“Home isn’t a place, its a feeling.”
Cecelia Ahern, Love, Rosie
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The boat search is in full swing, but we’ve decided to rent an apartment in Barcelona. As romantic as living in a camper van sounds, it loses a bit of it’s charm in the cold season, especially with two kids. We signed a short term lease for 6 months, and the hope is that by June we’ll be moving onto our new boat. It feels great to have the pressure off, as we realize the key to our nautical success is find the right boat. The living space is just as important as the performance (in my opinion even more important–don’t tell Diego!)
In the meantime, I’d love to give you a tour of our new digs! I love it. Vaulted ceilings, and crisp white walls trimmed with dark, antique wood give it charm and make it seem larger than it really is. It’s a small 3rd story flat, but smartly designed and offers just enough room for a family of four. The space is proving to be good training ground for a boat. It’s laid out like a one bedroom, but really functions more like a studio. The kitchen closes off however, so once we put the littles to bed, Diego and I can barricade ourselves off with easy access to the wifi, food and liquor stash. Everyone’s happy!
Located in the Barcelonetta district of the city, we’re only two blocks from the sea. The avenue opens up into a small plaza lined with delicately leafed trees that lean over one another forming a natural arch the length of the block. It’s beautiful. Old men gather in the early afternoon to drink red cans of Estrella beer and play chess. Jaxon terrorizes the flock of pigeons with his scooter every time we walk through. We’re like the pirates of Barcelonetta! The fact that we’re here during low season got us a great price on the flat, and we have the beach almost entirely to ourselves. Port Olimpic and Port Vell are both within 5 minutes walking, and our evening stroll keeps us in touch with our goal of having a boat my June.
So here’s the grand tour:
The front of the building. Our balcony is the highest one with the plant. I love the purple!
The kitchen/office/late night date night space
The kitchen/laundry/bar
The living room/kids room/office
The bedroom
The windy little staircase. It’s so short I have to bend over at every corner to make it through. I feel like a princess that’s been locked away in a tower, but it’s lovely once you get inside, and I can leave whenever I want.
Our little balcony that opens to the street. Small, but there’s a huge roof top terrace (sorry no photo this time!) that the kids can run like crazy and I don’t have to worry about them on the street.
So that’s it. I’ll keep you updated on the boat search, and promise to share photos of any promising leads!
