We have two new members in our family – Thomas Kirby and Funky Dory.  

For quite sometime, hubby has been talking about getting a companion for Benson, our nine year old Alsatian mix dog. Very soon our summer break will be over and it’s back to work – 7 days a week for 8 months. Benson, every summer, is spoiled with our attention and we don’t want him to be alone again while we’re busy running the business. Besides he’s getting older and a couple of dogs around him will keep him fit and busy.

There is a dog pound near where we live that we have been supporting for years.  From time to time, we donate dog food and we collect for them items that other people don’t want so they can sell them as second-hand goods in the market like old clothes, books, DVDs, furniture, etc… Whatever money they make, goes towards the upkeep and maintenance of the dog pound. The people who run it are volunteers, mostly retired or unemployed and they don’t earn a single penny for all the hard work they do.

We decided to look for Benson’s new companions in the dog pound we support. Most of the dogs there have been abandoned for reasons like the dogs’ age/deteriorating health, owners moving away, financial crisis (especially, this recession, over 75 dogs were given up within the last 3 months), etc.  I feel sorry for these dogs for they do not understand why their owners have left them there, especially the older ones. I’ve always believe, if you take an animal as a pet, it’s for life. It’s for better or worse. Dogs are not objects or playthings when you tire of them, you put them to one side. Dogs have feelings and they entrust their lives to their masters to do what’s good for them. Oops, sorry for ranting.

Anyway, last Monday, hubby went off to choose the dogs. I didn’t go with him because I was busy with some BBQ preparations that we’re doing for our neighbours. I told my hubby that I wasn’t bothered with what they look like, neither how old they are nor what breed they have. All these abandoned dogs deserve love, care and most all, a chance to have a proper home.

Hubby came back with these two amazing dogs, Thomas Kirby (that is the name given to him by his previous owner), four years old (not sure of his breed) and Funky Dory, a 4 months old Alsatian-Terrier mix. For some they might not be the best looking dogs but for me they’re beautiful. Thomas Kirby has been in the dog pound for 18 months but because of his looks, nobody wanted to adopt him. And Funky Dory…well, hubby simply fell in love with her puppy daftness.  As soon as I saw her, I named her after my mum, Dory and just added Funky in front of her name. Both are adorable and full of beans. Benson, seem to be taken by them which is unusual because he doesn’t normally like other dogs.

Just now I’m looking out from my study’s window and all three of them are running around the olive tree like a bunch of lunatics. I am truly happy Benson is not showing signs of jealousy and that Thomas Kirby and Funky Dory, have settled into their new home.  I whistled at them and they all looked up the window and came bounding towards the house. So much trust in their eyes.  I smiled and I whispered, “Welcome home, my babies…”

La Pedrera

Two years ago, hubby and I went on holiday to Barcelona. It was our first proper holiday as a married couple and the first in our 6 years together. Although we have always had four months summer break from work, this was our first long trip away from home. A lot of people have asked us why we waited so long and I guess the reason is that we were saving our money for our dream home and of course, for our dream holiday. We wanted our holiday to be special and because we’ve worked so hard over the last few years, hubby decided money should be no object. His words were: “…sky is the limit,” and I had to smile at this memory because his country men (Scots) are often criticized/admired (whichever way you see it) for their frugality. We opted for a sightseeing trip rather than a relaxing one – hubby and I are not the type of people to laze about the pool and bake in the sun. We wanted action, inspiration and of course, education. We chose Barcelona as a destination because we knew for a fact that it is a vibrant city, and culturally and architecturally, it had loads to offer. Besides, my grandfather hailed from this beautiful part of Spain and it was my way of being closer to him.

Sagrada Familia

We decided to drive down to Barcelona with a hired car, knowing big cities are always notorious for lack of parking spaces and traffic jams. Once we got there, we returned the car to the hire company and agreed that, we can always use the public transport or simply walk. I would always recommend walking for discovering and getting to know cities – there are always “goodies and treasures” to be discovered in those hidden, charming alley ways.

Poble Espanyol

Our hotel, Amister Hotel, was situated about 20 minutes walk away from the city centre. It was perfect and ideal – it was away from the noise and it had everything what a good holiday hotel have to offer.

Entertainer in Las Ramblas

When we finally arrived and half-unpacked our belongings, we hit the road to see the famous street of Las Ramblas. The street was thronged with beautiful cafés, street entertainers and stalls adorned with colourful souvenirs. It was exhilarating and exciting to be in the middle of all the hubbub of the street-goers. And oh, there were restaurants galore – from the Basque tapas* to a more fanciful international cuisine restaurants. As food enthusiasts, we thought we’ve landed in paradise and we couldn’t decide what we would have for dinner that night. We were spoilt for choices.

A beautiful building in Barcelona

Strolling along, we couldn’t help but notice the breathtakingly beautiful buildings. We saw Antoni Gaudi’s influence everywhere we went from the famous cathedral of Sagrada Familia to the enchanting fairytale land of Park Güell. It is indeed a city of talented artists, architects, craftsmen and beautiful food where people gather to appreciate its beauty, extravagance and generosity.

Park Güell

The next ten days was like a whirlwind romance – not only because hubby was there, but because I fell in love with this resplendent, picturesque and amazing city. Everyday we scoured important landmarks, museums, cafés, restaurants and shops. I was like a kid in a candy shop absorbing all the beauty and historical information of places we visited: Sagrada de Familia, Port de Barcelona, Poble Espanyol, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, to name a few. Last but not least, as an avid sports fan, a trip to Barcelona wouldn’t be complete without visiting the FC Barcelona football stadium and the Olympic Stadium, where some of the world’s greatest sport personalities competed in these spectacular arenas. It wasn’t difficult at all to envisage the grounds filled with spectators and fans. I could almost imagine the energy flowing as the competitions unfolded.

Montjuic

Each moment of my stay, I wanted it to last forever and I savoured every second of it. For me, Barcelona is a place where you can find inspiration and reclaim lost youth. It didn’t pretend to be the greatest city on earth but it showed pride in what it had to offer. So if you do plan to come to Spain one day, do visit Barcelona and I can promise you a beautiful love affair with this beautiful city. Let me be the first to say, Bones Vacances, (have a good holiday) as they say in Catalan.

Barcelona rush hour

*Tapas – (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtapas]) is the name of a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select bars in Spain, as well as some parts of North America and the United Kingdom, tapas has evolved into an entire, and sometimes sophisticated, cuisine. In Spain, patrons of Tapas can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal.

 Those who thinks sunshine brings happiness, have never dance in the rain before.

It’s raining; therefore, I shall post.

It’s been a great week for being with friends and celebrating birthdays (mine and a friend’s). Food, laughter, sunshine and togetherness was the norm . After the overindulgences of the last few days, I embrace the rain and the solitude. It’s very peaceful here and the only noise I hear is the rain outside and my fingers typing away at the keyboard. There’s something comforting about the rain – it’s very cleansing and calming. I want to go outside to dance in the rain and to wash away the excessiveness of the week but not the beautiful memories. Perhaps, I shall do that.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend.