- Grapes
Leslie appreciates some wine grapes. We may have also sampled them. - Vineyards
The countryside was ridiculously picturesque. This shot was taken from the parking lot of an over-the-top museum about wine-growing/making/loving, looking toward the town of Briones. - Wine shopping
Our second day of driving took us from Basque Country into La Rioja, where you are basically required to shop for wine. Bryan picks out three bottles at a little shop in Haro: one Crianza, one Reserva, and one Gran Reserva. - Dinner at the blacksmith's
We spent our first night on the road at a rural inn converted from a 17th-century ironworks. Delicious food and super-cool environment. - Mountains
We drove from the coast into the mountains. The Basque countryside looks like what I imagine Ireland to be: bright green and covered in sheep. - Beaches
We headed out of town the next day by way of a whole string of gorgeous beaches. Bryan heads back after getting an up-close view of surfers. - Pintxos
On the 6th day of our trip, we trained up to San Sebastian for their famed food and fun. Here, Leslie surveys a bar of pintxos, ready for grabbing. - Max and his bottle-cap
The whole world is fascinating to Max, but one of his favorite activities was placing a bottle cap on top of a bottle. He's willing to share this pleasure. - Conference-goer
Bryan was (technically) attending a conference the entire week. Here he is just outside his meeting space. - Dinner
We enjoyed another excellent meal at Tapas 24. Pictured here are rice with squid ink, tiny squid in yet more ink, and a wedge of Catalonia's incomparable bread with tomato. - Sagrada Familia exterior
Gaudi (the architect) cited a forest canopy as one of his inspirations for the interior. - Sagrada Familia exterior
Sophie, Leslie and Max spent Wednesday wandering around the spectacular and unfinished Sagrada Familia cathedral. - Leslie, Max, gin and tonic
We were proud to take Max to his first gin bar, where we drank delicious cocktails and prepared for our outstanding dinner across the street at Lolita (formerly Inopia, a site on the Spain On the Road Again tour and our favorite food venue from our 2007 visit). - Roman ruins
One of our favorite sights was a history museum in Barcelona, complete with various layers of excavated ruins. This was a Roman wine shop; the circular container held aging wine. - Pulpo and germ transfer
Bryan helped Jeff eat his beloved pulpo gallego while his hands were full of a certain 1-year-old. This may also be the moment when cold germs were transferred from one family to another. - Familia
One of our first stops with Jeff, Sophie and Max was La Rambla and the Boqueria. - Room with a view
Our fancy hotel had a killer view over the rooftops of the city. This shot also features the ragged clouds that characterized our Barcelona weather. - Lunch
We also identified the perfect lunch: mixed seafood a la plancha at a counter in the Boqueria. Excellent food and entertainment. - Breakfast
We started our days in Barcelona off with the perfect breakfast: cafe con leche and a tiny bocadillo, rubbed with tomato and filled with potato and egg. We returned to "Tapa Tapa," around the corner from our hotel, for this breakfast every morning. - IMG_0160
Our meal consisted of toast spread with various pates and a blue goat cheese blended with some of the sidra that was astringent and delicious. - IMG_0073
A side effect of turning our back on wine was that we had some delicious dry cider (sidra) from Northern Spain, which you pour into glasses from great height to give it some foaminess. - IMG_0072
the remarkable-for-Spain beer list - IMG_0071
Always iconoclasts, we ended up in a beer bar for dinner during our night in wine country. In fairness, it had been practically impossible to find decent beer thus far. Plus, Leslie was in the throws of a cold and needed some heathful Franziskaner to heal properly. - IMG_2583
cathedral in the dark - IMG_2582
Bryan enjoys our "obligatory" glass of wine in the hotel lobby. When in La Rioja... - IMG_2581
Almost without exception, our hotels had wonderful teensy balconies - IMG_2580
view from our hotel balcony in Logroño - IMG_2579
We were very excited to see this bull silhouette, which was featured on the cover of our guidebook, until we drove a little more and realized they're all over the damn place. - IMG_2578
again - IMG_2576
more stunningly red grapewines