[PICTURED: Light pours into Sagrada Familia through colorful stained glass windows.]
We all met for breakfast in the morning, and everyone was well pleased with the Alexandra’s complimentary breakfast buffet, comparing it favorably to the Horizon Buffet for having cut fruit (diced, really) and fresher pastries, and things like that. Aaron and I would still rather have been at the Horizon Buffet. Not a close call for me, but Aaron and I stood alone.
Next, Aaron, Toni, Chiara, and I visited the nearby Gaudi House La Pedrera (“The Quarry,” a derisive name bestowed by angry locals during its construction), which we had missed on our previous visit. La Pedrera was just like any other Gaudi architectural work because you got the distinct sense that you were inside a living organism, especially in the attic of La Pedrera, which the exhibit strongly suggested was inspired by a python skeleton. But the audio tour and movies and models and displays inside were excellent.
We randomly chose another great lunch spot – “Lizzaran,” which means “Lizard” in Basque and serves pretty wild appetizers.
By now, Gianna especially, and I think Sam, were pretty much in love with Barcelona, because of its food and architecture and city's attitude.
Next, Gianna, Sam, Chiara, and I took the subway to Sagrada Familia. Sagrada Familia is a mind-blowing experience for anyone with a mind to blow. I had my mind blown last year when Toni dragged us there without a lot of prior explanation. Sam and Gianna suffered a similar mental meltdown when Gaudi redefined the possibilities for Christianity and Worship, anticipating the naturalism of the 20th century’s environmental movement by a century.
There’s no reason to try to describe Sagrada Familia with words; you just have to enter the space, but the audio tour and the trip to the top by elevator were fantastic. We spent hours there.
We went back to Toto for dinner, this time with Aaron and Toni, who had spent their afternoon touring Barcelona’s Gothic quarter and watching France beat Croatia to win the World Cup. A good time was had by all.
[PICTURED: Chiara, Toni, and Aaron approach the main entrance to Gaudi's La Pedrera.]
[PICTURED: Main entrance to La Pedrera, looking straight up.]
[PICTURED: La Pedrera's rooftop tiled structures -- these are chimnies? Notice Toni on the right.]
[PICTURED: More strange rooftop structures on La Pedrera. Aaron is taking a photo of a crack in the railing; Toni is outraged by something in the audioguide.]
[PICTURED: Gaudi exhibits in La Pedrera's attic, including one suggesting that the architecture was inspired by a python skeleton -- you think?]
[PICTURED: The view from the roof of La Pedrera looking toward Casa Battlo, a few blocks down and across the street.]
[PICTURED: Outside the Nativity Facade of Sagrada Familia, Gianna poses below and stone iguana that is crawling down the building.]
[PICTURED: Gianna and Chiara with a Sea Turtle that is holding up one of the two main entrance pillars on the Nativity side; the other pillar is supported by a tortoise.]
[PICTURED: The great metal entrance doors on the Nativity side show a plant motif, but Gianna and Sam have carefully positioned themselves to try not to obscure the fact that the leaves are crawling with insects -- spiders, ladybugs, rhinoceros beetles, etc..]
[PICTURED: Inside Sagrada Familia.]
[PICTURED: Gives some sense of the scale.]
[PICTURED: The peculiar, forest-like ceiling.]
[PICTURED: The blue and green glass on the Nativity side.]
[PICTURED: Orange light pours in from the Passion side.]
[PICTURED: The Passion side head-on. Just out of the top of the frame is where the choir sits.]
[PICTURED: The Crypt, where Gaudi is buried, was closed when we were there (we didn't want to wait an hour), but we were able to peak through the glass windows from the sanctuary that actually allowed light from the sky to reach the crypt.]
[PICTURED: An elevator on the Passion side took us up 18 stories, providing good views of the colorful fruit spires.]
[PICTURED: The top of the Passion Towers also gives a great view of Barcelona's cruise port. It looks like Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas is in port today, currently the largest cruise ship in the world.]
[PICTURED: From the Passion Tower we were also able to see Jesus as he ascends to Heaven, which was obscured by construction from below. En route to heaven, Jesus doesn't seem to gaze skyward, though; instead, he looks longingly toward the cruise port. How did Gaudi know???]
[PICTURED: One last look at the Passion Facade -- this is a big wall photo in Sagrada Familia's basement museum.]
[PICTURED: The descent to the ground ends in a dizzying spiral staircase with a straight view to the bottom and only one handrail, obviously inspired a Satan's Hell Snail.]
[PICTURED: Back at TOTO for dinner, this time with Aaron and Sam, and there was much merriment.]
[PICTURED: Time for a TOTO versus Crown Princess Gourmet Cage Match. A) Candied Pork Ribs at TOTO. B) Cheese Pizza at TOTO. C) Some kind of breaded cutlet or something like chicken-fried steak -- Toni, what did you get? EDIT: She says she got the Milanesa!]
