La Pedrera -- No Such Thing As Too Much Gaudi

We took Don and Jennifer to La Pedrera for their first Gaudi.  An apartment building, the critics were unmerciful when it first built.  It's actual name is Casa Mila.  La Pedrera is the derisive nickname that snooty Barcelonians gave it, meaning the "the quarry," as they mocked it for looking like a quarry.

Don't feel sorry for Gaudi.  La Pedrera is a UNESCO World Heritage site (as it should be), so he got the sweetest revenge.

The coolest part of La Pedrera is the rooftop, which is where we went via elevator after a brief start in the open air courtyard of the building.  The rooftop chimneys are said to be the inspiration for the storm trooper helmets in Star Wars.

After wandering around the roof for a while, we headed down to the attic, and then to the one floor that is open.  That floor is set up as it would have been when first occupied.  Gaudi's creative use of shapes and light really shows through here.

I could wax on rhapsodically about Gaudi and La Pedrera, but I will let the photos do the talking.

Rooftop selfie

One of the balconies. Photo taken from the street.

Photo of part of the roof from

the street.  Awesome zoom.

From the courtyard looking up.

It's a cheesy green screen photo, but it

shows the size of La Pedrera.  And us.

Group pic, non-selfie division.

Love these rooftop chimneys.

Gaudi's Sagrada Familia from

his La Pedrera.  This is the Passion

side, so he did not build this.

The pinnacles, or caps, of the towers at

Sagrada Familia.  My lightweight camera

has an incredible zoom (thanks, Pierre --

you made my traveling camera life so

much better, easier!)

Torre Agbar from the roof.

A view of the attic.  Spectacular.

While I think Gaudi's furniture designs are art. . .

they sure don't look comfortable to me!

After our visit, at around 7 pm, we walked the one block to the Hotel Majestic.  We had stayed there ten years ago as a family, and they have a wonderful rooftop bar and restaurant.  All we wanted was a drink, not dinner.  It's a pretty nice hotel, and we weren't exactly dressed to the nines (as you can see from the above photos).  

To our pleasant surprise, they seated us.  And it was perfect.  There was a nice breeze, views for miles, and good company.  We stayed much longer than we expected, enjoying the evening.  It was hard to leave.  

On the way back, we stopped for dinner.  Toothpick tapas at Sagardi again -- Don and Jennifer enjoyed it!  Another great day.