The weather...

Has been absolutely fantastic here.

Two weeks ago before leaving, I was comparing the weather forecasts for Helsinki and Barcelona and the weather seemed similar. As long as only the daily minimum was considered. Both Barcelona and Helsinki had low's around +2 celcius. However, for Helsinki this was also the maximum while in Barcelona the max was around +15 degrees.

Ever since, the difference has been constantly growing. The current lows here are around 5-8 degrees and hi's closer to 20. Today we did a 4-hour afternoon paseo from our apartment through Ciutadella park, Barceloneta, Maremagnum, Las Ramblas and Barrio Gotic back to L'Eixample and the crib. The sun was shining brightly the whole trip and the thermometer next to the Columbus monument gave lovely digits of +23 around 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The weather has been as such for the past two weeks and is just getting better and better every day. Given this in the north of Spain, it's no wonder that so many retired Finns opt to spend their winter's in Costa del Sol instead of beloved Finlandia.

To be fair, it has been abnormally warm in Barcelona lately. Locals have said that normally weather of this kind is experience rather late February or early March instead of mid-January. This time I am not complaining, but aparently the global warming does have its effects on the relatively short Mediterranean winter as well. Breezes of coldness can be still felt at night, after sun setting and in shadow. However, I've survived fine with shirt and light jacket day in and night out.

I know that there are many of you still wondering whether to come to Barcelona and if yes, when. My advice to you is: come now! Forget about May, come in March or even February. While in north the weather is still wintery or at least chilly, here you get to enjoy 8 hours of sunlight and nice spring weather usually experienced in Finland in July (if lucky). What would be a better way to start the spring than by taking a two-month headstart (in tan and otherwise) from others in this action-packed metropol?

I send you all sunny greetings and wish an excellent beginning of the week!