Hola Señor Pickle

Mr. Pickle spent July 6-11 in Barcelona, Spain with my good friend Miss Olivia. She was off on a business trip, and he just couldn't pass up a trip abroad that included a beach-side hotel. Work shmerk! He dined, he lazed, he took in the architecture. [Side note: I am completely jealous. While I'm particularly obsessed with all things Iceland, a trip to Barcelona is on my bucket list in a big way.]

 You can't go to Barcelona without dying over some Gaudi architecture. Here is Mr. Pickle at Casa Batlló, built by Antoni Gaudi. (This is one of Mr. P's new hats. Pretty dapper looking!)

More whimsy at Casa Batlló, the dragon's hump. Le sigh. 

A mushroom shaped fireplace inside Casa Batlló. 

Mr. P and the beautiful Casa Milà.

 Enjoying a very pink pithaya and coconut fruit smoothie from the Mercat Boqueria, one of the best markets in the world. He had no idea what a pithaya was, but it was dang tasty. (Fruit of a cactus! What?!)

Hanging out at the Temple de la Sagrada, and snapping shots like mad of more Gaudi. 

Mr. Pickle and his hotel shenanigans! He enjoys a good towel. (New hat!)

Alas, in the Born District he meets some friends his own size. Hello wooden Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia! 

Mr. P and Miss O enjoyed a fancy lentil and cava dinner at Poble Espanyol.

 

They skipped on over for a lovely trip to the botanical gardens, where they found some growing beauties, including an inland paperbark tree...

As well as a kangaroo paw!

 

Mr. Pickle got a glimpse of the Olympic stadium and the torch. 

Of course Olivia and Mr. P had to visit some cakes, since she's the baking queen. And boy did they find the prettiest rainbow layer cake! 

Alas, a trip to the beach! Where's the cabana boy to bring him a drink?! (The umbrella that he picked up on a recent trip to California sure came in handy.)

Mr. Pickle and his new friends may or may not have done some tagging in an inline skate park. He may or may not look totally awesome in his bandana made of fabric from NYC's Mood. This may or may not be in my top five pickle pics ever.

 More baking, a bit of vintage flan, and a pickle getting hungry for MORE CAKE!

I guess this pickle did get some work in at the conference while he was abroad. Which I guess is the reason they went to begin with! His new glasses make him look more official, don't you agree?

What a lovely trip!!! Beautiful sights and stellar company.
He's been to so many different countries so far in 2012!

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Mr. Pickle is off to Switzerland next week, but after that he's free to travel with YOU! Where are you taking him? Let me know. He needs to get to Kentucky and Wyoming and Vermont and Maine, etc.

West Coast Librarian Adventures

After a tour of Chicago with Elizabeth, he stayed in her possession and they headed to California for a week for the American Library Association Conference. He does indeed love his library friends. This was his second ALA, as he went to the conference last summer with Jenny, when it was in New Orleans!

Anaheim, San Diego, and beyond was a good mix of ALA time and fun time. Thanks, E for being a good hostess to our little green friend, and for keeping him safe from killer penguins and killer jellyfish. Here we go:

 

Mr. Pickle met a penguin at ALA. Perhaps it's the Penguin Books penguin? 

 

Pickle @ Your Library

 

Conference swag featured a Wookie cookie. Say whuh? 

You must be at least this tall to ride this ride. Sad to say, Mr. P was not tall enough. He probably would have gotten sick on the roller coaster anyway. 

Which way to Disney Land?? 

 This pickle loves his BBQ. Here he met some pickle friends while chowing on Korean BBQ at Jeong Won, just North of San Diego.

Tiki time! Mr. P is dressed for the night. 

Awww, they're both making the same face!

Mr. P is still tiki-ing, and jumped into the art. Let's call this performance art. 

 Mr. Pickle and his new bendy friends. They told him to "get bent" and he told them he couldn't and they accepted him anyway.


Time to relax on the shore of Imperial Beach in San Diego.

Mr. P met a JELLYFISH! He was skeptical, and concerned, and alarmed, and very excited.

 Mr. Pickle was announced God of the Crabs at the beach!

Spirit of Imperial Beach! Pickle in hand, ready to make you swoon. (Or just teach you to surf.)

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Mr. P is headed to Spain next. But he's got the rest of summer open to travel with you. Would you like him to join you? Let me know!