Oh yes, occasionally I need it to find a specific address, such as a restaurant, but for the most part now I can just glide through the streets. Even if I haven't been on a street, I know now the general parameters of the city, so I get us going in the right direction. Often times now I just take off on streets we've not been down, simply relying on my good general sense of direction. Carol trusts me on this, partly because I've got a great track record on it, and partly because she doesn't want to have to take the time to figure it out!
Anyhow, we took them past the highlights of the Barri Gotic, before stopping for lunch at Santa Caterina market. I found the one unoccupied outside table at the three front restaurants, and grabbed it. The tapas were quite good, and the market was bustling. Don was really taken with it -- all the fresh seafood, meat, and fruit.
After lunch, they got their first experience on Barcelona's wondrous Metro system, as I had gotten us tickets for a tour of Sagrada Familia. Having just been there a little over 48 hours ago with Maddy, you might think we would be bored by it, but we weren't. I still need to go back at least one more time to take more pictures of the facade, but I will never tire of Sagrada Familia.
We had 45 minutes from our ticket time until our tour, so Carol and I showed them around, first describing the Nativity facade and then showing them the inside of the basilica. We held off on the Passion facade for later.
They were appropriately blown away. Then we joined the 50 minute tour, on which our guide did a nice job of balancing the provision of information and keeping us moving.
Don and Jennifer had been in Barcelona twice -- at the beginning of a cruise and the end of that same cruise, but had not time to tour the city. I think they were stunned at Sagrada Familia. It's literally nothing you have ever seen before. The Nativity facade by Gaudi is amazing, whilst I find the Passion facade by Josep Subirachs to be mind-blowing. However, the soaring inside of Sagrad Familia is the capstone. Oh, heck, enough of trying to pick a favorite!
I didn't take nearly the same number of pictures this trip to Sagrada Familia as I did on Monday. But, I still took some photos! Here are the best from Wednesday, September 25th:
Barcelona is a city of dogs. Gaudi
added one to his Nativity facade.
There's a bull keeping an eye on the Baby Jesus.
All of the stained glass windows have the
names of saints and sanctuaries.
"Montserrat" is on the circular window.
The magic square. All directions (including
diagonal) add to 33, which was the age of
Jesus at the crucifixion.
The Alpha and Omega.
This rooster's tail is nearly hidden behind Peter.
You have to crane your neck to see
what's complete on the Glory facade.
I don't remember who these people
are, but I had to include this
striking sculpture.
One of the tops of a completed tower.
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