Anticipation ...

As is often the case, when we are just about ready to set out on a trip, we find ourselves busier than usual, largely involved in trying to work in all those local alternatives we are forgoing while "out of town."  This past weekend that involved dinner with friends Friday evening, THE GREAT GATSBY on Saturday afternoon followed by a quick supper at the Oak Barrel and the Sunday matinee performance of the Great Lakes Theater Festival's GUYS AND DOLLS, all excellent experiences we would not have wanted to miss. 

Otherwise we are almost all packed up and ready to go!  We fly out of Hopkins International Airport to JFK in New York City early tomorrow afternoon for our evening American Airlines flight to Barcelona, arriving there Tuesday morning around 7:15 AM local time.

Our apartment "landlord" will meet us at our rental in the city at 10:00 AM -- and our great adventure will begin, likely with a quick nap before we head out to explore our surroundings.

And what, exactly, are we looking forward to experiencing?  Well, Barcelona provides a wide variety of possibilities -- great art and architecture, fantastic food, fascinating history, lots of entertainment options (classical music, opera, flamenco), beautiful beaches and parks, numerous monasteries and cathedrals, and delightful shops, all within a quite walkable urban environment or easily accessible by train, bus or subway.  We doubt we'll have any problem keeping ourselves busy!