I am so blessed that my husband was 100% on board with me going on a trip with my friends. It was an especially wonderful trip because one of my favorite people is moving away, and it was a complete surprise to her. I think that the surprise may have even been as much fun as the trip itself. If you care, you can read about the surprise part here. We knew that she wished she had gotten the opportunity to visit Spain before she left Europe, so we were SO excited to make that happen for her.
It ended up being 4 of us, and Hiccup was the only child to tag along out of our cumulative 11 children. He got to come because he’s nursing and portable. Two of us had already been to Barcelona, and the other 2 were first-timers (along with Hiccup, since he was in-utero last time I went). Spain is by far my favorite place I have traveled. I have studied Spanish off and on for 15 years, and I love when I have the opportunity to use it. I was ecstatic to go back. There were a few things we didn’t get the chance to see or do while I was there with my family last February.
Here are some of the highlights of our trip:
Chocolate con churros ~ super thick hot chocolate into which you dunk your doughnut sticks. It’s simply amazing.
We visited several of Gaudi’s masterpieces throughout the city.
I just love the way his buildings seem to move.
Hiccup and me by the giant owl — his room is decorated with owls 
The amazing “La Sagrada Familia
View of the church from our apartment
View of the city from the top of Parc Guell – with the Mediterranean Sea in the distance.
The detail covering every square inch of this park just astounded me.
Happy baby!
We got to see the magnificent lit fountain show – something I was sad to have missed the first time around.
They lit the fountains red in commemoration of something… I don’t remember what.
My savior and my best friend.
Day 2, we went inside La Sagrada Familia.
It was one of those things that is so beautiful it makes your head spin.
We had such a great time!!!
And he was SO good!
I came back physically exhausted from all the running around and late nights up talking. But the spiritual refreshment that I came back with was worth more than I could ever express.
This was such a special trip and the way it was given to me was, as you said, almost more precious than the trip itself. I feel completely loved and am amazed at the gifts God has given me in my friends.
Thanks for the heads up on Barcelona…we are trying to decide where to go over Christmas! Someone suggested Spain & Portugal but I think I want a white Christmas…any suggestions ex-Frankfurt am Main?
I’ve never flown out of Frankfurt am Main because the flights are too expensive. I usually fly Ryanair out of Frankfurt Hahn, where tickets are SO cheap, usually under 30 euro. My husband recently took a trip out of Frankfurt am Main to France. I went to Paris at Christmas time several years ago and it was super pretty. Amsterdam was also really pretty at Christmas time. But I think nobody is going to do Christmas like Germany, so it might be worth it to just stay here. Happy travels!
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So cool!!! You’re the best friend a girl could ask for-I love what you did with this trip, especially the surprise part! I read it on her blog and cried