Barcelona

Well, here we are in Barcelona!! What can I say? A truely beautiful city full of wide boulevards, trees, great food, friendly people and an architectural wonderland!! Bruce is in seventh heaven!! Met Tom at our apartment, which thanks to Michael, Jaz and James, is fantastic, a definite step up from what we have previously. First day was spent sleeping then off walking. Decided to go to Montjuc, a fort overlooking the city. There is a Metro stop to get up the hill but , of course, we couldn't find it (forgot to look underground) so trudged up the slope to get to the Cable car to the top. Once there the views were stunning , the fort like a medievel castle and the wind bitterly cold!! Back down to earth off we went for Tapas , fantastic food and wine and sleep!! After a few days of not walking quite so much it certainly takes its toll! Here in Spain, people don't really get moving until 8.30-9.00 in the morning then at night go out for Tapas 'bout 8.00ish, dinner after that. Takes a little getting used to!!
Next day was a day of Gaudi for us, prior to Tom heading off back to Toulouse....The Sagrada Familia is one Church everyone must see. I thought the Basilica in Rome was gobsmackingly beautiful but is nothing on this building! It is still being worked on with people saying it has another 30 years to go so there are cranes and workmen scurrying all over it. Bruce saw it 27 years ago and it then did not have a roof. It certainly has one now! All I can say is that you go inside into a massive area just full of the most amazing natural light, colour, tree like pillars and a lovely sense of joy. A truely beautiful masterpiece.
Off to the Casa Batllo (told you it was a Gaudi day!) one of the amazing spaces you could walk through, with each room again full of light and air, beautiful windows and stunning curved ceilings. Everything in this bulding is tactile, you can't help yourself stroking the curved oak bannisters or the coloured mosaicc lining some areas. Again an absolutely beautiful space, way ahead of its time. You can't speak, you just wonder at the shapes, colours and again that feeling of joy!
After lunch, a Metro trip and walk to the last of Gaudi for the day, a park set up in the hills called Park Guell, again structure that defy belief and colourful mosaics that wander around a beautiful parkland setting......Here I am waxing lyrical about architecture but it all really does set you back with wonder that one man had so much vision, so much passion and sense of natural beauty!!! After all that sensory overload we were just happy to come home and sit!!!! Tomorrow will be a lazy day methinks!!