One of the good things about being back in Europe is the fact that friends and family can get over easily to see you. In fact we are having so many visitors that I am thinking of starting an on-line reservation service so people can see what days we have free, at the moment I think we are booked up till the middle of September!!!


Anyway we have my parents here at the moment which is great, as the kids love to have their grandparents around and hubby is using my father as an excuse for spend more time at our local bar than he normally does! Yesterday we decided that a visit to Barcelona was in order and as I am not yet ready to brave the traffic system in the center, not to mention trying to find parking, we decided to use the bus. We live in a town called Gava Mar which is approx 20mins outside of Barcelona and to us we get get the best of both worlds, the city when we want it and the beach on our doorstep.


The bus stop is at the end of our street to what could be more perfect. We are waiting at the stop and the bus arrives ON TIME, this is not something I have seen before (can't actually remember it being on time in the UK) on we get and the fare is only 1.25 Euro each way - what a bargain. Even before we have finished paying the driver sets off a break neck speed, I manage to keep my balance as i'm projected down to the end of the bus where luckily I end up in a seat rather than then lap of anyone else who is down there. I sort myself out and realise that maybe this is just how he drives and that it's not some cunning plan to make all foreigners look stupid. I'm now convinced that the buses have only 2 speeds superfast and stop and god help anyone who is trying to stand up on the bus.


When we arrive at Plaza Catalunya in the centre we are, it has to be said, a little shook up so decide that morning coffee and maybe a little bun are in order. We find a great little bar around the corner from the main plaza, on Rambla De Catalunya 15, called La Tramoia it was lovely just the right way to start a day out. Not too full of tourists in fact it was full of locals having coffee before starting work (well it was only 10.15am they need something before getting down to the serious business of deciding where to go for lunch!).


You can't go into Plaza Catalunya without going into the huge store that is Cort Inglese, this shop is massive and quite possibly sells anything that you could possibly want if you could only ever find it. I have spent many hours in there on other visits only to slowly lose my will to live!!


We leave and decide instead of going down the touristy Ramblas we would go in the other direction towards Eixample region and all the boutique shops, cafes and bars. Turns out that this was a good decision we spent a great afternoon mooching around the shops and had a great lunch in a local bar (unfortunately I can't remember the name) before heading back towards the bus.


Ahhh the bus, one of the funniest things I have seen happened on the way home; this probably dosen't say much for my sense of humour (warped) but I'm going to tell it anyway. We had managed to get seats so we're not being flung around the bus with the stop start motion at breaknecked speed, when on got a little old lady. Now my father being the gentleman that he is started to get up to give her his seat when the bus set off again' this time going around a roundabout, the lady's shopping went one way her stick another and her shoe went flying under the seats - my father is trying to keep her from falling on the ground at the same time as trying not to fall himself. The bus is going round on two wheels it seems (I'm sure the driver went round twice for fun) - finally they get themselves sorted her shopping is put in her bag, someone finds her shoe she gets to sit down smiling and thanking dad ..... and ....... she rings the bell to get off at the next stop!!!!


My dad's face is a picture and lots of people are smiling and laughing on the bus, there is a moral to this story and it comes courtisy of Wonder Woman (see previous posts), on the route L95 going in the direction of Gava sit as far to the back as you can because the bus stops at the hospital and lots of old/injured people get on - they never make it to the back before the bus starts so you are able to sit down all the way ..... that is unless you managed to catch the person that is flung into your lap by the driving.