Below is an article from our 9-year-old son, who has decided to publish under the journalistic nickname, “The Scoop”.
Tag Archives: Europe
CosmoCaixa: Barcelona’s Science Museum
Always on the lookout for interesting museums to visit, as well as affordable sightseeing options and ways of entertaining the boy, we decided a visit to the CosmoCaixa of Barcelona was in order. The CosmoCaixa is Barcelona’s Science Museum. Originally built in the early 20th century as an asylum for the blind, it was expanded and reopened as the Barcelona Science Museum in the early 1980’s. In 1998, it underwent six years of redesign, reconstruction and expansion to open under its new name and under the guidance of the Spanish social foundation “la Caixa”. Continue reading CosmoCaixa: Barcelona’s Science Museum
Vale! Vale! Vale!
The most common word in Barcelona has got to be vale (pronounced like ballet). You hear it everywhere, all the time. Vale. People say it walking down the street with friends, talking on the phone, ringing up your groceries at the store. It’s constant. We don’t really speak Catalan or Spanish, but you could easily pick it out of just about every conversation. Finally, I had to ask. What the heck does vale mean?
It turns out that vale is used in Spanish the same way “OK” is used in English or “alora” is used in Italian. It’s a word that you can use to mean OK, sure, agreed, yep, understood, gotcha, right, or I hear ya. It can be used as a statement or a question or even as a greeting or farewell. Heck, you can have an entire conversation and say nothing but vale. Just change your intonation accordingly.
Barcelona’s Picasso Museum
The Picasso Museum in Barcelona contains over 4000 works of art from Picasso and focuses on his formative years and his connection to Barcelona. It was really interesting to see paintings and sketches from when Picasso was as young as 9-years-old, to see how his art changed and progressed over time, and how he was influenced by the various artists he met and studied. Continue reading Barcelona’s Picasso Museum
Gaudí’s Park Güell
When Antoni Gaudí obtained the degree of architect, Elies Rogent, director of Barelona’s Architectural School quipped: “We’ve either given this degree to a lunatic or a genius. Only time will tell.”
For many people, when you think of Barcelona, images of Gaudí’s Park Güell come to mind. You might not know its name, but you’re probably familiar with photos taken from its famous viewing terrace. The colorful tiles of the iconic serpentine bench and the fantastical gatehouses in the foreground with Barcelona’s rooftops and the sea beyond. It’s synonymous with Barcelona and it’s no surprise it’s one of the top five tourist attractions in the city. Continue reading Gaudí’s Park Güell
Our Interview With Family Adventure Podcast
We were recently interviewed by Family Adventure Podcast. It’s a great podcast that aims to inspire families to travel and dream big. We were a little nervous, but Erik is very easy to talk with and we had a lot of fun. Please be sure to check it out. For those families looking to be inspired or hoping for some travel tips, Family Adventure Podcast has a lot of other great interviews to check out on their site and their podcast is available on iTunes as well.
Listen here: Episode 51 – Taking the Scenic Route!
Barcelona’s Not So Gothic Quarter
It may be a surprise to learn that much of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter (Barri Gótic) is not what it seems. During the latter half of the 19th century and just prior to the International Exhibition in 1929, the heart of the once drab medieval quarter was completely transformed through a massive restoration project. A new Neo-Gothic Quarter was created using real Gothic stonework reconfigured around seven real Gothic buildings, but it also included several new buildings constructed in the Neo-Gothic style. The quarter was essentially reinvented as a tourist attraction to help project a positive image of the city for the International Exhibition. Continue reading Barcelona’s Not So Gothic Quarter
Barcelona Cathedral
The Barcelona Cathedral (La Seu) is one of the finest Gothic buildings in Barcelona as well as one of the largest and most impressive religious building in all of Spain. It is located in the center of Barcelona’s Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), near the famous Las Ramblas. Continue reading Barcelona Cathedral
The French Village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is a tiny Provençal village in the Luberon region of Southern France. The region is known for being one of the most stunning and scenic parts of a country known for its beauty. The spectacular countryside abounds with vineyards and orchards and is well-known for it’s many picturesque hill-top villages. Continue reading The French Village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
The French Village of Roussillon
Roussillon is considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in France and a “must-sees” in the Luberon region of Southern France.
One December day, we set off from Avignon to visit this picturesque town. As soon as you arrive in the village of Roussillon, you will be charmed by its atmosphere. Not surprisingly, the houses of the village are painted like an artist’s pallet from the pigments of the old ochre quarry. A glory of red, yellow, orange and pink façades. Continue reading The French Village of Roussillon
Meandering Family: Beyond the Nest 