Alabama (Germany) Hoff House: Boundless Barcelona

Statues saying, "Here come the Hoff children!"

Touring a Major European City with a 5 & 6 year old is definitely a different experience than the ones we had during our 'pre-children’ days. Not that one is better than the other; I just don't think I wobbled into our hotel room like a 99 yr old at the end of the day when it was just the two of us. But I must pause to show a little ‘motherly pride’. Our children have been troopers listening to endless audio tours, visiting numerous cathedrals, touring most attractions and walking around this large city in very hot temperatures most of our day with minimal complaints. Also, Katie has been a trooper being constantly talked to, hugged, pulled-on, tickled, woken up early, and splashed. Not to mention more than one time she had an exhausted child riding her piggy back.

After day one, we did begin to notice that there weren't many other young children their age touring Barcelona...either we are really brave or really dumb?!? Some of the new things I took note of that were different touring with them... making a quick stop into McDonalds before your three hour tour of a cathedral, continuing to ride the open air tour bus for a second time on the route since both children have fallen asleep, audio tours take double the time since they are paused often to answer questions, more than one trip daily to the ice cream store (yes, bribery works!!!) , pulling out that forgotten ‘happy meal’ toy in order to stay longer at the cathedral, having to explain what a crypt is, watching many games of hiding seek and playing many games of “I spy”, having to "test" every drinking fountain spotted, and most importantly...noticing the small things in Barcelona that were pointed out by them that I would have missed otherwise.

Since there are so many "professional" writers that have touched on Barcelona, I am just going to 'not' things I saw or overheard from our kids (and Katie’s) as we toured this marvelous city!

“yes it is pretty-can we go to the pool now?" As we were about to enter another of Goudi's architectural marvels
“Sure I will share the Sangria with you…what is Sangria?” (Katie)
“I spy with my little eye... something green” while looking at the Cathedral stain glass windows
"Wow, this Cathedral is huge-Karina do you want to play hide-n-seek?”
“why is that man asking us for money mommy?”
“look…there is another ice cream shop….look…there is another ice cream shop”
“daddy…mommy said there were a lot of naked people on the beach when she was running” (Once again, I was able to stumble on a nudity during a run”)
“that lady is just standing there talking like her boobs aren't just hanging there for everyone to see” Katie as we realized that many of the beaches are ‘topless’
“How many treats can we get since we tasted all the tapas?" (Kids after tasting most of our Tapas dishes)
"can we go play in the square now with our light-up rocket while you keep eating?”
“why are there bones in all these “boxes”? (after tour many cathedrals)
“why do you always want spr-esso mom?”
"This is the life" Cooper as he was swimming in the Mediteriannen Sea at 8:00 PM"
“OMG-Did you just fall?” Katie in between hysterical laughs as I fell UP the stairs at Casa Batllo’
"Are you scared?" Karina asking Katie & I as we nervously stepped into the cable car to ride over the sea.
"gross...that fish still has the head on it"(as the waiter served our sea bass for dinner)
“I am ready to go to dinner-I have on my light up ring” Karina
“the audio tour said we could ride this elevator” as Katie talks me into the old lift in Casa Batllo’
“daddy…try to find us” as the kids found a hiding spot during our tour of La Pedrera
“My feet hurt…can you carry me?”
“Are there jellyfish in this sea?” Cooper
“Is Alabama this hot?” “Honey, Alabama is hotter than this right now!”
“Look! There is another drinking fountain!”