Good news bad news

We finally made it to Barcelona for our honeymoon, six years later with inside tips from an MLB pitcher.

Dear Reader,

Last week, my husband and I of six years traipsed over to Barcelona, Spain for our honeymoon. Yes, you heard that correctly. We were married in March 2019 and wanted to recover from the wedding (financially and emotionally) before going on our real honeymoon.

Having met at Barcelona Wine Bar in Nashville, we thought it would be cheeky to go to actual Barcelona, so we decided our international post-wedding trip should take place one year after the nuptials—in March 2020.

Well, we all know what happened with those plans.

The good news is that our marriage is still intact, so six years feels like a few months and some days it feels like a century. I’ve been told this is a positive thing.

The bad news is that we hadn’t been out of the country in over five years (and Canada doesn’t really count), so we had to do a lot of additional planning to ensure we wouldn’t end up calling the U.S. embassy from a Spanish jail.

The good news is we survived Barcelona without being pickpocketed on Las Ramblas, or forgetting to claim any vital items while going through customs.

The bad news is we were delayed six hours on the way over due to weather in New York; on the way back Delta canceled our reservation due to a technical error, so we got demoted from premium to the main cabin. This meant no complimentary blackout eye mask, earplugs, or dental care packet.

The good news is these are first world problems.

The bad news is after five days of eating xuxos (croissants stuffed with cream) pan con tomate (tomato bread), papas bravas (fried potatoes), and croquetas de jamon (ham croquettes)…and drinking lots of wine…one does not feel like an object of affection.

The good news is baggy pants.

The bad news is that Operas, no matter how beautifully exotic the theatre and how exquisite the costumes, are always depressing.

The good news is vermut (vermouth), no matter how depressing the Opera, is always a good antidote afterward—along with more xuxos.

The bad news is having disagreements with your spouse abroad.

The good news is realizing you have the same disagreements with your spouse at home and abroad.

The bad news is discovering your 10th grade Spanish is really more of the Mexican variety. Pero, no problema! Te quiero mucho!

The good news is the translation app “Hola” and knowing your husband speaks fluent “kitchen Spanish.” This makes him a hit at every restaurant—so you get lots of free tapas and endless invites to nightclubs accompanied by free cocktails.

The bad news is 2am is for sleeping and not for going out anymore.

The good news is knowing your limits.

The bad news is wondering if you should abandon it all and defect to Barcelona. (Oh, but the dogs! And also graffiti in Barcelona that reads: “Tourists & Expats Spanish GO HOME.”)

The good news is finally understanding why Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bünchen left GOAT American fútbol star Tom Brady for her ju-jitsu trainer. It was NOT because of his softer tackling techniques; but because he is also Brazilian — and it is often easier to relate to someone with whom you share a culture. And that makes it very easy to realize you’re happy with your choice of spouse and country of origin, but will definitely be back for an extended vacation.

Viva Barcelona!

Adiós mis amigos.

Xuxo xuxo,

Postscript: A special note of thanks to Jeremy Guthrie, former MLB pitcher who my father met at Royals Baseball Camp. It’s a camp for grown ups who want to meet their “America’s favorite pastime” heroes and live out fantasy baseball in real life. After telling him we were heading to Barcelona, Jeremy shared a detailed itinerary and inside baseball (see what I did there?) tips on his favorite spots. Another cordobés tip to Gretchen Thomas, Chief Creative Officer for Barteca Restaurant Group (parent company for Barcelona Wine Bar), who sent us a variety of fabulous choices for wineries and restaurants.

If you are planning a trip to BCN, let me know and I’ll share the wealth! One quick “do and don’t” to get you started: Do stay near the Gothic Quarter. Don’t fly Delta.