Barcelona Tuesday: Gaudi, Beach, Gothic, and of course more food!

Today was a day of both big accomplishing and big wandering.  We had heard that Barcelona is a city that you really need to just meander through.  However, first we started off the day with a Gaudi Tour of the city on a bus/walking.  It was a great choice.  Our tour guide was fantastic, just the right combination of witty and informative.  We would never have gotten as much out of just wandering around my ourselves, and I am really glad we decided to do the tour.

Excited to go on our tour!

We started off going down Passeig de Gracia, where the two most famous Gaudi houses are.  They were really cool to look at, so neat in fact, that we are headed back tomorrow to go inside one of them.  There were also just some great examples of modern architecture on the street, and in general in Barcelona.

Then we went to Parc Guell, which was #1 on my list of things to do.  And it was just what I was expecting.  The park was designed entirely by Gaudi for 60 families to live in, with a market facility and everything.  However, at the time, nobody liked or understood Gaudi's work.  They were disgusted, and only one family actually lives in the park (and their descendants are so very glad)!  Now of course, the Parc is one of the major landmarks in Barcelona, and it was really stunning to wander around.

The market from above

Us at the market

The architecture was revolutionary.  We now know that this is the strongest way to reinforce things, but at the time everyone was nervous about it falling down.  A hundred years later, and it is still going strong!

Just in case though, mom and I were there to hold it up!

Mom and I with the famous Salamander fountain, the symbol of Barcelona

Underneath the market.  The tiles are completely recycled materials.  You can see teacups, champagne bottles, just about everything. 

On the market section again.  The benches are ergonomically designed.  And very hard to want to get out of!

The guardhouse, and something else, but the one on the left imitates Hansel and Gretel, the story. 

Next, we headed over to La Sagrada Familia, the landmark of Barcelona, hands down.  It was completely designed by Gaudi, and he worked on it for I think around 40 years until his death in 1926, and ever since then it has been under construction.  Gaudi wanted that the new architects, who would take over the project, to stick with his designs, but use their own artistic license, so you can clearly tell what Gaudi did and didn't do.  But the whole structure is just fascinating.

Gaudi's side...

The other architects side.  Such different styles, yet they have the same feeling.

The inside, much simpler, but HUGE.

The pope is coming in November, so they are working hard to finish the inside in time for him to bless it as a real church.

After that, we returned home, but still learned about the architecture and history of the city on the way.  Then it was lunch and siesta time for all.  We found a great restaurant and had our three(ish) course meal.  I had the best one (I would say) with smoked salmon to start, and steak with potatoes and vegetables, followed by fruit salad, but Dad's paella and chicken wings were pretty tasty, as well as Mom's tortilla and mozzarella salad.

After siesta, we headed out to the beach, where Mom put her feet in the Mediterranean Sea.  That was her one goal for the trip, so I guess they might as well head home now! Haha.  The beach was nice, but it was a very windy day, and none of us really felt like getting too sandy and wet, so we wandered around until we found the Gothic Section of the city.

Dad at the beach

Mom pleased as punch to have her feet in the Mediterranean Sea!

It was REALLY windy and sunny.

The Gothic Cathedral was on Dad's list to see, and I am really glad we made it to it.  It is a HUGE looming Cathedral, with just stunning architecture that seems to stretch for miles.  I had also just learned about Gothic architecture in my art history class here in Spain, which made it extra fun for me to see everything in real life.

Mom and I being cute, in the Gothic Quarter

Finally we dragged our tired butts over to an outdoor Tapas place and enjoyed some tasty treats and a pitcher of Sangria.  It was very grown up and fun, and was followed by some delicious gelatto and a nighttime walk up to our apartment.  All in all, a perfect day in Barcelona :)