That’s why nearly everything we have seeen seems very old to us. Our tour guide yesterday kept talking about buildings in town with modernist style. Having never studied architecture, I think I need to look up modernist style. It all looked old to my untrained eye. After our bus looped around a bit in the city, we went to the main attraction, La Sagrada Familia. It was spectacular, grand and bizarre. I had heard things. I had seen photos. Nothing really prepares you for the actual building. Have you ever listened to music that starts off with a song you love then the next song is something in a totally different genre or style, but you love that, too? This place went from Stevie Wonder to Metallica to Vivaldi- that’s what it felt like. The guide told us that the changes throughout the structure reflected Gaudì’s changes throughout his lifetime and the influence of different architects and artists he worked with.
It was breathtaking.
After the morning, we had a break for lunch. Somehow, we ate the best Chinese food we’d had in ages here in Barcelona. A bunch of people from our tour group were already seated at a table on the sidewalk, and they strongly recommended noodles and what I would describe as pot stickers. Cas said he had already met his “food goals” on this trip- I think we have had more paella and ham than we ever had before, so we went for it. It was fantastic. I decided we needed to go to Beijing and look for good tapas, just to see if the converse is also true.
With not much time to spare, we got back to the hotel and turned around to see the Park Güell, which was another Gaudì design. The park was up above the city, so it isn’t convenient for people to walk there. That’s probably for the best, now, because the people here control the number of visitors the park has at any given moment. We basically had an appointment to walk in the park. It was bizarre, with strange columns and apparently, the longest bench in all of Europe. We went ahead and sat on it. Wouldn’t you?
After we left there, we went to La Pedera, another Gaudì building. It was back in the city where people walk by every day. We had the opportunity to go in, walk around on the completely wavy roof with its odd, chimney-like sculptures and tour the inside a bit. We walked through a space called the attic, which was unlike any attic I have ever seen, then we went through an apartment that is set up and furnished for display. As strange as the outside of the building was, the apartment was oddly normal seeming. I don’t know what I expected, but the space seemed like people could actually live there.
After we finished up with all things Gaudì, we had a little time to ourselves. We walked around, sat on a bench for a while, then decided to have some cava sangria. It’s a light and very refreshing beverage made with Spain’s version of champagne. A few people from our tour group joined us, and we ended up splitting a few pitchers of the stuff before dinner.
To finish off this very full day, we had a farewell dinner with the whole group. It was actually a very good tour group- certainly the best one I have been a part of. There has always been at least one person in every organized tour Cas and I have done so far who we avoid for fear of being looped into a long conversation from which there seems no way out. This group certainly had a lot of different personalities, but everyone seemed pretty great. Having said that, I will enjoy returning to the simplicity of walking somewhere without 23 companions.
The final stop of the evening was the hotel bar, where a handful of us had some sangria and a nice chat. I now have people I can check in on if Cas and I decide to make a trip to Kentucky or Tennessee. Lots of the group is heading home today, while Cas and I are out tomorrow. Others added more time here, and honestly, Barcelona is a great option if you want a place to spend a few days.
We may head to the beach today, or we might head to La Rambla, which is effectlvely a big street you can wander down. I believe we will resume the practice of the afternoon nap so we can see the magic fountain tonight. Appparently, there is a light show and music, and the fountain looks totally different at night time. After that, it’s one more night of sleep here and a trip to the airport.
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