Placa de Catalunya - Barcelona's main plaza was our starting point for the day.
This is a small shot of part of a very large park. It is a central point for transportation
and divides the city between old and new. Four streets radiate from this plaza - one is the Portal de l'Angel.
Portal de l'Angel is a pedestrian only street with many shops and the evening's dinner spot. Another of
the main streets is the Las Ramblas - that is famous for strolling.
From the Plaza Catalunya we strolled down the wide street called Las Ramblas - like the Champs Elysees in Paris.
This is a very wide street running from the Plaza Catalunya to the sea.
There were just a few hundred others out strolling with us on a beautiful day.
Rambla means "stream" in Arabic. The Ramblas used to be a drainage ditch along the medieval
wall which defined the current Gothic Quarter. Las Ramblas is actually plural and is a
series of five streets all concatenated into one.
The main market - La Boqueria Market - is a very active place. There were many
stalls stocked with all kinds of produce, meats, seafood, and fruit.
From this stall Cal bought a strawberry juice drink that was
very good - and refreshing on the warm Ramblas walk. You can also dine at one of the
many counters in the market.
Market scenes from La Boqueria
Fresh produce displays
Market vendors and stalls
Colorful market displays
Seafood and meat displays
Market atmosphere and activity
Along the La Ramblas are various street performers. The most common is "the person standing
like a statue until you give them money" to perform. This is a typical performer -
a cowboy simply standing still for hours.
Virginia Ann placed a small amount in the cowboy's spittoon and he came alive posing
with her for a picture.
The Liceu Opera House was next - the exterior was not too impressive but the interior
was very opulent. This is the main ballroom and the ceilings were beautiful.
Inside the Liceu the seats go up for several (6 or 8) balconies. With a spaceship
like ceiling light.
At the end of Las Ramblas is a statue of Columbus. It is here that Queen Isabella
welcomed Columbus back from his journey to the Americas.
Close up of Columbus Statue base.
Looking back on Barcelona from the pier.
For lunch we walked out to the pier on the La Rambla del Mar ("Rambla of the Sea") to a Tampas restaurant.
The La Ramble del Mar is a wooden pedestrian bridge shaped like a series of waves.
Cal received a little too much sun while we enjoyed wine and tapas at the Tampas Maremagnum.
Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Church was the first of the Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926)
structures we were to visit and probably the most famous. Each of the locals asked
if we had been to the Sagrada Familia and underlined that it was the number one
item to see.
The east facade was completed by Gaudi during his lifetime. Mixing the gothic style, symbolism,
nature, and modernist asymmetry - it is the best example of the Gaudi style. The sculpture shows scenes
from the birth and childhood of Jesus along with angels playing musical instruments.
The west facade was not done by Gaudi. While inspired by Gaudi's vision, he knew he would
not see the church completed and recognized that others would provide their
inspiration. This facade was completed by Josep Subirachs in the '50s. It is full of
symbolism from the bible - like the stylized Omega and Alpha over the door and Jesus
with an open book for hair.
The church is not finished. Gaudi worked on the church from 1883 to 1926 and the work continues based
on private funding. Part of which are the admission fees - so it slowly continues to go skyward. It is
slowly progressing skyward.
You can go to the top of the church either using an elevator or stairs - Cal decided to try
the stairs - as well as the 500 other tourists that day. It took forever to get to the top
as we wound around the spire staircase. The view was great once at the top.
Virginia Ann decided not to climb to the top and stayed on terra firma. Her she is sitting
in front of the church while Cal spent over an hour going to the top. She is the little blue
blob at the end of the arrow.
As we walked from the church to the next set of Gaudi buildings we met this church.
Not sure which church this was but we liked the view.
This is a shot of the "Block of Discord". Named for the competing
architecture. These are all 19th century buildings but each of the
architects tried to out do the other. Gaudi's building is the one with the dragon-like
roof line and skull-like balconies.
This is Casa Mila (La Pedrera) by Gaudi. It looks like it is melting. This was Gaudi's last
major work built from 1906 to 1910. He then concentrated on the Sagrada Familia. We toured
the building which allows you to view the roof (next picture) and an apartment as originally
decorated in the early part of the 20th century.
The top of Casa Mila is a fantasy world of chimneys and sculpture. The views are great from
every vantage and the roof is terraced with many levels. A great way to
relax and watch the sunset - or rise.
Cal and Virginia Ann on the roof of Casa Mila.
After this last stop we made our way back to
the hotel - but we needed
to make two stops. 23 April is "Sant Jordi" day. Saint George is the patron saint of
Catalonia and on the 23rd there are two traditions. The first is for the man to buy
their women a rose.
When St George killed the dragon it's blood transformed into roses - so there are
rose stands on every sidewalk. The second is for the women to buy their men a book as
it is also the anniversary of Cervante's death. So next to all the rose stands are
row after row of book stands.
Dinner was at the Els Quatre Gats (4 Cats) - another Rick Steves suggestion and a great
one at that! It was the same cafe that Picasso and other artists would hang out. The food was
good but the real draw is the atmosphere. Lots of fun.
