For our first full day in Barcelona, we are touring the
treasured works of Antoni Gaudi.
This, I
fear, is like eating the icing before you even bake the cake.
Why save the best for last when you can do it
first?
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| Casa Mila |
Our adventure started with La Sagrada Familia, the epic Basilica,
and ongoing project that Antoni Gaudi has left for the world to finish.
With plans to complete it by 2026 (the 100
th
anniversary of Gaudi’s death), the basilica remains a construction site.
We will one day have to visit it for pictures
without cranes.
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| A work in progress |
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| Amazing Doors |
The façade of the church is amazing, basically providing a
highlights reel review of the entire bible.
Sculpted in different styles by Gaudi and other modernist movement
artists, it provides for some amazing Christian eye-candy.
With not all of the outer walls yet
completed, the opportunity for more amazing artists to impact this tribute to the
Holy Family remains.
We arrived early
for our tour and stayed afterwards trying to soak in as much as we could.
If you have visited the Basilica, then you know trying to
explain it in words is impossible. So,
like most, I will offer pictures that capture a minute piece of the
splendor.
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| La Sagrada Familia - The Holy Family | | |
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One special moment for me came when Siena noticed grapes
hung around the cross above the alter.
Siena looks up at Christ on the Cross and sees grapes hung around the
umbrella like structure and says "they make wine from grapes and that's
the blood of Christ in church so that's why there are grapes daddy". So
observant and so logical through the eyes of a child.
I know a few pastors who would be proud of
her.
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| The Grapes |
Following a quick bite, we ventured further into Gaudi’s
world, Casa Mila. La Pedrera as it is
also known is a wonderful example of Gaudi’s architecture. The inside of the apartment complex is
lovely and has unique designs, but it is known for its roof top. This roof top held a special appeal to us for
its sculptures. They are something Siena had learned about and drawn in
Kindergarten. Just before our trip we
showed it to her again and we were so excited to share the real thing with
her.
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| Casa Mila |
The roof top sculptures were beautiful and were a perfect
backdrop to views of Barcelona (and my girls).
We took time to enjoy them all.
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| On the Roof |
Our day concluded with two more Gaudi treasures, Park Guell
and Casa de Gaudi.
The park houses
buildings and an architectural style that feels as though it comes right out of
Whoville.
The Grinch would feel
comfortable here.
We toured the park and
then went to visit Gaudi’s home which is now a small museum to his interior
design work.
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| Park Guell |
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| Looks like Whoville to Me |
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| Woman with Fruit Basket |
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| Mosaic Tiles Everywhere |
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| Beautiful Colors and Beautiful Wife |
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| Park Guell |
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| Gaudi's Home |
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| Gardens at Gaudi's Home |
It was a full day and before we knew it was after 8 PM and
dinner time.
It was our first night of
learning that Siena can go all the way through to midnight if you don’t change
her schedule too much.
It was a huge day
of sightseeing and family fun.
To cap it
off we went to a “fancy restaurant” (Siena considers any place with linen table
clothes, preferably white, and live music a fancy restaurant) for a
pre-birthday dinner.
Neyres was a “fancy
restaurant” with great food, a candle and cake for our first birthday
celebration.
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| Let the Birthday Celebrations Begin |
