My Fellow Travelers Get The Last Word

When it is more than just Carol and I on a trip, I like to ask everyone some questions to get their perspective on it.  I don’t answer my own questions; you’ve heard enough from me with these long blog posts.  I appreciate your indulgence in reading these.  

First question: 

What is your favorite aspect of Barcelona?  Please expound a bit

Carol: When we first went to Barcelona in 2009, I told the family that these were my people. We had just finished a cruise from Athens to Istanbul, spending a few days in Istanbul after the cruise.  I felt very constrained in Istanbul, but when we got to Barcelona I felt so comfortable there.  That feeling continued with our trips in 2019 and now in 2022.  

The city is very accessible, even in the old Bari Gotic with its tight winding streets.  The people are friendly, even when I use my very poor Spanish.  The food and wine are delicious (I think in a previous life I was Spanish).  The culture and architecture are amazing.  I have quasi joked with people who asked about Barcelona that if my children didn't live and work in the US, I could retire to Barcelona.

Don: Barcelona’s architecture. Especially its churches (exterior and interior). Stunning!

Jennifer: Being able to walk everywhere and watching Glen get into an argument on the train.

Second Question:

On this trip, what was your favorite house/cathedral/park/etc. that we visited, and why? 

Don: Casa Vicens. Gaudi’s attention to detail and selection of ceramic color tiles. Simply gorgeous.

Jennifer: Hospital de Sant Pau, because I said so. 

Carol: Santa Maria Del Mar - as Glen has described it as "our" church while in Barcelona.  There is something special about that place that makes me happy when we visit.

Third Question:

Second choice?

Jennifer: Torre Bellesguard

Carol: Santa Maria Del Pi - we didn't visit the church in 2019 because it has a 5 Euro entry fee and I was being cheap - don't ask me why.  I watched a very silly movie before this trip called Uncharted - an Indiana. Jones rip-off - starting Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg.  A big hunk of the movie takes place in Barcelona and you could tell they filmed it there.  A big part of the narrative is advanced in the church of Santa Maria del Pi which looked beautiful  So we had to go this time - the 5 Euro be damned.  It is a beautiful church in the Catalan Gothic style with a beautiful rose window. You could tell they filmed some of the movie there as well.  

Don: Sant Pau Hospital. The formal richness of the facility is amazing.

Fourth Question:

If you had a friend going to Barcelona, what you tell them they had to do (other than Sagrada Familia)?

Carol: Hospital de Sant Pau - another example of Catalan Modernismo - designed by Domenech, a contemporary of Gaudi.  An amazing example of something utilitarian being beautiful as well. Modern architects could learn something.

Don: Montjuic for its view. The beach for its beauty. Churches for architecture and their beauty. All of Gaudi’s buildings to marvel at his ingenious works. Definitely plan to spend a minimum of one week and that’s not long enough.

Jennifer: Not to get on a train with Glen when someone’s playing a loud video.

Fifth Question:

List, in order, your favorite three restaurants. What made each of them special?

Don: 

A. Cal Pep for its delicious food and organized chaos. 

B. Lunch at El Xalet du Montjuic for its view. 

C. Dinner at Cocina Hermanos Torres for its ambience and superior service.

Jennifer :

A. Cal Pep (atmosphere)

B. El Xalet (food and view)

C. El Xampanyet(I dunno)

Carol: 

A. Hermanos Torres - incredible food - everything was choreographed like a theatrical production

B. Cal Pep - great tapas, great atmosphere

C. Tie - El Xalet (food and view) and El Xampanet (first restaurant we went to in 2019 - love the cava and the crazy atmosphere)

(Blogger gets the last, last word: Don’s description of Cal Pep’s “organized chaos” is a great way to describe the entertainment dinner at the counter provides.)

The Night Time Is The Right Time

In planning for the trip, I stumbled across the Nighttime Experience at LaPedrera, Gaudi's famed apartment building just 1.5 blocks up the street from our apartment.

We didn't really have an open night, so I booked it for 7pm Saturday night after Don and Jennifer had left and then booked our final dinner for 9pm at Sensi Tapas, because they take reservations.  I didn't want to show up at a restaurant at 9pm and not have a table available.

We met in the outside lobby in the building, and then either took the elevator or walked the seven stories to the attic.  We got a brief but interesting tour of the attic before going out on the roof.

Looking out the top of the front door.

Notice the imaginative circles of glass.

The ceiling of the stairs up to the apartments.

The great architect

himself, Antoni Gaudi.

The arches of the attic provide

extra strength for the building.

Beauty and strength.

My third visit to La Pedrera.  My third blog

which includes a picture of furniture.

The actual name of the apartment building is Casa Mila, named after the family who hired Gaudi to design/build it.  It was called "La Pedrera" by the locals who thought, from the outside, it looked like "The Quarry."  The name stuck, even though the negative connotations did not.

There are seventeen apartment -- one huge one taking up the entire main floor for the Milas to live in, and then four per floor for four floors. It had an elevator that took seven minutes from bottom to top, as well as multiple stairs so servants could go right to the apartment where they worked instead of taking the elevator or main staircase.

The owners of the building no longer rent out empty apartments.  There are three apartments still be rented to elderly ladies who were grandfathered in (I'm betting they each have multiple cats).  As those three die off, the apartments will no longer be rented.  I'm a bit vague on what the plans are for the building after that.

Right now, there are top floor apartments open to the public during the daytime.  The place makes for an interesting visit, but it's not as amazing as nearby Casa Batllo or Palau Guell, or further out Torre Bellesguard or Casa Vicens.

The rooftop chimneys are the most spectacular part of the building.  They are said to be the inspiration for the Star Wars Stormtrooper helmets, except that the chimneys are better shots and would have actually killed Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia, not to mention C3-PO (but not Chewbacca or R2-D2).  So, yeah, it is worth going to during the day if you haven't been.

Anyhow, we went up to the rooftop, which affords wonderful views of the area.  The main attraction for the night viewing is the light show, which projects onto the larger parts of the rooftop.  I'm not sure what they cover -- mechanicals of some sort, I suppose.  They didn't really light up the stormtrooper chimneys.

The next bunch of pictures are

from the light show.  A number

of pictures I got were either

not in focus or not very

interesting.  

Of course, cynical readers

might note that these are

not very interesting either.

In which case I can't blame you.

I guess you had to be there.

I guess I have an

eye for photography?

Gaudi-esque in the coloring.

Sagradi Familia from the

rooftop of La Padrera.

Sagrada Familia close-up.

Casa Batllo at night.

Amazing coloring.

Our hotel.  It was not worth taking

a picture of the apartment building.

Despite the hassles we had with

the staff, the location and amenities

of the hotel itself couldn't be beat.

Bar Boqueria For The Win!

After Palau Guell, we weren't hungry for lunch yet, so we wandered through Plaza Real and down to the Basilica de la Merced, taking narrow alleys all the way.  In 2019, just across from the church, there had been a large apartment for sale.  Carol was curious, after COVID, if it had sold yet.

Fountain in Plaza Real

Rando alley connecting

Plaza Real with the

Church of Mercy.

The Basilica of la Merced.

There's a famous statue on top of the church.  Building began on a Gothic church in 1290.  By 1335, three chapels had been built.  In 1767 the church was demolished and replaced with the Italian Baroque

that stands there today.  We had gone in during our tour day of 15 minute churches.  Carol was too deflated from her condo being sold that she had no interest in going back in the church.  Instead we rested in the square and enjoyed some water and a snack.

The majestic statue of Mary and

Jesus on top of the church is

from 1888.  It is a sight to behold.

Neptune and his trident look at

the church while he reigns over

a fountain.

The tiles on the roof is quite ornate.

Note the carved crown at the

bottom of the photo.

A close-up of the tiles.

To her credit, Carol talked me into going back to La Boqueria to take a shot at getting a much tastier and happier lunch than the day before, when we got redirected away from Bar Central into their cruddy restaurant in the back.  We also figured it would be easier getting bar seats for two rather than four.

Bar Central was full, which I was fine with, as I didn't like the way they bait and switched the four of us on Friday.  Some other counters were also full, but when we came to Bar Boqueria the scales fell from my eyes (yes, it's a bit of a stretch to use an Apostle Paul reference here) and I remembered this was the other bar we had eaten at in La Boqueria. . .and it had been fantastic.

Carol grabbed one stool.  There were no other openings.  I stood behind her and reached across to start eating when the food came.  Suddenly, people next to her left, so I was able to get a seat.

The food was fabulous.  Padron Peppers, Octopus, and a large plate of Jamon with pan con tomate (bread smeared with tomato -- it's amazing when done right!).  Carol had earned her sangria, and I earned my cerveza.  

Padron Peppers.  Typically the

Russian Roulette of Peppers,

we didn't a single hot spicy

on this trip.  A bummer, but

the non-hot ones do taste great.

Nothing finer than Iberico

jamon and pan con tomato.  

Octopus on potato.  It doesn't get much better.

I talked a bit with the dad and his 20 & 23 year old daughters .  One was doing her study abroad, and dad/older sis were here visiting her.  They didn't know what to order, so I advised to get the same things we got -- and they were loving it.  I also recommended they go to Cal Pep, El Xampanyet, and Vasos de Oro for dinners.  They were quite excited by my descriptions of the restaurant, so I hope they were able to get to them.  I have to believe that even today, they are saying, "man, we sure were lucky to run into that guy from Virginia and get his restaurant recommendations!"

On the way out, I stopped for three more oysters.  I was in La Boqueria heaven.

Fully sated, we walked back home so we (mostly Carol) could pack for the early wake-up in the morning.

Two more Modernisme photos

from buildings at Plaza

Catalunya.

And one last daylight Gaudi photo of the 

stormtrooper chimneys on La Pedrera

We had two more things planned -- the nighttime experience at La Pedrera and dinner.  And then it was to bed and back to the States.  

The Best Gaudi Rooftop

Palau Guell was not open to the public in 2009, they were still in the process of refurbishing it.  Another Gaudi UNESCO World Heritage site (remember, loyal readers: "UNESCO means you must go!")

(If you are new to the blog, the "UNESCO means you must go!" saying rhymes and is a good rule of thumb to remember that if something is a UNESCO World Heritage site, it's definitely worth going to see.)

Palau (meaning "Palace") Guell is a stunning Gaudi work just off La Rambla, and was built for Eusebi Guell and his family.  Guell was a wealthy industrialist and leading patron of Gaudi.  The house was an early project of Gaudi, built between 1886 and 1890.  

We went at least three times in 2019, going ourselves once, taking Maddy once, and then going again with Don and Jennifer.  This time it was just Carol and I, as Don and Jennifer headed home a day before us.

A brief description of the house, from Wikipedia:

"The home is centered around the main room for entertaining high society guests. Guests entered the home in horse-drawn carriages through the front iron gates, which featured a parabolic arch and intricate patterns of forged ironwork resembling seaweed and in some parts a horsewhip. Animals could be taken down a ramp and kept in the livery stable in the basement where the servants resided, while the guests went up the stairs to the receiving room. The ornate walls and ceilings of the receiving room disguised small viewing windows high on the walls where the owners of the home could view their guests from the upper floor and get a "sneak peek" before greeting them, in case they needed to adjust their attire accordingly."

The entire house is open to the public, so not only do you visit the living space, but also the bedrooms, the back patio, and, of course, the rooftop.

I have written so much about the trip, I'm going to let the photos tell the story, and I will fill in the blanks with the captions.

For tying up horses.

Brilliant light.

Quite the ceiling

Another amazing ceiling.

Armchair Dragon.

The main room from below.

The entry to the room used

for the family's worship.

The main room from above.

Fireplace fresco.

Representations of skulls

now fascinate me. 

I'm not sure why.

The old cathedral from the roof.

Beautiful chimney. . .

one of many.

This one and. . .

This one are the two most

iconic designs on the roof.

A bat, man.

From the street.

Carol on the second floor balcony.

Photo by Carol/iPhone.

Ditto.

And this one.

I'm really glad Carol took this

photo -- I missed it. That's the

beachfront W Hotel in the

background.

Carol selfie.

The chimneys are quite photogenic.

Another Carol selfie.

Carol is also quite photogenic.