Catching you up to speed

Ok, I have been horrible at updating this blog but its because I´ve been so busy doing stuff I don´t have a lot of time to get on the computer and type.  It´s so much easier and faster to just update my facebook status. But since some of you are still in the stone ages and are not on Facebook I´m going to try to get  you caught up by pasting some of the highlights of my posts since the trip started.


1. Well I am very impressed with the first hostel on this trip. Probably the best one I've seen. — at Astor Hyde Park.
           ***Update- This was only true at that point in the trip.  Looking back that was near the bottom compared to some of the hostels I´ve stayed at since then.

2.  Second hostel looked like it was going to be a disaster but it ended up working out just fine, as it always seems to. I'm so in my element right now.

3.  It was a beautiful day for a long bike ride to a Belgian beach. After a 44 km round trip I think some mussels and a few Belgian brews are going to taste even better! — at Lybeer Hostel Bruges.

4.  Eating lunch in Ghent and I've never been more content to just sit in one place by myself for awhile. — at Gent Centrum.

5.  Went off the grid for a little while but I'm still making my way through Europe. Very happy to see my old McNair pal Erik Buboltz and his family here in Germany!

6.  German breakfast: Beer, Weisswurst, a soft pretzel, and some sweet mustard. That'll do. — with Erik Buboltz at Karlsbad Langensteinbach.

7.  Stopping by Paris tomorrow. I have about 9 hours to explore and then my overnight train leaves for Barcelona.

8.  There's not much better music to listen to while riding on a train than good ole Bob Dylan!

9.  Barcelona is one of those places where you immediately know that you're going to love it from the moment you step out of the train station.

10.  Barcelona: A place where life is good and everyone realizes it.

11.  Just changed the keg at the hostel bar because the girls working the bar didn't know how. They rewarded me with a free beer. Summer job???

12.  Had a nice little adventure today trying to recover a small bag containing my shoes that I left on my train from Paris. It was a sleeper train so i had a bed and i forgot to check underneath when i got off the train (I was wearing my flip flops). Went back to the train station but their lost & found was a long metro ride to the outskirts of Barcelona. My somewhat limited Spanish was very necessary being well outside the touristy area. I actually did quite well asking for directions but it took a long time to finally find this place because it wasn't very close to the metro. Unfortunately, they didn't have the bag so I ended up just going back to the city and buying a new pair of shoes. It was a good experience and I really like the new shoes anyway. ‪#‎gowiththeflow‬

13.Found a cool little park right by the beach today. Trees combined with the beach and Mediterranean backdrop. Awe inspiring peacefulness. Tranquilo. — at Parc Del Port Olympic, Barcelona.

14.  After the little park by the beach I thought I had the highlight of my day but I had no idea of the absolutely wondrous views and natural beauty that followed at Parc Guell overlooking the city. I wasn't sure where nature ended and architecture began in this masterpiece of a park by Gaudi. — at Parc Guell, Barcelona.

15.  Every day in Barcelona feels like a festival.
       ***Update- Still true!

16.  So I thought 1100 pictures on my memory card would be enough but I just ran out of space today. Discovered some new picture settings and went a little crazy today at La Pedrera and the Magic Fountain. — at Hello BCN.

17.  Well I just can't leave this place yet. Just moved back my flight a couple weeks and I'm going to volunteer at the hostel for free accommodation.

18.  Sea kayaking trip yesterday with some snorkeling and jumping off a big rock was awesome and today after I changed my flight I finally had a day just doing nothing on the beach. Yeah I'm good with 18 more days of this!

19.Full moon on the beach tonight.

20.  I have not seen it rain on this trip since London, and that day I spent mostly in a museum anyway.

21. Gotta go do some 'research' for my new gig as activities coordinator here at the hostel. Trying to find the best beach to set up beach volleyball tomorrow.

So there are the highlights so far.  As you can probably tell, Barcelona has been by far my favorite part of this trip.  I´m now coming back on August 9th.

JB