Grammy & Pops Visit Europe!! YAY..Barcelona & Cruise

We're Back...

Well I have taken the time to sit down and complete this entry!!  Finally!  The real reason is that we are leaving for Switzerland in a couple of days and I needed to free up the camera! :) 

All is going well in Sweden!  I am happy to report the sun did decide to visit Scandinavia this year and the last week has been lovely!  We still have not been over 75degrees but I  am sure I will get no sympathy from my fellow Americans who are currently melting away!

We are all gearing up for school to begin soon but first we are taking a trip to Switzerland!  We are leaving on Wednesday morning and will be gone for a week!  So far we are working on our future trips let's see...August/Switzerland,  September/Dubai,  October/Spain,Gibraltar, Portugal, November/Hungary, December/Canary Islands...You get the idea!  We are trying to fit it all in knowing that we leave in ... wait for it...10 months(how about that Claire)!

This current installment features Grammy & Pops Sawyer who were able to come and visit us this summer!  We had a wonderful 2weeks with them.  They were able to stay with us a few days before we all flew into Barcelona!  We stayed in an apartment there for a few days then boarded the Carnival Magic Cruise Ship.  Now this was our first experience on a cruise...Grammy & Pops were pros!!  I must say there are pros and cons to this type of vacation.  I will tell you that a cruise in Europe is NOT relaxing!  We were in port everyday except one.  This seems fabulous except you don't get enough time to "relax"!!  When you visit all these amazing places you don't want to sit on the boat and miss anything so...off we went!  I have to give Grammy & Pops credit  they hung in there 100%!  Mark & I can be a bit aggressive when it comes to seeing everything and boy did we ever! LOL   

Here are photos from our travels!  It was amazing!

Picasso Museum Courtyard

Let's start with Barcelona...

Our Fearless Leaders planning our next conquest!

Barcelona Beauty at Barceloneta Marina

Europe has some of the most amazing parks!  Barcelona was no exception!  This was a favorite fountain of ours!

Just "hanging" out in the park!

Mark & the Arc de Triumph Espana style

Grammy and I enjoyed the local cuisine with this fabulous Paella!!

Mark & Pops decided to take the navigational advice from Christopher Columbus! "They went that way!"

Grammy, Mark & Pops on the top of Barcelona Castle

So after a very warm hike up to the top of the UNESCO Site in Barcelona we find the cross!

Finally we found the blasted Gaudi lizard! :)

A little Flamenco break!

Barcelona beach!  WOW it was busy!

From Barcelona we head to our cruise...

We find Grammy is so thankful to be on the ship she just collapsed from JOY!

We wasted no time in trying to Relax!

Brooklyn & Zach onboard the Carnival Ropes Course!

Below you will find the Sawyer clan in Nice, France...

Mark & Brooklyn finding rocks for the Hurry's!

This port of call was actually Monte Carlo, Monaco and we toook a bus to Nice.  when we returned to Monte carlo Grammy & Pops took the children back onboard the boat for an afternoon of fun...Mark & I toured Monte Carlo and LOVED it! 

The Grand Casino Monte Carlo

Gorgeous Parks in Monte Carlo

Me being silly!

Of course when the children are not with us we always act like proper adults...hmmmm at least I do!

Below you will find us in Rome, Italy...Wow what a crazy/amazing city! 

Saint Peter's Square/ Basilica

This is what I refer to as the Vatican Shuffle!  To get to the Sistine Chapel we had to shuffle along with thousands of other people! However, it was definitely worth it!

Brooklyn  throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain...legend has it if you do so you will return to Rome one day!

Now as you may know on our trips the children get to choose what they would like to do... This year in school Zachary's class did an entire 6weeks on Rome and he couldn't wait to go to the Colosseum!  Here he is!

Too COOL!

A little girl getting her photo op with "Romans"

Walking the streets of Rome! Brooklyn & Daddy

We went to all the major sites we could and did also get to the Pantheon!  What a full day.  Just ask Zach...

OK so maybe the kids fared a bit better than the adults! Zach is seen here enjoying a movie by the pool onboard!


As stated the children get their choice...The leaning tower of Pisa was Brooklyn's!  Ever since her 2nd grade teacher Ms Fitzgerald went on a trip there and told the class all about it she has wanted to go as well...she got her wish!

Here it is in all its leaning glory!

Of course we climbed to the top!  Did you have any doubts??  Here we are!

Climbing to the top was a neat experience! 

On our way down!

A little night time miniature golf on board to the ship to rejuvenate!

Check out the super model we picked up!

Our next stop on the blog will be...Napoli...or Naples, Italy.  We did not spend any time in Naples except to catch the Ferry to the Isle of capri.  From there we took another ferry to back to the mainland to catch a train to Pompei and then back to Naples!  Another full day as  you can see!

Did I mention how beautiful the Isle of Capri was!!  Grammy & Pops with the children on the Isle of Capri.

What a view!

  The beach is made of these smooth rocks and the sound when the water comes in and out is so lovely!

Onward we march to Pompei...Now if Pops had been alone I think he could have spent the entire day just exploring the city of Pompei!  I myself was shocked at how big it actually was!

Parts of the city

Pops & the kids through a Pompei window!

Looks like we made it back to the ship!

Don't worry it's almost over! :)  Our final stop on the blog was Messina (Sicily)  ITaly

The astronomical clock tower

What...you didn't know Mark was Poseidon...

OK so after that day even I neeeded a little Onboard fun...Zach too!

So on our day at sea we did get to see a beautiful active Volcano!  A first for me!

And a really picturesque little island...It has a lighthouse on top!

I would be remiss in my duities if I did not include a picture of Zachary mastering the ring toss!  He not only mastered it but had quite the following of supporters when he was in action!  It is a ring on a string that you try to toss to a hook on the tree!   Too funny!

We love you and miss you all!  It was so wonderful to talk to a few friends last week on the phone!  Love you!

Love
Mollie