Got up at 08:00 but didn’t leave the room till about 10:00. Walked to a patisserie near the metro and had a coffee and 4 pastries for 3.45 euro.
Took the metro to the Sagrada Familia, the cathedral designed by Gaudi. It is still being built, and there are cranes and construction workers every where. What you can see of the cathedral is impressive – the entrance (one of them) looks natural, like stalactites. The towers are topped with a small cross but they are slightly bent at an angle. And there is something that looks like a Christmas tree. Quite weird for a church. We queued for about 40 minutes but it moved quite quickly. Where we entered was the other side to where we started to queue, and this entrance was different – very angular and with statues that were cubist in style.
We’ve been to lots of churches and cathedrals over the years in Europe, including some of the most famous – Notre Dame, Albi, St Paul’s. But this one was amazing. He’s kept the grandeur of a medieval gothic cathedral and updated it. The interior is different to the outside – clean lines, geometric shapes, light, colourful and breathtaking. Even though it’s incomplete (not due to finish until 2020), with a lot of the windows plain glass, it’s stunning. The best thing I’ve seen on this trip. I’ll have to come back when it’s finished.
Not completely done with Gaudi we walked to a couple of his other buildings, stopping for lunch on the way. We had tapas – sausages in tomato sauce, olives, spicy chourizo sausage and pig’s ear (guess who ordered that one). Good sized servings, and quite nice but not great. I tried some of the pig’s ear, wasn’t impressed.
Walked to the first house, the Casa Mila. Looked like something out of the 1960s. Not far is the Casa Batllo, probably the most famous. We decided to go in tomorrow. Took some photos, then walked down the street, the Passieg de Gracia, where the shops like Gucci, Loius Vuitton, Hermes etc live. Didn’t go into these, but Song looked at every handbag in Zara and the department stores.
Wandered more and realised there was another Gaudi house, Guell Palace, took more photos. We’ve got more Gaudi to see tomorrow, visiting the park and his house.
Still on our feet, decided to walk a bit more around the Gothic area, lots of old narrow lanes, and ended up in a nice square with plam trees and restaurants around the edge. Kept going, up La Rambla, then into the market. Bought some fruit, then onto the metro and back to the room. Quite a busy day.
Tomorrow we go to Gaudi Park and his house.