News About The Greer Family

February 7, 2002: Moving On From Barcelona

Pedestrian Bridge, Barcelona

We expect this to be our last night in Barcelona. We have had a wonderful visit, but it is time for us to move on to new places. We have met many people and the children have made friends. David has not updated his diary, but we will provide a few highlights from the last few weeks.

Karalee traveled back to Vancouver for twelve days in January. Thanks to all the people who helped her during her visit. She accomplished a lot of tasks, but she also had time to enjoy simple pleasures like a hot bath, a bed that didn't move, and no children or school to look after.

While Karalee was gone, David had three children to look after. The days were long and challenging, especially being teacher to all three, but ultimately rewarding. We went out and saw more of Barcelona, but also took time to just enjoy the boat, play with friends, and get to know the large and diverse cruising community that are spending the winter here.

As one of the largest cities we expect to be in for at least a few months, we have taken advantage of both the shopping and the entertainment of Barcelona. From the hills of Tibadabo above the city, the world-famous zoo, the cathedral, the Picasso museum, a day trip to Montserrat, or new shoes for the children, we have tried to experience a lot of what Barcelona has to offer.

Returning to Port Vell

We tried to leave Barcelona yesterday for a short trip to the city of Sitges. There is an opening bridge over the harbour and we timed our exit with the 10:30 opening. A 20 knot wind forecast from the NW turned into more than 30 knots of wind from the WNW. Since we were heading west we concluded after forty-five minutes that conditions would only get worse and we were not enjoying the experience so we headed back to harbour. Today the forecast was still for 20-22 knots of wind from the NW so we decided to stay one more day in the city we've come to like. The extra day let us experience a Cava bar and sample tapas for the first time and even get another day's school completed, so it all worked out. The forecast looks good for tomorrow, but we'll check it again in the morning.

In the meantime, everyone aboard Dragonsinger is healthy and living each day to its fullest. School brings its own challenges, but as yesterday proved, cruising the Mediterranean provides an alternate school where the lessons are real and everyone learns that the decisions we make affect us in a very real way.

Itinerary

After seven weeks in Barcelona we are ready to start exploring more of the coast. We hope to stop at Sitges, Tarragona, Valencia, and other places along the coast south of Barcelona. How far we get, the number of places we visit, and how long we stay will depend on the places themselves, the weather, and how our efforts at school are coming along. The key to cruising is to be flexible.

Feb. 8 - Feb. 28:	East coast of Spain from Barcelona to Alicante
Mar. 1 - Mar. 30:	Balearic Islands