of (very thick) hot chocolate and churros - yum !

This is obviously a shop for all the requirements and needs of your pet ferret.

Flirting with a mammoth

Michael: On the last day we visited El Poble Espanyol, built for the 1929 internation exhibition, is a model village with all spanish architectural styles represented. It's actually a living space, as it is populated by artisans and craftspersons, who give it a very dynamic feel. Naturally, there are plenty of restaurants in cafes here as well. It was a wonderful way to cap off our visit to Barcelona.

and always, the orange trees in fruit ! There's something I love about fruit trees in public places.

STILL TO COME ! - inside the Sagrada Familia !