Arrived Barcelona late last night - mistakenly entered the strip club next door for the apartment entrance- unfortunately no family discount. Lovely apartment all mod cons including said entertainment adjacent, and Las Ramblas nearby. Lazy day today after a late late night catching up. Notice on tv they are throwing a street party in Egypt. Tv was on silent but they looked like they were having a good time, hugging, linking hands and playing catch-the-rock I am t...

Woke up refreshed for first time since arriving in Spain. Good night playing a multilingual card game - Last Card (Ultima Carta) - using the 40 card spanish pack until 1am and drinking Summer Wine - a light sweet wine that comes in soft drink bottles for $1.50 per litre (muy beuno!). Carmen's mum went to work today at ten so we said our fond goodbyes then met and had coffee with Carmen's dad Vicente. Packed the car like Doctor Who's Tardis again and said goodbye ...

Second day at carmens family beach casa. Went to Calegena (used to be Nuovo Cartago) or New Carthage back when Carthage and Roman Empire were duking it out in Spain. This town has over 3000 years of civilization including roman, Carthaginian, Moors, Byzantines, Christians. Did a four hour tour through the layers of civilization that they have excavated out of the middle of the city including under the city. Saw roman villas now under the cbd, amphitheater dug out...

Madrid to Murcia to Alicante by car. Up early after a late night with the Brazil-Spain Football match. Very happy Brazilians(3). Very unhappy Spanish(0). Could hear both sides on the streets for hours after cheering or sobbing (or both if you had mixed Brazilian-Spanish ancestry). Caught a metro to where Carmen's car is parked three stops out of town so we can cram several suitcases, backpacks and five people into said vehicle for the five hour run south to Murci...

In Madrid! Landed yesterday 130pm to a large and empty airport (locals have all gone to the beach to escape the heat). Very fast taxis into town to the Hostal Gala on Plaza San Domingo. Ex-nunnery and a relatively up-market hostel right in town. Met Dylan and Carmen upstairs in the apartment. Hit the streets about 3pm for a wander around the centre. Madrid very hot with big sun-drenched plazas, dotted by cool tree lined parks for people to escape the weight of th...