Arrival in Brrrrcelona

It took us the better part of the day to get to Barcelona, even though it was just a 2.5 hour trip out of Leeds Bradford Airport. We left the house at 10:30 a.m. in order to check in on time for our 1 p.m. flight. The flight left nearly on time and we touched down in Barcelona at 4 p.m. (they are one hour ahead of England time). We hopped on a bus from the airport that left us off close to our hotel, H10 Gravina. While riding into the town center it began to snow!!! This is not what we expected at all! I checked the forecast a few days before leaving and the average highs were mid 50s. Right now as I type this it is a very chilly 39 degrees F. So much for escaping the winter weather of North Yorkshire -- it looks like we brought it with us.

We checked into our rooms around 5:30 p.m. We have a nice cozy room with a balcony. The hotel has free Internet access...but only one computer. After enjoying a complimentary glass of champagne, we braved the elements in search of a bite to eat. Our hotel is located in the old town or "Barri Gotic" near Barcelona's famous pedestrian street, Las Ramblas. We decided to stroll down Las Ramblas in search of a tapas bar. Along the way we passed many interesting buildings -- Barcelona is certainly an architectural delight -- and we've only scratched the surface so far. We ended up in a friendly little tapas bar called Egipte and sampled many tasty treats. My favorites were the garlic mushrooms and the tortilla de patate (potato omelet). Afterwards we popped into a little patisserie called Escriba. One of the guidebooks raved about this patisserie, stating that a trip to Barcelona is not complete without a visit to Escriba. We concur and think maybe a couple more visits are in order. It's a tiny little place, delightfully decorated in the Barcelona Art Nouveau style with colorful tile mosaics and beautiful stained glass. In the front of the shop was a mouthwatering array of pastries and sweets. In the rear is a casual cafe. We were so full from the tapas that we decided to just order some hot chocolate. What a wonderful delectable treat it was!! Very different from the hot chocolate Americans know, it was unbelievably thick and rich. It reminded us of eating chocolate pudding straight from the pan. Scrumptious!

Tomorrow we plan to explore the Barri Gotic in much more detail, but for now I will sign off.

Buenos noches!!

Even more of the white stuff...we're ready for a break

This week we have had no less than three snow showers. Each time we only received an inch or two of the white stuff -- just enough to make rush hour messy, either in the morning or evening, depending on the time of the snowfall. Driving on the main roads, at least in the Harrogate district, hasn't been too bad. In fact, I think the sidewalks are more treacherous than the roads, as very few people shovel their walks.

It has been so cold this week that I can't wait for our little getaway to Spain. We leave on Sunday for a five-day stay in Barcelona. Even though we have planned this trip far in advance (unusual for us), I'm not ready yet. I need to read up on the sights of Barcelona so we can plan our activities once we are there. From what I've read about Barcelona so far, it won't be difficult to find interesting things to see and do.

Hats off to JRR...

I was surprised and delighted today when I purchased a first class stamp to post a letter. The stamp I received from the postal shop featured an illustration of a scene from JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. I figured this somehow had to tie in with the recent trio of movies that have garnered critical acclaim and popular praise. Then I thought how odd for the Royal Mail to cash in on this commercial phenomenon. A little bit of research dug up the real reason for the commemorative stamps: today is the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Lord of the Rings.

We took a drive out to Thirsk yesterday and encountered the most bizarre weather. When we left Harrogate it was cold and very windy but the sun was shining and skies were blue. Thirsk is about a 45-minute drive northeast of Harrogate and was once home to James Herriott of All Creatures Great and Small fame. We arrived around 10:30 a.m., before most stores are open on a Sunday. We found a wonderful bookstore/cafe to while away the time as the rest of Thirsk woke up.

We left the bookstore in search of the James Herriott museum. The museum is housed in Skelgate, the house where Herriott and his family lived and practiced veterinary medicine. Though I've never read any of Herriott's books and have only seen a few episodes of the TV series All Creatures Great and Small, I enjoyed the museum immensely. We took the self-guided tour through the rooms, all done up in authentic 1940s decor. Another part of the museum is a recreation of the set of the TV series and you can see yourself on various monitors while on the set. Upstairs was an extensive exhibit on the history of veterinary medicine, complete with scary looking medical implements.
During the course of our visit I learned quite a few things about James Herriott:

• His real name was Alf Wight. He was obliged to use a pseudonym for legal reasons.
  
• He did not begin writing his books until he was in his 50s
  
• His first two books, "If Only They Could Talk" and "It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet", were published in the UK and did not generate much interest at all. It was not till the two books were published in the U.S. as one volume with the title "All Creatures Great and Small" that his writings became a runaway success. The book was a big hit with U.S. readers. The success eventually transferred back to the UK. Movies, TV shows, more books and international fame followed.

While we were touring the Herriott museum we glanced out the window to see a furious icy snow storm brewing outside. Ten minutes later the snow had stopped and skies were blue again. Another ten minutes and the snow was blowing furiously again. The weather continued to seesaw like that for several hours. Luckily we left during one of the calm periods. We drove into blue skies on our way back to Harrogate, while over our shoulders the sky was a threatening steel gray.

Signs of Spring

A friend from Japan wrote this week to say they had experienced their first sign of spring -- a warm wind known as "haru ichiban". ("Haru" means spring and "Ichiban" means first.) Here in Yorkshire we have been receiving our own signs of spring: little lambs frolicking in the fields and carpets of crocus plants all over the green patches of Harrogate.

Sunday began as a beautiful sunny day with mild temperatures and blue skies. We decided to take a drive to Brimham Rocks, a natural phenomenon occuring in Nidderdale, about a 20-minute drive from our place. The Rocks sit atop open moorland that commands spectacular views of the surrounding dales. The Rocks themselves have been carved into fantastical shapes by nature, mostly due to water erosion. There are trails in and about the rock formations and visitors are free to climb upon them if they so wish. I've heard that in the summertime Brimham Rocks is simply crawling with visitors. Indeed, even on a mild winter day there were quite a few tourists about.

Well, the chocolate-cherry cake was a bit of a dud. I think I baked it too long. It came out hard and dry, not too chocolatey nor sweet. The taste and consistency reminded me of a power bar. Brad keeps saying he likes the cake, but I know he's just being nice about it. He presented me with a wonderful surprise on the morning of Valentine's Day. I went into the kitchen/dining room to discover a beautiful bouquet of flowers on the dining room table. Next to the vase was a box of caramel chocolate hearts from Bettys. Attached to the box of chocolates was an art deco pin that I have been admiring in the display case of a local antique store. It is a stick pin with a ceramic devil's head attached to the end. The devil is wearing a delightfully mischievious smile on his face.

For dinner that evening we went to the Cinnamon Room, a wonderful Indian restaurant in downtown Harrogate. Everything we had, from poppadoms to pilau rice, was absolutely delicious.

Fingers Crossed

It's Friday the 13th. Okay, so I'm not superstitious. I even bought a lottery ticket (for Brad) today. Tonight will be the first drawing of the EuroMillions jackpot. I baked a Valentine's cake for Brad (shhhh, it's a secret) but I'm not sure it turned out. It is a "Chocolate and Cherry Polenta Cake". Yes, polenta is one of the ingredients. There are five eggs, but no butter. Lots of chocolate and some candied cherries. The thing came out of the pan as solid and heavy as a brick. Hope it is edible.

I have been continuing my job search but with not much luck at all. I've registered with three different employment agencies and have been sending out resumes to agencies I've discovered through internet and yellow page searches. Have also been keeping an eye on the want ads, but there is not much happening there. Got a reject letter today. Also got a little nibble the other day. I'd sent a cover letter and resume to a design agency in Harrogate. They had not placed an ad, but I found out about them while surfing the 'net. Turns out one of their designer positions will be vacant soon. They may need someone on a temporary basis to fill in while they search for a permanent replacement. Would be great if this works out...their office is less than a ten-minute walk from our house.

Encounter with a Leprechaun?

Yesterday while walking through Harrogate I was approached by a little old lady. She wore a plain raincoat and had a crumpled kleenex in her hand. She asked, "Would you care to buy a good luck charm? Go on, take a chance, have some luck." I shook my head no and walked by, unsuccessful in my attempt to catch a glimpse of what she held inside the kleenex. Later on I thought about how odd the encounter was. I've seen plenty of street hawkers in my time, even in Harrogate, but none in the guise of a sweet old lady with an Irish brogue. I briefly entertained the thought, "Could she have been....? "

More About the Weather

The weather has turned bitter cold again. Right now we are being blasted by strong arctic winds. Last night we got a bit of freezing rain and a touch of snow but today the sun is shining brightly. But the wind is fierce. I wonder what will happen to all those premature blooms that popped out during the mild spell last week?

Today I learned that Ravi Shankar is Norah Jones' father.

Talk About The Weather

The weather is once again in the headlines. Last week the UK was submerged in a deep freeze and many areas received snow, sleet and freezing rain. This week the weather is remarkably mild with highs near 14C (about 57F), unheard of temperatures during February in this part of the world. One result of these mild temperatures are premature blooms popping out here and there. Another result, and one not so pleasant, has been flooding (due in part to melting snows). Areas most affected are Wales, Cumbria and the Midlands. Harrogate seems to be in good shape but parts of York have been submerged by high water and I've heard of at least one road near us closed due to flooding. The local weather report for today is "mild and wild": the temperatures continue to be mild, there will be rain in the morning but the wind will be gusting quite strongly all day long.