Breakfast in Raval - Welcome to the Rasansky 5

Travelling as a family can be a complicated endeavor. So when Deb first contact me about spending a few days in Barcelona before their cruise, she emphasized the importance of making it fun for everyone. A vacation should be about having fun, relaxing, and soaking in the culture. Sometimes i think a guide can get caught up in the history and cultural relevance of what he or she is doing, at the expense of those who are visiting the city. When that happens you can feel like you are less on a vacation and more studying for an exam. Or in a worst case scenario, it can feel like you are listening to Professor Binns drone on History of Magic.

When Deb, Howie, Seth, Mark and Sherry got off the plane in Barcelona, our first order of business was to get some food. It had been a long flight, and a hungry, tired person is never one who is going to particularly enjoy wandering around the streets of any city, even one as enchanting as the Ciutat Comtal. As the hotel was fully booked the night before, early check in was not available, so we dropped off the bags and headed around the corner for a bite to eat. Breakfast in Barcelona is not traditionally a big thing. A cup of coffee, a croissant or pastry, and water. Sometimes you can add some toast with olive oil and tomato, or even order a sandwich on a fresh roll for a "full" breakfast. But in the Raval district, a traditionally immigrant-heavy region, the local culture has blended with imports. We took a seat at a local restaurant just off the Rambla del Raval and ordered breakfast. Coffee, egg and bacon sandwiches, tea, water, and one glass of peach juice for Seth (which started something like an addiction).

Over the breakfast table we went over the map of Barcelona, where they were and what they could take in the first day, while waiting for their land legs to come back. Then we returned to the hotel, where they could take an early siesta and recover so that tomorrow they'd be ready to go.

Next up: Exploring Barcelona's corners, shops and so much more!