Barca ahoy.

So...the Cornwall visit isn't happening and we've finally hit all the correct buttons in order to facilitate our holiday this summer.  And the winner is...Barcelona.

Now I last visited the city around 8 years a go sans family (visiting a friend who moved to the Catalan area to teach English to kids).  But now it's time to show the rest of my clan the wonderful delights of the Catalan Capital.  I'm sure they're going to love it.  

My only concern is the heat – I don't personally mind it but I can guarantee at least one of the kids will be mithered by the sun (which hits a peak round about the time we go...hmm).

We got an ok deal with a budget airline (Easyjet) and although we won't depart from Manchester (instead we fly from Liverpool)  the flight actually lands in Barcelona rather than a tenuously linked 'Barcelona' airport like Milan or Tunisia...

Best of all we found a site advertising apartments ('ownersdirect' – worth checking out folks) that people rent out during the summer months (some in fact are all year).  After a very minor piece of haggling (read: asking politely if any discounts were available) we secured this rather nice apartment for the week at a very good price.  In fact the next cheapest option would've been to choose a 2 star budget hotel situated around 20miles from the city itself.

As you're literally dealing with 'owners directly' there is always room for manouvre when it comes to the price...I couldn't quite see the same thing happening at a major hotel chain (last minute, expedia et al couldn't get anywhere near the price we paid).

The apartment is located in the 'Zona Alta' or 'High Zone' district of Barcelona: I'm led to believe this is where all the really posh flats and mansions are based (well look at us!).  I may have to scrub up a little before I go.  In reality this is probably a quieter area then the more vibrant areas you would associate with the city.  No bother – it's literally five minutes from the Gracia district and an area renown for it's party like atmosphere and bohemian sensibilities (again I'm going off what I've read and been advised).

Luckily we've chosen the week the Gracia festival commences (mid August for one week).  

Apparently this is one of Barcelona's largest street party festival and looking at previous years photographs is looks like a whole load of riotous fun.

We started to learn Spanish a few years back (for about a year) until our teacher fell pregnant.  This led us to drop it, sadly, after that.  However I'm hoping a quick scan of our old notes will bring me up to scratch just that little.  I think it's important to at least make the effort when visiting foreign climbs, although I've had the most trouble being understood in America:

Me to a lady selling deli products near San Francisco Bay: “Are you open on Tuesdays” 

Her: “Cheese days?”

Me: “Erm, no – Tuesdays.”

Her: “Cheese....days?”

Me: “NO....are you open on Tuesdays!”

Her: “Sorry....I don't understand – Tues-days”....which went on a while longer before we gently sauntered off none the wiser.

Any road...we're all paid up and set to go.  Might step up the exercise routines over the next couple of months just in case I venture out in my post modern speedos.  The travel itinerary is all sorted in my head (via underground Metro online maps), the time out and rough guides are in hand and the next few weeks we'll have to curb our spending whilst we fill the holiday piggy bank read for Euro exchange.