Monday, February 7, 2011

Day Eight: Barcelona

Today was a art-filled day, touring the many Gaudi sights of Barcelona!

We started early again and made the same walk over to the beach to begin our morning!

Then we headed over to a main plaza to meet up with our Gaudi Tour!

Our first stop was one of Gaudi's first houses, Placa Guell!

Even the lamps are Gaudi-esque!

We headed over to another of his famous houses, some say it looks like Carnival masks and others like skulls and bones! It's up to you to decide Gaudi's motives!

And then we headed down the road a ways to another massive Gaudi masterpiece!

Although lacking in color on the facade, the detailed balconies are still impressive!

Our tour ended at the biggest Gaudi legacy of them all, La Sagrada Familia!

Gaudi began construction on La Sagrada Familia over 125 years ago and it is still being worked on. Less than half of the towers are currently completed and it is not expected to be finished for another 22 years!

Once the tour was finished, we decided to head to Park Guell and go inside La Sagrada Familia early tomorrow morning, in order to save ourselves time waiting in lines. Our tour guide told us the best way to get to Park Guell, was to start at the top and take the provided street made of escalators from the subway stop to the park entrance and work your way down.

Gaudi and his good friend Guell built Park Guell as a neighborhood for the upper crust, with elements designed by Gaudi himself. Unfortunately the venture failed and the only houses built were Gaudi's, Guells' and one lawyer friend of theirs, luckily for us, that means the park is lush with trails perfect for wandering.

Once we made it to the highest point in the park, a large stone monument thing, we climbed to the top and ate our picnic lunches, while being serenaded by our interesting friend below.

A beautiful Barcelona backdrop

Our picnic spot!

As we made our way through the park, the landscaped hillside was covered in palm trees!

Gaudian park benches!

The homes of Gaudi and Guell

The main entrance to the park!

After Park Guell, we went back to the city and went to a market, where I got a cactus fruit smoothie!

Fresh fruits and veggies and dried chillies!

JAMON!

Next we wandered through the old city, starting at the Cathedral

Inside the Cathedral

I really like the lighting in there, can you tell?

The courtyard of the Cathedral had 12 geese! Representing the 12 apostles

There was also a super cool drinking fountain that was like Spanish Harry Potter Style!

Before calling it a night, we made a stop for hot chocolate and churros!!!

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