BAR CE LON A

pastries

one corner of Park Guell; it is a HUGE park a little outside the city that Gaudi envisioned as a planned garden-city for wealthy families of Barcelona. He died before it was finished and now it is one of the trademark public areas of Barcelona. It has the longest park bench in the world, all covered in mosaic.

seeing FC Barcelona beat Malaga 2 - 1 was the highlight of the trip!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHlA58b6OoI
checkout the game

Sagrada Familia sculpture; begun more than 100 years ago, the iconic cathedral is still under construction. It is pretty much a shell of a building although you can still take an elevator to the top for the view.


This past weekend, we spent two nights in Barcelona. That was not nearly enough time to begin to know the city. I'm glad I will be going back (at least) two more times because there is so much left to do. I have never experienced a city so impacted by one person. Gaudi's name and works are everywhere. Casa Mila, Casa Batllo, Sagrada Familia, Park Guell... almost every 'sight' in Barcelona is his work. Even the tiles along the main sidewalks were designed by him. His whimsical aesthetics still seem to pervade the city. There is art in every storefront, sign, or advertisement and the younger people are all dressed impeccably. The food is excellent, if more expensive than Alicante. I had a delicious bacalao salad, grilled swordfish, and fresh cheese with honey for dessert at one of the infinite small cafes serving a prix-fixe 'menu' that comes with a drink and bread. Every street you turn down in the old quarter has something interesting to see. I can't wait to back in two weeks!