We left Cannes who was covered in a very uniform grayish dress, white and very light yellow buildings offering very little contrast through the van windows blurred by raindrops. We were sad to leave this place, as it already holds so many meaningful memories for us, making the weather a perfect representation of our feelings. But at the same time, we were at peace, knowing that those memories were not located in Cannes, but that we were bringing them with us on the road, now a part of who we are. 

We stopped at the FNAC, French music stores chain, and bought some music DVDs, figuring out that we’d endure the screen as it was…!

So far, having slept only a very few hours a night, making our nights closer to naps than actual “nights”, we all enjoyed the ride and the few additional hours of sleep we were graced with! No snoring turbines, but I can tell you that most of us woke up their mouths pretty dry!

At around 8pm, all awake, we decided to watch a DVD, Ramones’ RAW documentary, filmed by Marky Ramone, showing the band on tour and backstage… A truly impressive documentary, which title totally fit the contents. If you’re a fan of the Ramones, or a fan of music in general, and that you haven’t watched this yet, I strongly suggest it for your next movie night! 

We arrived in Barcelona at around 10pm and started unloading the gear and bring it into the apartment. The good news is our apartment is very large, the bad one is the elevator is broken! Hopefully, it’s on the first floor, so it helps (a little)! Jeff received a call from the producer of the video, who wanted to meet us right away! Super excited about the video (and happy not to have to unload), we went to meet him… It was great walking those same streets we walked so often when we came last year in October, as it brought back so many memories… Even in February, the city is alive and filled with people… Yes, we are in love with that city! As Alex said, this city is our home away from home! The time we had with the producer was incredible! He is just as excited as we are about the filming of this video clip, the different scenes, the script, the locations! His enthusiasm made us even more enthusiastic! 

We came back to our apartment and told everything to the other band members, while telling them about the scenario, which had until then been kept secret! This scenario is one that Alex developed, based on one of the multiple layers of understanding that there can be to the song. We shared a meal and decided to go to bed early… Well, that is until we started talking about us, us as a family, including all of you, about the funny stories we’ve heard, about what we have been through, about who we have become, about the blessings we have received and are still learning to count… Then we skyped the family at the HQ and then we went to bed early… Or 2 am! Not exactly the definition of early, but it’s surely not that late in the YFE universe. Some of us pushed it, and went to bed past 4… 😉

6:30am, alarm clock! One of the worst feelings ever! But hey, the excitement didn’t have time to fade in those 2 hours of sleep, so waking up, at least for me, hasn’t been that hard. Quick detour at the Starbucks, and we were on our way to the filming location! 

Old wooden door, brick walls, interior court of what used to be an ancient castle… This is where we are going to film today! We haven’t set foot in the place that we are already in love with it! The door opens, it’s dark, it’s cold, it’s humid… Wow! We meet the producer we will be working with today, as well as the whole crew and actors! It’s early in the morning, everybody went to bed way too late, but we are all very excited about being here! 

Passion was at the rendez-vous from the very first moment we started filming! Lots of contrast between light and dark, not only with the lights but also in the play between the different characters and during the band’s live performance (and what a performance!), as well as in the camera play with the different shots, large or close. 10 hours of filming! And at the end of the day, completely exhausted, shivering and without any sensation in our feet anymore, even more excited than we were at the beginning! 

Another short night and we were on our way to the first of 2 filming  locations for today! A small place, but with a truly wonderful vibe. Clear, well lit, mostly white, and very warm, it seemed to be the complete opposite of where we were yesterday! We spent only a few hours over there, but those 2 hours were soulful and heartfelt! 

And we were on the way to the next filming location! We couldn’t believe how fast time went by! After getting a little lost on the way there, trying to turn back with the huge English touring van in the narrow Spanish streets, we made our way to the top of a mountain, in a place called The Bunker, that was used when the civil war was raging in Spain. 3:30pm, the  sun is shining… In what has been one of the most beautiful day in Spain, as in the distance we could see an island, Mallorca, something that had not happened in 15 years. Usually, even on good days, the island is invisible to everyone… A little wink reminding us that this video clip is blessed beyond measure! This mountain was very close to the one we’ve climbed last time we were in Barcelona, we could see it from our viewpoint… And it was a great testimony of yet another meaningful moment that we have allowed to change our lives. We stayed there until sunset, until the lights of Barcelona would start shining from down below instead of up high above us. 

Being too many people, we went back home in 2 groups. Miss Isabel and I with most of the crew, and the rest of the band with a few other crew members. And on both sides, we’ve had incredible discussions, meaningful moments, talking about us, about life in general, about the Catalan culture, about traveling & discovering who we are through it. Being stuck in traffic has never been that nice! 

Arrived in downtown Barcelona, we said goodbye to one another, promising we would meet again very soon. Then Miss Isabel and I ran to The Cat Factory, a bakery owned by very good friends of ours and that we discovered last time we were in Barcelona. They had prepared a special birthday cake for Jeff, in secret. So we ran through the small backstreets, trying to read the map as well as possible, finding ourselves in dead ends quite a few times…! We managed to make it in time to pick up the cake! On our way back to the apartment, we stopped at a public place that was having a multimedia presentation, outside, on the walls of a church. It’s February, people are gathered outside, taking pictures and filming, having a good time, and taking the opportunity to meet some new people at the same time… Yes, welcome to Barcelona!

We hopefully arrived before Jeff and thus succeeded in making this a complete surprise to him. We also went to buy one of his favorite food – burgers – as well as wine to make it a perfect evening for him. I mean, what more could you ask for? Burger, red wine, and cake… Perfect match, no? 😉 

And as I am finishing those lines, we are about to leave for a traditional Catalan restaurant, to celebrate the filming of the video clip for Where Did We Lose Each Other… But especially to celebrate the new friendships that were built during this filming! 🙂 

– Stephanie 

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Our last day in Barcelona has been an adventure in itself! The day started with 3 of the guys playing cards around the little table there was in our apartment. Jeff, Matt, and Sef… Do I need to tell you who won? Yes, once again, to Jeff’s dismay, Matt won.

We then had a breakfast and went to Starbucks, where we traced our itinerary for the day. Our plan today was to go to Park Güell, that is filled with some of Gaudi’s most famous works. Google map said it would take 1h1min by foot, 3 different itineraries possible. A little long, but we’ve walked so much in the 2 previous days that we’re thinking this won’t be very different. We set out for our journey, amazed right at the start by the Palace of Catalan Music. And what a wonderful place it was! Unable to enter the place, we marvelled at it’s wonders from the outside… And that’s when the true adventure began. Turns out that Park Güell is in top of a hill overlooking the city. That means the whole hour you walk to get there is in an ascent motion. And in case you were curious, no, Google maps doesn’t take this in consideration when they tell you it’s one hour away. Because I can assure you that it took us a lot more than an hour to get there – and for all those of you who ever walked with him, you know how fast Alex walks… But we’ve finally made it!

The entrance of the park is really impressive. That part of the park itself felt enough of a sight, worth all the climbing we have done. We entered the park, admired the arcs made of stone, and walked our way through the bunch of people that was there. And suddenly, as the path turned left, we decided to turn right, attracted by this path that didn’t look like one, as nobody ever walked there. Still, we decided it was that path we’d take. A path that led to the very top of a mountain, a mountain we climbed despite our aching legs and feet.

And the view we had at the top was simply breathtaking. From that point, we had a 360• view of Barcelona. A few seconds after we reached the top, the sun started to set. A wonderful view, better than anything we could have seen in the park below us. We stayed there on top for a few hours, watching the sun completely disappear and watching the city lights go on, one by one, like souls flickering in the distance, as the sun died to a night of blooming promises.

We walked back down the mountain, something that was even harder that climbing it, as this time, there was no light to show us the way… We managed to make it down in one piece, and found ourselves in the middle of Gaudi’s most impressive work. It was dark, and there was no light at all in the park, but for the moon light that reflected on every little piece of Gaudi’s mosaic works. A truly inspiring sight. The pale moonlight gave the place a different nature, a different spirit, one that made you believe that even your craziest dreams were possible.

We walked back home, in 1 hour this time, thanks for walking down the hills this time. And because we couldn’t stop walking; it made our legs hurt too much! Also, we were on schedule, as we had been invited to a flamenco show that night. We stopped at the home to grab a bite, and established some rules for the night, that we’re no little things considering how much we walked that day! Here are the rules…

1) you fall asleep once, you get your meal chosen by someone else (most probably Alex)
2) you fall asleep twice, you need to drink the oil from the tapas plates tonight.
3) you fall asleep 3 times, you go straight to bed

Located a few steps away from our apartment, the show took place in a very old palace, built in year 200. Yes, some 1900 years ago… The place was beautiful, and possessed a vibe that is indescribable. The show transported us in a different world. The guitars, the singing, the clapping of hands and shoes on the floor, the dancing, the dresses flying… It seemed like all of a sudden, we had walked into another era. They, too, made you believe that no matter how crazy your dreams were, they would come true. Because as you see them dance, you couldn’t believe that there was nothing impossible.

We came back home and ate a little before watching a movie, this time “The Purge”, which wasn’t very good… We all went to bed pretty late as we were leaving the next morning and needed to pack and get ready…

We left Barcelona on a gray, cold and rainy day, as if the city had saved its best days for our stay there. The ride to Paris took us roughly 11 hours. We arrived there and decided we’d walk the streets before even checking in. But it was cold in Paris, and walking was painful! We wanted to go to Polidor, a restaurant frequented by some of Alex’s favorite artists, so just decided to go there earlier! What better thing to do in Paris than have cheese and wine? So this is what we decided we’d do… But couldn’t. “Mais c’est un restaurant ici, il faut manger”. So we decided we’d go somewhere else, as we weren’t up for a 3 course meal. We found a lovely place, very welcoming, where we could eat as we wanted… So that is where we went! We shared some food, some wine, and even got a free bottle… We ended the night by a game of pool – Jeff against Matt. Matt won the first, but dramatically lost the second… So Jeff had a tarte tatin at the restaurant… And should have some McDonald’s today!

It’s a brand new day here in Paris… And I am sure it has a lot in stock for us!

– Stephanie

Today was a late morning… Somehow, Barcelona seems to be perfect for this! As artistic and lively as the city can be, the high buildings and the narrow back alleys let very little sun shine into our apartment, so much we wake up with the impression it’s going to be a gray day once again. We change our minds pretty quick, as soon as we set foot outside though! Barcelona definitely is the city of eternal sun! This morning, Ben picked up the guitar as some of the other guys were reading in the living room… a truly inspiring start to a day that would be just as incredible! After sharing breakfast, we all headed to Starbucks, to fuel our day with good coffee – and to abuse of their free wifi connection, as the one we have in the apartment never worked. At least, it allows us to really rest, as it’s impossible to work without any connection… 😉

Also, we absolutely needed to stop by the Starbucks that morning. Jeff and Matt challenged each other at Black Jack the night before, and losing a “quitte ou double”, Jeff owed Matt the most expensive cake at Starbucks, as well as a meal at McDonald’s. Well, McDonald’s turned into a Burger King. But fast food chain for fast food chain, it’s all the same, right? I know, I know, it’s probably not the same for all those of you (like Jeff) who are truly in love with McDonald’s. 😉

While Jeff was paying off his Black Jack debts, YB, still at Starbucks, made sure to remind us that Barcelona was also a fashion capital, and that we shouldn’t take his frivolous looks for granted by posing for the cameras… ours, the staff at Starbucks, as well as the passers-by through the window! That’s just how popular YB’s looks is…

After carefully choosing our itinerary for day, we decided we should simply walk the streets, allowing ourselves to be amazed by whatever we would see, and going in whatever direction we wanted. Freedom at its best… See something that interests? Walk towards it. Hear something you like? Stop and listen to it. Feel like entering a store? Visit it. As simple as it gets, this type of visit usually is the best – and believe me, it never gets boring with these guys!

And this is also what got us in a very lovely cake shop, The Cat Factory, in the streets of a neighborhood we never intended to go to, that we wouldn’t be able to replace on a map! But what a lovely shop it was… Half cake shop, half art gallery, the owners of this newly opened place made sure we would find the best cake for Sef… Lidia and Pol, thank you so much! Your hospitality and generosity will have us remember you & your shop for a lifetime! Oh… this, and just how delicious your cake was! Well, we would know too if Sef had left some for us 😉

Those reasons are also the same that brought us to a small local restaurant, with a terrace outside. After walking so much, and with the guys all being hungry, we just had to stop and taste some of the local flavors! We had montaditos, 3 kinds of them… With Spanish omelette, with tomato & cheese, with smoked salmon & cream cheese. Delicious, all of them! Jeff also took the opportunity to try a new beer, called Cruzcampo. Not bad, but he said he preferred the Estrella 😉 YB also met a lovely lady over there, who absolutely wanted a picture with YB because of their difference in height! ps: notice the bread in YB’s hand… He’s been carrying this around (and eating it!) all day long… So you can guess that not only his appearance got him curious looks!

We then made it to Montjuïc, one of the place we had wanted to see, from where we had an incredible view on Barcelona! And it seems like the timing was perfect, as we arrived there just in time to see the sunset and the city brighten up… A truly wonderful thing… 🙂

We kept walking around the place, all around the Barcelona port, in the marina, on the beach (where we will definitely go back during day time!), and then back home, where we wandered the different back streets that surround our apartment in order to find a restaurant. We ended up at another tapas restaurant, reminiscing on the day we had just shared…

We met on our way back a place we will visit again tomorrow, a little earlier in the day… One of Alex’s favorite place, reminding him of a dream of his… a little more about this tomorrow 😉

– Stephanie

We had to free days after our shows in London… We are privileged to travel around the world and meet the heart & soul of every city we visit, its people. We rarely have enough time to do anything that would even be close to sightseeing though… So we decided this was how we’d spent our 2 days off in London! Jeff had several ideas of what we could do, from the Russian Circus in Acton Town to parachute and bungee jumping, to any type of other extreme activities. They were all discarded though 😉

We first met in front of Big Ben, from where we would walk along the south bank of the Thames River. And for once, it’s been a very sunny day. A bit cold, but sunny nonetheless. We couldn’t have asked for more. The place itself was amazing, very beautiful… And Sef made sure we wouldn’t find it boring… Just by being Sef! After a few minutes walk, we came across a carousel, and after he insisted so much, we all figured our it would be less trouble to let him ride it than to try and say no… So Sef did have his long-awaited ride on the carousel (and Jeff almost felt like he was a the Russian circus he wanted to go to!). Sef also decided he would dominate the city of London by taming its wildest emblem, a fierce dragon of steel and fire… 😉

We then headed to Covent Garden, where we met with 2 more friends, and where we have witnessed a wonderful sunset, a rare sight in London 🙂 Covent Garden is a wonderful place, one that we all loved very much, and a place where we definitely will go back 🙂 we finished the night at a pub, that we weren’t much impressed with. The times we shared, however, are times we will remember forever.

The next day, we all met close to the Tower Bridge, a bridge that we all wanted to see before we’d leave, the iconic bridge of London. And we weren’t disappointed. The bridge in itself is a pure beauty, and the area that surrounds it also is! We spent the afternoon walking around, talking and laughing, taking our time to be amazed at absolutely everything that surrounded us. After a much needed coffee break at a Starbucks, we got back outside to a night view that will forever be in our minds. Looking at the other side of the river, where the thousand lights of one of the world’s most important financial district shine on us, we couldn’t help but realize how blessed we are. Not to travel the world and see its wonders, but to have memories with the ones we love that are a thousand times more beautiful than this unique night view. There lies the true treasure that we are blessed to discover a little more every time…

We finished the night at another pub, one we really enjoyed this time, where we met other people from all over the world. A last night all together that we forever will remember… Shining much brighter than the lights of any city.

We then hit the road for our next destination… As we are all going to spend a few days in Spain… We arrived in Barcelona after a very sleepy ferry ride, and witnessed on the way one of the most beautiful sunset we have ever seen… Yes, definitely, great things are ahead!

We arrived in Barcelona it was 3am. We brought all if our suitcases in our apartment, and decided to watch a movie, starting it halfway because that’s where we watched it last time, because it was a movie we have already watched… But hey, World War Z is always good, no matter when. By the time we unpacked everything, ate a little and watched the movie, it was 6am… We went to bed looking forward to what the next day would bring!

The place where we are staying in Barcelona is very lovely. Barcelona is as artistic as it gets, from it’s sidewalks, to its buildings and their architecture… Everywhere you lay your eyes is a special sight, without exception. We started the day with the noise of an orchestra that was performing outside the cathedral that is just around our house, followed by a parade of giant people, and an outdoor circus. Definitely, we would be more than satisfied by the artistic soul of this city! We had breakfast, and then headed outside, where we followed the steps of Gaudi, one of Alex’s favorite Spanish artist. We went to see La Sagrada Familia, La Pedreda, and La Casa Battló, just to name a few of his most important works… 😉

We finished the night at a local tapas restaurant, where we tried a few of the local specialities, seafood, to Ben and Moose’s displeasure… But it’s been, even for them, a very happy experience over all!

We came back home around midnight, planning the places we will see tomorrow, and watched Elysium… Another day tomorrow still waits to be defined… 🙂

– Stephanie