Onge!

We left the celebratory Spaniards, and had a 24-hour layover in Amsterdam before flying home. The second place World Cup finish did not deter them from showing up for a welcome home parade for the team.

We were at the airport, watching the festivities on tv while we waited to go through security. The king and queen escorted the team out of the palace to greet throngs of proud fans.

Amsterdam turns out to be the perfect place to buy a souvenir
for someone who wears onge every day! Nice onge hat buddy!

rapture

La Boqueria

Three blocks from our hotel in Barcelona, La Boqueria offered a bounty of fresh produce and fish, among other things. I browsed the goods about four times a day.







They mixed fruit juice on the spot, and sold a dozen varieties for 1.50 for a cup. Best of all, sliced seedless watermelon was available for 1 euro!

Incomplete

After visiting so many ancient cathedrals, it was fascinating to visit one still under construction. Gaudi's Sagrada Familia has been underway since 1882 and isn't expected to be complete until 2026. 144 years is not much - the Duomo in Milan took about 500 years to complete, for example.

The organic detail in Gaudi's design is amazing to see both up close and from far away. The construction of the cathedral is as much part of the attraction as the church itself. We were able to see artists' workshops and workers' equipment.

nativity facade

The stained glass is stunningly beautiful, but most of the cathedral's windows are covered with plastic, yet to be filled in.

passion facade

bird's eye view (taken at Gaudi Park in the hills of Barcelona)

tonight

A final prediction:

Spain 1 - Holland 0.

Choir in the Basilica of Barcelona

Not only did I get lucky enough to see a great choir give a concert in a Gothic cathedral, but the organist played too!

This is the Cheltenham College Chapel Choir from England.

one more day

In 24 hours it will be halftime of the final. I'll be standing somewhere along Ave. Cristina watching the match on giant screens surrounding the fountain, surrounded by Spaniards.
The next day, we pack up and head for a final night in Amsterdam.
Back to the third place match.

the end of the line

After a month of train rides, about 30 in total, our rail pass expired. We took trips long and short, a day ride to the Dutch countryside and a 12+ hour journey trading the French Riviera for the Spanish. We traveled through nine countries, coasting along rivers, beaches and through forests and mountains.
All told, the ease and simplicity of the rail pass was invaluable, most trains required no reservation, only for us to hop on at the appropriate moment. Even those that required more foresight were generally simple enough to navigate, and despite a few challenging moments in rail stations in France and Italy, it got us where we needed to be.
If only the US had such a comprehensive, efficient system of transport.

El Cellar de Can Roca

This spring, Pellegrino came out with its list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants. Simon noted that 3 of the top 5 were in Spain. We'd already tried to get a reservation at #2, El Bulli, with no luck. Coming in at #4, and only about an hour from Barcelona, was El Cellar de Can Roca, and they were pleased to welcome us for lunch on a Friday.

I had not yet had the pleasure of dining in a Michelin starred restaurant, let alone a 3 star Michelin restaurant. We both ordered the feast menu, featuring 9 courses and 2 desserts. I also ordered the wine flight to go with it, far too intimidated by the wine list to choose on my own. It's so large it needs its own trolley to move around the room!

We lost count at a certain point, but allow Simon's beautiful photos to illustrate the experience.

Here I am, hiding behind a tree. Our first amuse was a caramelized olive with an anchovy filling.

Showing off a tiny campari bonbon with grapefruit. We were instructed to eat it all in one bite,
so the cold campari within wouldn't escape.


an anchovy ‘bone’ with black sesame wafer
served on a wood plank, reminiscent of old shipping ports

brioche steamed and infused with hot truffle soup

Mushroom omelet, molecular gastronomy style - A dumpling like shell encasing mushroom filling
behind it, pigeon bombons with Bristol Cream sherry

Apparently, the amuse bouches portion of the meal is over.
We chose these breads from a basket with many more choices.

Cherry Soup with smoked eel


Prawn with reduction, and sea floor scene made up of the prawn sand. It looks like sand and tastes of a thousand crustaceans reduced. Within the sand are various little morsels, representing coral and seaweed



Sole with Mediterranean flavors. Starting at the nearest point the flavors change, each distinctive:
Fennel, bergamot, orange, pine nut and green olive



Beef mince with spiced tomato, caper compote, pickles, lemon, hazelnut praline and a meat bearnaise sauce.
Topped with Oloroso-sherry raisin, chives, Sichuan pepper, Pimenton de La Vera, smoked paprika and curry.
On top of each flavor rests a tiny potato chip and mustard ice cream


Simon blissed out over his favorite course.

Peach compote with fresh peach, lamb with chip, cheese foam


All this delicious food and wine put me in a good mood. Time to start dessert.