Wednesday 8th December 1999

Much against the odds we managed our early start, and only lost half an hour against our original timescale. We stopped at our usual breakfast bar and feasted for the last time on cheese and ham croissants, then pressed on to the Sagrada Familia.

The Sagrada Familia was a significant enough landmark in Barcelona to have its own Metro station, and with a couple of line changes we were soon there. We had already seen the Sagrada Familia from the high point of Parc Güell and knew how vast and imposing it was, towering over literally everything else in the city. But when we came out of the station we saw...nothing?

A few aeons passed, then we worked it out and turned around. And there it was... From the heights of Parc Güell it had been imposing, but from a couple of hundred feet away it really was awesome. It gave us neck-strain just craning up to see the tops of the towers, and they're not even the tall ones! The tall ones are yet to be built . . . Eryl: "So where is it?" Martin: "I had had the same first thought, but managed to avoid blurting it out!"

It was just as well that we had allowed three hours for it, because we needed all of that. It was just amazing, especially considering that it is nowhere near finished.

A quick dash back to the hotel to pick up bags and then a taxi to the airport, check in and a drink in the bar before we went our separate ways: thus ended our holiday.

// Repacking of bags, then Martin & Eryl checked their bags in //

// Went to Terminal B //

// Michelle checked her bags in and two rounds of Cervesas were consumed //

Martin: "How long will it take for us to drink our way through 5000 Pesetas?" (about £20)

// Goodbyes - Eryl managed six kisses! //

// Martin & Eryl went back to Terminal A, went through passport control //

// Went to departure gate - loads of passengers there, but no ground staff //

// Eventually ground staff turned up, and we filed out to aircraft //

// First off the bus, first into seats //

// In the air, Eryl dozing

// Baggage collection, drive back to Martin's, supper at Martin's, followed by Octopush at Slough //

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