{"id":14803,"date":"2003-12-03T16:45:00","date_gmt":"2003-12-03T16:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/?p=14803"},"modified":"2026-09-03T18:26:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T18:26:00","slug":"christmas-in-barcelona-2003","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/2003\/12\/christmas-in-barcelona-2003\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas in Barcelona 2003"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Karen, Del, H and Paul doing some archery. In a bar no less…?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

We have now been in Barcelona for over two months and about to spend our first Christmas on our boat surrounded by boats and our collective of new friends.<\/em> This month is also Del’s 40th birthday<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday 3rd December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 66<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are flying back to Barcelona today. We’re going to have a very confused moggy on our hands when we leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flight back is very bumpy and H doesn’t enjoy it at all. We get a cab from the airport to the marina as we are carrying about 20 kg of books alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boat is fine, and we soon settle back in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We get a call today from Sue and Stanley who received our Christmas card. It was nice to hear from them. They will be returning to Rome in the spring to carry on their adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thursday 4th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 67<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have a lie in this morning, but eventually we do get up as we have Spanish lessons today. We shower and grab some breakfast at the Bombeta on the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later on we stay on the boat as Del is trying to rescue his computer from some technical issue. Hayley does her Spanish homework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Friday 5th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 68<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are up very early today, it’s nice and warm under the duvet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

H visits the gym on a day pass. It’s a huge place and easy to get lost inside. There is a view of the sea from the gym. Fantastic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She has a sauna, jacuzzi and swims in two of the three pools, one is outside in the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later we stock up with food as the next three days is holidays here. Del is installing Paul and Karen’s new computer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later in the day we meet up with Chris again, from Lite Alternative and his girlfriend Marina for dinner tonight. Chris was with us a few weeks ago delivering Del a lighting computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The piece of flooring from our boat that we were going to make into a table has been dumped by the bins. Didn’t last long. The thought of constructing scissor legs was too much for Del.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dinner tonight is at the rather excellent Indian restaurant with Chris and Marina then to the ‘Tranny bar<\/em>‘ and then the ‘Hook bar<\/em>‘. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should explain that the Tranny Bar was in fact a bar frequented by transvestites with some drag acts on stage too. They made an excellent cocktail there and it was alway a good place to go. The Hook Bar was equally good. The bar had been themed on a pirate ship. It looked and felt fantastic inside. Very cheap with a great atmosphere. Very popular. Real flame candles everywhere and draped nets… Those were the days…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Saturday 6th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 69<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was 3am before we got to bed last night, so we are up late today. Again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We drop off Paul and Karen’s computer, and go for a coffee and breakfast on the top floor of the local museum basking in the glorious late morning sunshine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later we sit on the beach and discuss the future. We have been here now for over 2 months. We didn’t expect to be here for so long, but we have enjoyed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Del has a tour of the UK coming for work which will be for a few months. Will we want to stay here until June? Who knows? We have some thinking and decisions to make. As Stanley used to say, (from the couple Sue and Stanley), “All will be revealed in time<\/em>“.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sunday 7th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 70<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today we are planning to go to the Torre de Collserola<\/a> or the Collserola Tower, a huge communications tower that you can’t miss in Barcelona, but the weather is a bit cold and cloudy, so we stay in and do a bit of house hunting on the Internet to get an idea of what kind of properties we will be available to us later next year in southern Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We go out later for a walk and look around the Christmas markets followed by a couple of tapas and some beers. It’s chilly but nice with a very festive feel around the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Monday 8th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 71<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More house hunting today. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Chris and Marina. It’s been nice to see them.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Suddenly at around midday, the boat slowly starts to rock. we get this quite often as boats go in and out a little too fast. However it gets much stronger to the point she is almost leaping in the air, straining on her ropes and tugging hard against the pontoon. We are quite concerned, so much so, that we might have to get out and get onto the pontoon for safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris and Marina join us for a brew as they are leaving for the UK tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tuesday 9th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 72<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coffee morning, and a long discussion about the swell problems here, one of which was last night. The bad swells were caused by the local lifeboat going out in a hurry. The sea was quite big yesterday apparently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later we are visited, at the boat by Paul, Karen and Jack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack is not too happy being on his leash, especially as the other cats on the pontoon have now seen him in it. He has lost all of his ‘pontoon cred<\/em>‘. Still it’s great to have him here on board with us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He settles inside our bedroom on Del’s jumper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jack the cat!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Jack the cat and Del…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Spanish stew tonight for dinner. Delicious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wednesday 10th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 73<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are going to the popular ‘Cava Bar<\/em>‘ with Paul and Karen for lunch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A rather serious Jack<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Paul and Karens festive boat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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At the Cava Bar , H proudly wearing her self knitted scarf<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The cava here is dirt cheap and in the end we end up with four bottles, and some pork rolls and some croquetas between us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We get back to the boat to recover before going out again. We are going to the ‘Archery Bar<\/em>‘ tonight. It’s a place where you can get drunk, and then pick up a full-size bow, and shoot some rather sharp full-sized arrows…! Only in Spain…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the Archery Bar we have a rather nice Chinese dinner to strengthen our arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Only in Spain would they think about mixing archery and drinking in the same place.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The score she says it all. <\/p>\n\n\n

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It was great fun though, nobody got hurt. We will have to return again soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thursday 11th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 74<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have a lunch recommendation today for the Dolca Herminia. Sounds a bit like a handbag to us.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Great place, great food at a great price. A rare find<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

It’s great restaurant, just 15 minutes walk with an excellent lunch menu, lovely surroundings, and the food and very very cheap. By the time we leave people are queueing down the street waiting to get in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We we are supposed to be Christmas shopping today, but with wine and a three course meal, it’s put us in the mood for a nap instead, so after a little walk around the town we return to the boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tonight we hire a film, Gone in 60 seconds<\/a>. We get a pizza and have a quiet night in with one of our bottles of Cava.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Friday 12th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 75<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today we are visited by a friend from the UK, Jason Goode and his girlfriend. They are here for just a couple of nights staying in a local hotel. We get the chance to show them around the city and have a rather expensive dinner…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Del on his pride and joy!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Jason Goode and his girlfriend. Never could remember her name!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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H discussing pool tactics<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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An expensive dinner was had<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Del having seen the bill!!!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Saturday 13th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 76<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its a nice day today, cool, but the sun is shining, so we decide to take a trip up to Tibidabo Amusement Park<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An interesting place with what looks like a bit of an unsafe funicular. We shall give it a go anyway…<\/p>\n\n\n

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We are not sure about this one…<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The view up here is fantastic, and on such a clear, bright day we can see for miles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sunday 21st December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 84<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our good friend Lars and the crew have returned to Barcelona with Elton John to do a piano only version of the concert that they cancelled last month. <\/p>\n\n\n

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We have been given four tickets thanks to Lars and we take Paul and Karen along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concert is in Palau St. Jordi, next to the Olympic Stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve never really raved<\/em> about Elton John, but seeing him tonight has changed our minds. He is very talented. He does a long show, 2 1\/2 hours, no interval just him and a piano – some showman…!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We leave a little early to try and get a cab. No such luck. It’s also pouring down with rain Barcelona style, so we end up walking the one hour home in the rain. Never mind, it was a good night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Monday 22nd December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 85<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

H wakes up early and can hear what she thinks is Paul and Karen attaching balloons to the boat. She wakes Del up in time for “The Net” our local community channel on the VHF where Karen announces Del’s birthday and tells him to look outside.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Happy Birthday…!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

He sees his boat covered in 40th birthday balloons. Once dressed H offloads him onto Paul and Karen so she can get over to the cake shop sharpish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She ordered a “congratulations<\/em><\/strong>” cake a few days ago in her best Spanish. She gets it back to the boat, hangs some more balloons, set a song up, and rigs some code flags saying Del 40th<\/em><\/strong> from the boat rigging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stargazer with signal flags that say “Del 40th<\/strong><\/em>“<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

She now get Paul and Karen to bring him back to the boat. He is very surprised. Peter, one of our neighbours, comes over and joins in the cake feast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later we have a drunken lunch at the now famous Cava Bar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Paul with his joke shop teeth<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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For dinner we can’t be bothered going out, so get a pizza and watch the film Terminator 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For his birthday Del got a Mont Blanc pen with a case. A handmade scarf, another one H started some time ago. “Zip the cat<\/em>“, a stuffed toy from Jack and a sailor’s handy tool from Paul and Karen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All in all a good 40th birthday… Happy Birthday Del…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tuesday 23rd December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 86<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christmas is coming, and so are H’s parents. They have brought with them a home made Christmas cake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When they arrive and get settled in we introduce them to our new collection of boat friends with whom we are going out carol singing. One of which has an electric keyboard on a shopping trolley. Very ingenious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We are off with plenty of drinks and in fine voice as we visit all the pontoons on the marina, carol singing. Along the way we ponce more drinks and food off everyone from their boats. A very drunken, but enjoyable evening. H’s mum is especially pleased as she is given a free pass to sing as much as she likes (which is usually advised against).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wednesday 24th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 87<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A trip into town and a look around the city followed by a good dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thursday 25th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 88<\/strong> (Merry Christmas!<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The marina have organised cava and nibbles just outside the loo block. It’s Christmas Day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We meet Jack and Tan who end up being new and very good friends. The marina hold a competition every Christmas for the best illuminated boat. Owners are encouraged to cover their boats with lights, and decorate them for Christmas, and for the first time Jack and Tan came second in the competition, though we thought they should’ve been first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a prize giving ceremony. Runners up get a travel bag or a Port Vell rug. Our parents must think it’s always like this here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon we are off to Nou Can Tipa for Christmas lunch. We pump up our dinghy and potter off to the restaurant. We have a long table waiting for us. We are all together, which is nice. Mum, Dad, H, Del, Paul, Karen, Winnie, Mark and finally Peter. It’s a fantastic lunch finished off with a walk in the warm sun along the beach past the sun sculptures. Fabulous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sunday 28th December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 91<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parents leave to go home today. It has been great having them here for Christmas with us in Barcelona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wednesday 31st December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 94<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today it’s the last day of 2003, and we are going over to see some American friends, Andie and Rob for a New Year spread and party games. Quite a few people are there already. After a while, and a few drinks later, we all head off to join in the action<\/em> at Cathedral Square, which, when we arrive is dead! It’s empty. Where is everyone? We thought it would be crowded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We start to hear fireworks coming from the direction of the marina. That’s life…! We are all armed with our party kit, bottles of cava, balloons, streamers, hats, and a can of 12 grapes each. It’s traditional here to put a grape in your mouth with each bong of the bells…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few of us here and after a few cheers and the spraying of cava everywhere, another year passes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has been a good year for us. We have achieved more than we dreamed possible. Who knows what next year will hold for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happy New Year!!!<\/strong> and best wishes for 2004. Or as they say here Feliz Ano Nuevo…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We have now been in Barcelona for over two months and about to spend our first Christmas on our boat surrounded by boats and our collective of new friends. This month is also Del’s 40th birthday Wednesday 3rd December 2003 – Port Vell, Barcelona – Day 66 We are flying back to Barcelona today. We’re […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boat","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14803"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14803"}],"version-history":[{"count":81,"href":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14803\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15038,"href":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14803\/revisions\/15038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vantours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}