barcelona & driving south

Ashleigh and I caught a ride with my host family, Sabine & Dominique, on their way to Barcelona for vacation.  The drive along the Mediterranean was absolutely gorgeous....like a dream.  I was just 

gaping out the car window the entire time. 

we spent the night halfway in a little town called 

the buildings were so colorful! i love it!

ash and i have SO many pictures of all the crazy color combos...

mediterranean coastline

the Moreaus have this little expandable camper room on the top of their car.  It opens up into a little canopy area with a bed, tres pratique!

we stayed in a little campground on the edge of the village,  this was the view of the coastline from the campground's beach

Ash & I! 

we stopped at a gas station along the way and Sabine & Dominique tried out the massage chairs

The next morning, we drove a tad inland, skirting the Pyrenees mountains, and then back down to the coastline to Barcelona!

driving down the road...you can see the Pyrenees Mountains in the distance!

Ashleigh and I only had about a day in Barcelona before we had to head back to Lyon, so we explored the city in power-tourist style.

under the boardwalk, down by the sea

Barcelona is know for its tile mosaics and Gaudi architecture.  This isn't a famous one, haha but its the only one i have a picture of :)

We hiked up to the Castle de Montjuic, which gave us a great view of the city and the coastline.

looking down on the city

looking out towards the sea, we could see the massive barcelonan shipping industry.  you know, its kinda beautiful in a odd, man-made industrial sort of way.

 Sooo we just happened to be there the night that Barcelona football (soccer) team beat Madrid. Actually, the game finished 1:1, but Barcelona was given the win because they beat Madrid 2:0 in their previous match. So, as you can imagine, the town went CRAZZZZY!  People were PACKED in the main plaza...you could barely move...spaniards were climbing up on light poles, trees, small buildings....everything to cheer and yell and wave the Barcelona flag! there were people setting off fireworks left and right. We knew when a firework was coming because the crowd would suddenly push back from a certain area, almost causing you to fall over (remember we're packed like sardines), in order to clear a five foot circle around where someone decided to let off a firework! It was so crazy! anddd a bit dangerous...haha Ash and I just kept thinking about how there is no way this would ever be allowed to happen in the States! but instead, the Barcelona police were just helping their brothas celebrate!

barca barca barrrrcelona!