Day 29, or as I know it the official midpoint of our European odyssey, began simple enough. We had a few places we wanted to visit and all the time to do it. Our plan, taxi straight to Sagrada Famlia, then walk over to the city center and the Barri Gòtic -- Catalan for the Spanish "Barrio Gothic," which in English would be "Gothic Quarter," or in plain English, "the part of town with the really, really old buildings -- then we could walk La Rambla or shop or whatever we pleased before heading back to the hotel. The hotel pool, to be exact.
But the day officially began when the button to open the shade was pushed and the black out curtain raised, and I saw the Torre Agbar and, yet again, took a picture of this elusive creature.
Lipstick, bullet, suppository... will I ever see it close-up? This Torre Agbar, she taunts me.
We headed straight up Calle Marina to Sagrada Familia, the rather unique cathedral of Barcelona. In fact, I'm willing to share my own judgment that this is the most unique cathedral on our planet. First, its construction has been entirely funded by anonymous donations. Not a dime from the church. Not a dime from anyone taking credit for their charity. I find this amazing. Second, its construction began in 1882 and continues today. Designed by architect Antoni Gaudí as his personal masterpiece, he oversaw construction until his death in 1926. They hope to complete it by the 100th anniversary of his death in 2026. I find this amazing. Third, for a 130+ year old design, this cathedral will always be the most modern, weird, creative... just insane looking son of a building you are ever going to see. Triple amazing.
Sagrada Familia from the rear, which is the Nativity facade. Completely before Gaudi's death, the reason it is dark on the right and light on the left is because the stone on the right has been exposed to the elements for more than 100 years.
A thousand apologies for this being sideways. Oddly, it cannot be fixed. But I wanted to show you a closeup of the wild design of this Nativity facade. (And don't go thinking you know how to fix the pic. Believe me, I tried everything. It happens at upload, and when I upload it rotated all 4 ways, two of them turn out like this. Same with the next pic.)
At the front entrance, you enter through the Passion facade. Again, the artistry is out of this world. I would also like to point out the dude sitting up there on the bridge between those spires. It is part of the design. The savior is not afraid of heights. (Look for a later pic with a finger point.)
This close-up gives you a feel for the design of the sculptures that make up the Passion facade. I do not think that these will ever look antiquated, and the expressiveness is undeniable.
We walked inside next. Now, some people are disappointed with the interior. It is a construction site, and it will be years before it is complete enough for religious services. But if you're curious to see a 170 m (560 ft) stone building under construction, then you will like it as much as I did.
More design elements will be added, but the size and scope of the interior is, once again, amazing. When it is completed, I cannot imagine how overwhelming the space inside is going to be.
You might look at this picture an think that an open window is allowing sunlight to hit the closer column and not the further. Nope. Age. Based on some pictures inside the cathedral's basement museum, I would estimate the one on the left as being from the 1950's and the one on the right from the 1880's.
I was amazed to look at the foot of this tower. In the front of the cathedral, where you find the four Evangelists' towers, the towers stretch down to that point, which looks to me incredibly like a bird's foot. Gaudi did a great many works where he incorporated the look of nature into his designs, and I think I see it right there. Can you not imagine this giant stone creature lifting that foot?
Walking away from Sagrada Familia, you do your best to get a great photo. But you would need a helicopter, or access to a neighboring roof, to do so. But in this one you can see the four towers that represent the Evangelists and how each tower becomes a foot.
I had no choice but to point out what I am pretty sure is the savior way up THERE.
Seriously. Many USA cities did not exist when this sucker began.
I like that these show this area of Barcelona when no building were taller than a story or two.
An artists' rendering of a completed Sargada Familia. Barbie and I have already agreed to return when it is done. I think this was covered the other day, but there will be 18 towers when it is done each set taller as they gain importance; 12 for the Apostles, four for the Evangelists, one for the Virgin Mary, and the tallest for Jesus Christ. I am happy that when we come back I will know that the €22 we spent on taking the tour went toward the construction of this wildly odd masterpiece.
As we walked to the city center, and crossed Avinguda Diagonal, look at who appeared to taunt me yet again. Torre Agbar!!!
By the way, if you look at a map of Barcelona, you see a city with of Roman-like grid of streets, and then slashing through the entire city is the bold Avinguda Diagonal. Coolness.
On our stroll from Sagrada Familia to the city center we came across the Arc de Triomf. It was built for the 1888 World's Fair, and overlooks the Passeig de Lluís Companys, which is essentially a huge, open plaza. Wait, this is Barcelona, so it is a Plaça.
By the way, moments after I took that pic, I looked up from my iPhone to see a stunningly beautiful young woman walking towards me, holding out her camera and asking me in Spanish if I would take a picture of her in front of the arch. I agreed to do it. Barbie, sitting in the shade 20 meters away, took a picture of the event but it has not been downloaded as of yet. I felt terribly foolish as we walked away, because I should have asked, "Con mi camera también?" She was very nice and would have said yes, and all my straight friends would have gone ga-ga over her.
There was something about the size of this brick structure that I fell in love with. Maybe because the brick differentiates it from all the Roman arches and the Parisian arch of the same name.
Just on the other side of the arch! Dios mio! Leave me alone, Torre Agbar.
In the Barri Gòtic, next to the cathedral that is under renovation and therefore not picturesque at all, is this. The only remains of the Roman wall which once surrounded the military camp Colonia Faventia Julia Augusta Pia Barcino. This Roman name Barcino is the origin of the name Barcelona, by the way. The Roman part is only the lower section of unevenly sized stones. They have built above it.
Here you see the Roman wall with a little bit of aqueduct coming out of it. And you see my wife standing in front of it.
Plaça de Sant Jaume, which is today used as city hall. I had no idea when I took this pic that four LDS missionaries were directly in front of me. But I point them out for any members of Barbie's family who read this.
We walked around a bit more, had lunch, considered all sorts of things we could do next and decided to hop in a cab.
Funny thing to see in a taxi.
We headed up to the Club Lounge for a snack, before hitting the pool.
Snacks!
From the Club Lounge... damn suppository.
As I waited for the Missus to get ready for the pool, I thought I would share this view of our room. The cool looking silver oval is a DVD/CD player that is integrated with the TV and speakers. BAOFTW. (For people over 19 years of age, that meant, "Bang & Olufsen For The Win.")
The pool shot again, taken because I took a pic from this same exact spot last night. Check it, it is on the blog. Should I put them side-by-side?
Yes.
Honestly, we never got tired of this pool. By the pool, Barbie sat in the chair to my left. To her left was a couple from Arizona, Seth & Jody, who were born and raised in NYC. They met in 4th grade, around 7th grade he would hold her down at the school bus stop and stuff snow down her shirt, and sometime after that they got married and had three kids. I love stories like that. Turns out Jody's 50th Birthday was 2 days after Barbie's 50th Birthday, as in two weeks ago. Bonding occurred and we later shared food and a walk in the warm, midnight air.
I had taken pics of the Marina Olimpic from our room. This is the reverse, you see.
Barbie with our new friends Seth & Jody. While we bonded Barbie brought up the blog and they asked if they would make the blog. See, you made the blog!
Our midnight walk took us past restaurants, hooka pipe joints, and even bars with pole dancers. These are not strip joints, they are dance clubs which happen to have pole dancers.
Pole dancers during their break. Personally, I am horrified and disgusted that the men around them are not buying them drinks and asking stupid questions in an attempt to appear interested in more than just the whole pole dancing thing. Kids these days.
Opium Mar, which was referred to when Carlota took us to Opium Cinema. This place was packed, the only packed club along the beachfront. To my shame, it took me until this pic to realize that the lights are supposed to be opium poppies.
Above the boardwalk, the elevator to Opium Mar features poppy lights with our hotel in the background. Was I going to not take this pic?
Finally, as we entered the hotel driveway, I noticed this sign/placard/stone/whatever for the first time. This hotel was so very good to us, I might as well share their logo.
