Barcelona Day 4
Rough night. Folks in the next room arrived late, after we were asleep. They took showers and we learned the plumbing rattles LOUDLY. Up early at 6 because we thought we had a tour at 8 and needed to get an early breakfast. Only later did we learn that the tour is for tomorrow. Sigh – very tired. We do have two scheduled events today and the first is at 10:00. Had a leisurely breakfast and headed out to the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, two miles distant.
Further observations on Street people in Barcelona. Once again much busy traffic, foot and car. We noticed a number of bicycle delivery guys carrying Yellow backpacks labeled GLOVO, much like DOOR DASH. Besides bicycles, folks also got around on skates, skateboards, motorized scooters and motorcycles and of course cars. Scooters and motorbikes outnumbered cars as there were very few parking places for large vehicles. The streets are wide and plenty of space is allowed for non-car transportation.
Noticed that every other person is on their phone, either talking to someone or looking up directions, us included. Dogs are common. We saw most every breed of miniature and terrier. Very few big dogs. (Having written that this morning we have since seen five deluxe size pooches this afternoon). Several were unleashed but well behaved. Pets seem welcome in most establishments. Since the majority of the city is paved over in stone or asphalt the critters go whenever and wherever they get the urge. One does occasion on yellow puddles but not once did we see any pooh piles. (On later days we did) This is a good time to note that Barcelona is a fairly clean city. The little trash we saw was likely left by tourists. We are tourists of a different stripe as we often pick up trash as we go. It was nice to see store owners out sweeping up their storefronts, wiping down their windows and washing up their marble facings.
Our first visit was to a fairy tale cathedral and we first glimpsed the modernistic towering basilica over the treetops of an urban forest, blocks away. Four spires were visible with some sort of ball-like structure atop each spire. Making our way through the green park surrounding Sagrada Familia (Sacred family) we arrived near its base and just stood there, awestruck. Its five completed stylistic towers are 170 meters high. Two more are yet to be completed. The decorative exterior is a patchwork of Gospel themed stone carvings on a grand scale.
The crowds were thick and security tight. To get in, we had to go through a security check TSA would have been proud of. We were advised to remove our hats and keep them off. Once inside, we were blown away by its cavernous size and avant-garde artistry. It is estimated that the interior will hold 9,000 worshippers. The outside gives no indication of the extensive rainbow-colored stained-glass windows
Begun in 1882, this is the largest unfinished Roman Catholic Church. Initially the cathedral was designed by and its construction begun by the renowned Catalan architect, Antonio Gaudi. The structure and its ornamentation are nothing at all what a visitor to European cathedrals expects. Realism has been replaced with Expressionism. Harsh details are replaced with light, color and space. Gaudi did away with the typical huge suffering Christ on a cross. Instead, a life-sized Christ in a most realistic pose of a man hung on a cross is positioned in the altar place of honor but is utterly dwarfed by its mammoth surroundings. His humble appearance there strikes a chord as in no other church I have entered.
A part of our tour included visiting the towers. This meant taking a small elevator (no more than seven people at a time) up near the top of one of the five completed towers. Sagrada Familia will probably remain unfinished until the end of this decade due to the lengthy delay caused by the Spanish Revolution and more recently the Covid epidemic. The finished architecture will include 18 spires, one each for Mary, the Gospel writers, Matthew Mark, Luke, and John, (all of these are complete) as well as one each for the twelve apostles and Christ whose spire would be the highest. The view of the city from the heavenly top of the church was absolutely magnificent. The trip down … not so much. No elevator down instead we had to traipse down a 300-step circular staircase. Phew!
Leaving the Sagrada Familia Cathedral behind, we walked back to a bar restaurant outside our hotel where we had a simple lunch of Bratwursts, beer and wine. We retired a bit before setting off on our next adventure to Park Güell. To travel to the Park, we ventured onto the city’s Spanish subway. We had previously purchased a multi-pass and were eager to try it out. We walked five blocks to the nearest tram station. Then traveled two stops on a clean, current, but crowded car (trains ran every 6-7 minutes). Unfortunately. The street signs from there on were less than helpful. We saw no signs to the park itself but several that led us toward the Park’s parking lot. We only realized this after walking six blocks out of our way. One has to understand that the cities we visited were largely built on hills so there was a lot of upping and downing in our travels. Finding our way back to the park, every step was up.
Park Güell was built between 1900 and 1914, and surprise – surprise, designed by Antonio Gaudi until he left off to work on the Sagrada Familia. Originally, it was meant to be the exotic playgrounds of a series of wealthy homes built in Gaudi’s inimitable style. Two homes were built, others were begun and then the project was abandoned. Later it was reinvigorated, not the homes but the surrounding elevated landscape. UP is the best adjective to describe Park Güell. Stone was used in interesting ways forming columns and covered walkways, caves and endless, endless stairways. More steps than It is lovely but exhausting as everything is up. Every time I thought I’d reached the top, I discovered there was more top to reach. Over and over and over again, more up.
Bought a fruit pop and a cold water when we finally descended to the concession stand. Made our way back to the subway and wended our way home. On the walk from the tram stop to our hotel I had to make two stops on community benches as my legs were pretty wobbly. A lot of walking and a lot of stairs today. Jenny tells me we traveled 12 miles (Many of them up) - and tomorrow - tomorrow we go on a walking tour in the old city.
Tonight, we ate in. Jen ordered room service and went around the corner to purchase wine and beer. Showered, ate and happily crashed on our oh-so-comfortable mattress. Looking forward to a night of blessed sleep – but not so much tomorrow’s walking tour.
Buenas Noches.
I am posting a selection of the thousands of pictures we took on Facebook. Look me up there and see what we saw!