How to act as if you've never seen a Hotel before . . .

First - this is the most important . . . stay in crazy European hostels for weeks prior to booking your Hotel stay so that when you finally see the inside of the good life, you will act as follows - - -

Begin taking pictures of the outside of your hotel like it was the holy grail, the Eiffel Tower of all hotel destinations . . .

Then turn on your Vanna White charm and show off every last inch of your room, including the closet -

Run around the room exclaiming, "They got curtains! I can't believe they got curtains!!"

Try to take a picture of your cool CD player as well as a fully stocked mini bar of non-alcoholic beverages (aka The Mormon Jackpot!)

Then completely loose your mind by taking almost a million shots of your private bathroom - the sink, waste basket,

lined up soap, faucet, hanging monogrammed towel,

the other robe, the bidet - - - and the ticket to know you've made it - a phone . . .

but that's not all because in your joy you've forgotten you've already taken a picture of the sink -

so move the camera on down below the sink and find your slippers, extra towels and various kits for your convenience - shoe shine, shaving and toothbrush!

And if you haven't gotten your point across through all the stand alone bathroom pictures, have your mother pose with the phone in the luscious robe . . .

then lounge around on the bed with an actual headboard,

and gaze at the ceiling in wonder.

Finally - - - crack open your mini bar beverage and

Enjoy - - - the - - - -

VIEW!

Don't make fun of my Castellaño . . .

Knowing the language in a foreign country? Awesome. Getting called out by an old man in a park because you are from Argentina? Not so awesome:) We made a few friends by hanging out in the park, because everyone hangs out in the park but anytime those friends were wise aged gentlemen, they made life interesting. One told my mom he would marry her and the other couldn't believe she dared have an accent, come from Argentina, then move to the U.S - - - to each his own though, right, to each his own . . .

Plaza Catalunia! (by the by . . . travel tip - bring a large scarf, one hour earlier, it was our beach towel)

Peterson Utah needs a fountain like this - can someone get on that?

Also, build a statue like this one and bring over the moon . . .

Architecture is king in Barcelona -

Give me a few months and I will turn my parents log cabin into this . . .What? I can do it, I was born to be a sculptor!

Next time you are in Barcelona, stop by the Argentine Embassy - we did:)

Then don't forget to walk down Las Ramblas, all the cool kids are doing it . . .

Pick out some flowers at the fresh market -

Or pose in front of them! Mom was in heaven, if she picks up leaves and rocks from everyplace we go, imagine how I had to hold her back from breaking off a few stems, madness I tell ya!

Now here is where it gets interesting . . .

La Bouqueria . . . best farmer's market in - the - world!

Want a fig? That lady will get one for you?

A piece of chocolate, some nuts - don't worry, they have those too

Cool fruit that looks like Medusa hair? Check.

Ever wondered what a gummy egg tastes like? Heaven - mixed with a little of "Holy Crap, that is a lot of candy!"

From now on . . . I only get fruit smoothies if I can have one of each -

- or if I can share with my mom because we were poor from all the loot we just bought Gabby -just sayin' . . .

But may I warn you, the mixture of seafood,

eggs (do eggs smell?),

and nuts, is a doozy! Not for the weak of heart. Buck up Sailor!

How to lose your sanity . . .

Own. My. Car.

I think that I should begin renting my car to anyone who wants to torture people into the depths of insanity . . .

First, rainy days and Mondays takes on a new meaning when the rain decides that it would rather pour down inside the car than outside - - - and now, scrapping the ice off windshields isn't just for the exterior!

A best of times in the best of places . . .

I am full of emotion as I write this tonight, not always a good thing:) I just spent 3 hours watching Oprah's Australian adventure with my mom and crying every few segments. Usually my jealous self emerges when I watch one of Oprah's give away shows and I am filled with covetousness and cry out to my TV every few moments, "Why them and not me?! Oh the humanity!" and eventually run out into the night crying hysterically. Tonight was different, however, I didn't run out into the night, I walked (hehe, I kid, I kid). I was so happy for those people because they were living a moment that will be their joy and comfort for years to come. We all deserve times in which we marvel at our fortune and we marvel at the world that our Heavenly Father has created for us. I had many of those moments not 3 months ago. Come along on our first day in Barcelona and one of the best I have ever shared with my mother . . .

Bright and early we embark -

And soon we find ourselves in the white and pristine abode that is the Barcelona airport (Marcos, this shot was especially for you . . . does it look like home?)

There was nothing we wanted to do more than go to the beach. It has been over ten years for my mother and for a women that lived her childhood with the waves at her side, it had been too long.

We watched the joy of children as they ran to the water, it was a magical day for them

and for us:) For the bulk of our trip we bought food from grocery stores and made sandwiches, we only ate out once and that seems odd to most folks but it was worth it for with a spread like this, could you ask for anything more?

I did ask for one more thing and the nectar of diet coke made it perfect -

There was nothing better than listening to the water hit the rocks,

or watch the tide come in -

Mom tried to kick the waves but

had awful timing and we ended laughing more than anything. I love this picture, it shows the pure joy that we both felt.

And also the surprise that comes when water comes in faster than you thought:)

Longing for a home that has only lived in her heart -

Then we got a little silly . . . we laid and listened to music for over an hour and took crazy and random pictures:)

Finally, we knew, we couldn't stay forever -

and off to the boardwalk we go - - - a night of clubbing was definitely to come

but not for us - - -

and not for him either:)

There are no words to explain this day but I bet you can see it in her smile,

and if there are beaches in heaven, mine will be from Barcelona . . .