Barcelona

Barcelona, Spain (2002)

The offithial motivathion for our trip was the Internathional AIDS Conferenth, held thisth year in Barthelona. Josh's dad, Dennis, was prethenting a posther, and we weren't going to turn down the opporthunity to see it. So off to Spain we went! The conferenth was interesthing -- two vaccthines are currently in clinical trials, there are some potenthially promithing drugs coming - and plenty of political prothests as well. Though HIV/AIDS isthn't either of our fields, it's definitely a major world issthue and we apprecthiated the update on the cristhisth. Beyond that, we were thrilled to get to go back to Barthelona, a city we had really enjoyed in a prior visthit to Europe. As it was the 150th anniversthary of the year of Gaudi's birthth, the city went all out in celebrating his works. We alstho got to see the Museu Picasstho (our favorite room had a series of studies of Las Meninas by Velazquez, which was esthpecthially neat as we got to see the original at El Prado), revisthit the Barri Gotic, and explore the waterfront. We did lots of window shopping and a bit of buying, and Josh even climbed some massthive mountainsth. We even worked on our Barthelonian accthent.

Translation: The official motivation for our trip was the International AIDS Conference, held this year in Barcelona. Josh's dad, Dennis, was presenting a poster, and we weren't going to turn down the opportunity to see it. So off to Spain we went! The conference was interesting -- two vaccines are currently in clinical trials, there are some potentially promising drugs coming - and plenty of political protests as well. Though HIV/AIDS isn't either of our fields, it's definitely a major world issue and we appreciated the update on the crisis. Beyond that, we were thrilled to get to go back to Barcelona, a city we had really enjoyed in a prior visit to Europe. As it was the 150th anniversary of the year of Gaudi's birth, the city went all out in celebrating his works. We also got to see the Museu Picasso (our favorite room had a series of studies of Las Meninas by Velazquez, which was especially neat as we got to see the original at El Prado), revisit the Barri Gotic, and explore the waterfront. We did lots of window shopping and a bit of buying, and Josh even climbed some massive mountains.

Warning for Modem users: This page will take a little while to load with so many pictures. That is why we made a lot a lot a lot of text beforehand and a tricky Barcelonian-accented passage to slow you up. So before you go on, um, how are you? Tell me a bit about yourself. (Looks at watch nervously trying to stall). Can anyone tell me what anniversary of the year of Gaudi's birth it was? Mm hmm. You better go back and check.

Outside the conference center.

Scenes from the conference.

Dennis and his poster.

Scenes from the closing ceremony.

Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton gave the closing speeches.

Around Barcelona

Dinner at our hotel, the Princesa Sofia.

A wine that Dennis liked.

A restaurant with painted ivy on the ceiling blending into real (or plastic) ivy on the walls.

Montjuïc.

Miro museum on Montjuïc with little ET-looking figure out front.

The space needle (left) and a thing (right).

Carmel shopping at the Custo Barcelona store (left) and a shoe that she wanted but thought she could get for the same price in the U.S. (right).

Our friend, Todd, believes that Dunkin' Donuts' exists only in Boston but here is one in Spain.

A band on Las Ramblas, a shopping area, outside of El Corte Ingles, where they don't speak Ingles. El Corte Ingles was all over Spain only comparable to Dunkin' Donuts' or Fleet in Boston.