Smile, you're in Spain

Green, warm, beautiful Barcelona (looking up Las Rambles).


At the Sagrada Familia Cathedral.


Palm Sunday in front of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral.


We found the Dali museum by chance!


In the Dali museum, a must see for his fans.

Fresh off the plane from Paris we were heading into the second part of my mom's trip through Europe, Barcelona and Switzerland.

I'm glad to report that my second trip to Barcelona was much better than my first. Nobody threw yellow goo all over me, I didn't get hustled by the guys playing the "shell game" on the street, and I didn't get my pockets picked... I was thrilled!
It was warm and much greener than earlier in the year. It still wasn't warm enough to swim or hang out at the beach, but after the long freezing winter we have had, I was just happy to see the sun!

We only had two days before flying back to Geneva, so again, we had a packed agenda. Museums, sites, tapas, lively music & warm breezes filled our days. The Picasso Museum is still my favorite! Sunday was actually Palm Sunday, which is celebrated with much exuberance here. There was a huge celebration at the Sagrada Familia Cathedral (which is not yet complete). People had palms of all different sizes, from tiny lapel palms (which I bought from a street vendor) to giant palms, some over 10 feet tall! I couldn’t help but wondered if the size of your palm means anything... like the more devout you are the bigger your palm? A question for the ages.

All too soon we were back in Switzerland. When we had left, it was spring. But somehow the seasons got a little mixed up and the country had been plunged back into winter! We decided to spend the day in Bern, the national capital, but still a medieval city. On the way we stopped at the Chateau de Chillon castle on the shores of Lake Geneva. On arrival in Bern, much to our amazement, we found ourselves in the middle of a raging snow storm! It didn't stop us from seeing the town, which feels more like a village than a capital city!

The next day we took the train to Luzern and encountered even more snow! It is a charming town on the edge of Lake Luzern, with quite a few good museums, including another Picasso Museum! We spent the day exploring the town and trying to stay dry.

Last but not least, my mom got to see our new home town, Geneva. Of course, the famous Jet d'Eau was turned off. Usually this fountain, the largest in the world, shoots water 140 meters high from Lake Geneva. But she did get a good feel for the town and we had a delicious crepe dinner just across from the Cathedral de St. Pierre in the Old Town where a pre-Easter concert filled the air with music.

I had such a great time with my mom, although I needed a big nap after it was all over! We have never traveled so much together and I would do it all again in a second (after a little shut eye!) ;)


Captured at the Chateau de Chillon castle.


In the middle of a snow storm in Bern.


What happened to the sun?!?


The bears of Bern, which the town was named after.


On the historic Chapel Bridge in Luzern.


The Lion Monument (Lowendenkmal) in Luzern, dedicated to the Swiss mercenaries who were killed fighting in the French Revolution. Mark Twain once called this carved lion, "The saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world." I think he is right.


Chess in the park in Geneva. Game anyone?


The founding fathers of Geneva, that's John Calvin in the middle left.


At the famous Geneva flower clock.