So, Barcelona won! And in style.

httpv://youtu.be/c-xWxzyeHxA

Abidal, after starting treatment for a liver tumour only 10 weeks ago, raised the Champions League cup following goals by Pedro, Messi and Villa (and Rooney I guess!)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3u2WPJDpns

And Gerard Pique went home with a rather original souvenir, apparently following a tradition set by the Barcelona basketball team!

httpv://youtu.be/ciiQV-EB2i8

Who will lift the trophy?

It won’t be me tonight…

It's heavy!

Hopefully it’ll be whoever is standing in for Carles Puyol as he’s injured.

I want to see them throw Pep Guardiola in the air and make him cry again! (I’m rather fond of Pep..)

Thanks to @nstone for this!

Here's how they line up for the Champions league final!

This one’s for Isaac who, despite supporting Manchester United this evening,will be very pleased if Lionel Messi scores!

httpv://youtu.be/jsEvROzXiK4

And here’s me at Camp Nou with Messi

This year’s cartoon from FCBarcelona in celebration of the Champions League final.

httpv://youtu.be/1ldukbGTnXY

And the 2009 one – which I love!

httpv://youtu.be/KLNem3icvY0

I’m getting rather excited now!

So cue a number of posts that indulge my excitement and might get you in the mood for what I hope to be a great game of football!

httpv://youtu.be/kvn2RaSnVos

I’ve never made  secret of my love of football, nor my love of Spain.  And I think most people who read my blog also know that Barcelona is very very dear to my heart, as a city and also as a team.

I haven’t been blogging here over the last week but I have been posting on my school website where you can catch a flavour of some of my exploits on our (final) Comenius Regio project.

One of the highlights of the visit was a trip and tour of the Camp Nou – I caused great amusement with my squealing, jumping, flapping and at times tears!

So I am VERY VERY excited about tomorrow and the Champions League final. It is so true that FCBarcelona is ‘més que un club’ – it’s a huge part of people’s life and the club is so much more than a football team.

In preparation, here’s the Himne de Barça – the children in Y5 at Els Pins sang it for us whilst we were there – everyone of them! This is the karaoke version so you can join in.

httpv://youtu.be/8b8cGhxhAsY

Want the words in English? See below!

Catalan

English

GrowStoryGrow, a story-telling website for learning languages, is holding a story writing competition.

Open to children aged 9-11, the winner will have their story translated into different languages, animated and publish

ed online with their name and school. The story can be written in any language so taking part will benefit general literacy as well as language learning.

The deadline is 30th June 2011 and the winner will be announced on 11th July.

The winning entry will be showcased at the London Language Show.

It seems that only Portugal and France agreed with me, and, as it was pointed out by @frogphilp on Twitter this morning, I’m not a country – yet – but I quite liked the Spanish entry for Eurovision. At least she sang in her own language!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7CuPRMyd-c&feature=related

Whilst we’re there, we’re looking forward to meeting lots of people, including Miquel who works for the Consorçi de Educacció and who visited school last year.
You may recall that about this time last year I came over all excited about Miquel’s hobby and had a little go at making “human castles” or castells myself.  See photos below!

Here’s the post I wrote afterwards and another later in the year.  Also on my school website here and here.  It’s not something you should try at home as it takes lots of practice, but Miquel is an expert!

He has just sent us some information in English about Castellers. Fascinating – what an awesome sight it must be to see towers of people 10 levels high! I was awestruck by seeing 5 levels!

¡Soy fuerte!

En Miquel

How it should be done!

Not sure I'd trust a random person to hold my child on their shoulders...