Barcelona is a kaleidoscope of color – geometric, fanciful and a little dizzying in this heat. Gaudi’s architecture is brilliant yet bizarre. His masterpiece La Sagrada Familia is Dr. Seuss on the outside and absolutely divine on the inside. The stain glass windows explode with colors that fill the sanctuary with surreal light.

The pedestrian lanes around our apartment in the Gothic Quarter are also laid out like a mosaic. The web of streets are designed to meander through all the small shops and restaurants. Musicians and street performers play in the plazas for tips. I love our little balcony where we can watch the scene below. These small balconies are a consistently charming design feature throughout Barcelona.

I realize now why the Spaniards take a siesta in the afternoon and wait until 10 at night to eat dinner. It is an absolute necessity in this heat. The city built with stone bakes under the sun to the upper 90s during the day. It’s not until the sun has set that the city becomes livable again and sidewalk cafes fill up with customers. Jens and I were feeling pretty proud of ourselves staying out past 10 pm two nights in a row. But these Spaniards party until 2 am, perpetuating the need to nap the next day.

To balance out the museums and architectural tours, the boys visited the Barcelona soccer stadium where Messi plays. Inspired by the movie Pelé, we have been practicing our juggling skills in parks and hallways to keep busy. It’s become a new family competition.

Europeans are more open with their bodies. You can see it in art, advertising and porn magazines openly displayed in shops. The boys have suddenly become hyperaware of any hint of bare breast. At the beaches in Barcelona, some of the sunbathers go topless. Oh, boy! This has been a culturally eye opening trip on many levels.