The joy of traveling without kids

On our first day in Barcelona, we strolled along the Ramblas, the city's famous walking street, to the Boqueria, a giant food market, where we feasted on a seafood plate piled high with mussels, squid, shrimp, and fish for lunch. We drank beers and cava (Spanish champagne) and took an hour and a half to finish our meal.

Afterward, we followed one of the historical walking tours from a Frommer's guidebook and took in such sights as a hospital dating back to the Middle Ages, the city's opera house, and Palau Guell, Gaudi's first architectural creation.

And there's more: We walked miles and miles all over town, cruising by the fancy shops on the Passeig de Gracia, stopping to see Gaudi's Casa Batllo, and visiting the ancient Barri Gottic, a Gothic Cathedral. We broke for dinner at a hugely popular tapas restaurant, Tapaç 24, where we stood in line for an hour at least, drinking beer throughout the entire wait. For dinner we ate more seafood: fried fish, grilled squid, raw tuna.

After dinner, we walked to La Sagrada Familia (pictured above), the Gaudi-designed church that has been under construction for over 100 years. Begun in 1882, it was the obsession of the architect's life, and the city continues to try to follow through with his wildly visionary plans. According to some estimates, it should be finished by the year 2022.

What time is it I asked my husband? "Oh midnight."

We hopped on the metro back to our hotel.

Want another drink before we go to bed? Sure. We sat in the bar for two hours, sipping sangria and talking.

At 2 a.m. we finally crashed in bed and when we woke the next day it was 3 p.m.

On our first night in Barcelona, we slept 13 hours.

My husband and I were in Barcelona for our 10-year anniversary and we traveled without our two children, ages 4 and 6. And though we both both missed them, when we woke that day at 3 p.m. we looked at one another and said, "We never could have an experience like this with kids."

We certainly never could have slept for 13 hours. We never could have sat at the seafood counter because our kids would have talked us into eating at the pizza stall instead. Our children are adventursome eaters but they have a long ways to go before they'll pop a tentacle into their mouths.

We never could have walked 10 miles in one day. Our kids who are actually really good walkers are capable of two, maybe three or four miles but certainly not that far in Spain's summer heat. It was at least 90 degrees, and my daughter would have complained relentlessly.

In fact, on that first day we might have visited only one sight, maybe La Sagrada Famillia because it's the one thing in Barcelona everyone should see. When you're standing beneath that church, it simply takes your breath away.

Now don't get me wrong. I love my kids, more than anything else in this world. And I love traveling with them and showing them the world. I do wish they could have seen that church, but I know they will get there some day. And this trip--my first vacation without my children--made me realize just how good it can be without the little ones.

Thirteen hours. We slept 13 hours!