Three days in Barcelona
June 25-28, 2017
After the Marriage in El'che of Oscar and Sofia, we boarded the flight to Barcelona early the next morning. This would be our last stop on this European trip which had covered many towns in Italy - Venice, Verona, Bologna, Parma; London, England and another town in Spain - Alicante. We were to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary in Barcelona.
June 25, 2017
We were staying at 'Grupotel Gran Via 678'; and we reached here much before check-in time of 1500 hrs. But they gracefully gave us our room.
My husband decided he has over eaten over the past several days and had to go for a run. I used this time to unpack and freshen up.
Barcelona is in the province of Catalonia in Spain. You must be aware that they are seeking independence from Spain. If you have to understand Barcelona, you have to know Catalan history and Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi is an eccentric architect whose works are simply astounding and very different. He is the finest example of a real eccentric Genius.
We had fixed a tour for 4.30 pm - Gaudi Free walking tour, by Runner Bean Tours to know more about Gaudi.
This tour was also free like the Sanderman's tour we had done in London. We could pay as we thought it was worth and such tours never involves entry to any attraction.
But that was only at 4.30. We were to be in Barcelona for 3 days and we had to buy our Metro Cards. The Hotel told us that there was a metro station very near Casa Batllo and we went there and got us both a 3 day valid card.
Then we went for lunch. We went to a Tapas Bar - Txapela, very near the Metro station. Tapas are short-eats. They serve in small portions and thus you get to taste a variety of dishes. It is something unique to Spain.
The waitress marked us the vegetarian options of the menu sheet. We ordered about 7 plates of Tapas and I decided I loved Patata Bravas!!
(Somethings she said were vegetarian were not really vegetarian. Like 46. It had a prawn on the skewer!)
Time to go to Placa Reial; to meet our guide for the tour. We took the metro to Liceu and walked to the square. It was beautiful!
Catalan has it's own flag which is made of 4 strips of red on an yellow background. Barcelona's flag incorporates this Catalan flag and the Cross of Saint George. St.George is also the Patron saint of England.
Our Tour started with a description of the Placa Reial where one piece has been designed by Gaudi - the lanterns.
From here we went to see (from outside) Palau Guell, the home of Eusebi Guell, a chief patron of Antoni Gaudi. This house was one of the first where the horse driven carriages could enter and the guests could go up to the living area while the horses could go to the stables on the lower levels; preventing the visitors from prying eyes and the turmoils of nature.
We recognised this structure from far because of the broken tiles, used to dress up the chimneys / vents. Signature of Gaudi.
Look at the Phoenix at the entrance.
From here we took the metro, lost 2 people during the ride and reached the metro station near Casa Batllo. (Those 2 people went missing, not died.) I must say the metro in Barcelona is very dirty to look at with lots of graffiti and paint.
Look at the architecture of the various houses on the Passeig de Gracia.
This house looks like a cake.
Looks too floral...
And this? Casa Battlo.....What does it look like?
Fish scales? Skull? Dragon?
The guide explained to us that this home was renovated by Gaudi and is locally called 'the house of bones'. Gaudi did not believe in straight lines and everything was flowy for him. There is a cross at the very top and as Gaudi was very religious, many think he has tried to make the house look like the Dragon slayed by St.George. The outside is decorated with broken tiles; giving the imagery of the scales of the Dragon.
The pavements were designed by Gaudi to look like the Sea floor...The originals have been replaced as they got worn with time.
Next we walked to Casa Mila. This structure was considered so bad, that the locals wanted it demolished. It was called the Quarry House.
Look at the ceiling through the ground floor windows...wavy pattern..
We did not enter this building also, but a very famous object from Star wars takes it's 'look' from the chimney / ventilation vents of this building.
Posting a photo from Wikipedia of the same..
(Photo Courtesy: Bernard Gagnon - Own work)
Next stop was the grandest unfinished work of Antoni Gaudi. On our way to this famous site, where work is still in progress, our Guide told us about how Gaudi fell in love with a woman and how it was never reciprocated. He used to be a very flamboyant young man who loved good food, good wine and dressing up well. But when his love was spurned, he took refuge in the religious teachings of the Church and spend his later years in a very frugal way.
When he became old, he never bothered about his appearance. He used to wear tattered stitched-together clothes and looked like a beggar. Once when he was walking to a church, a tram hit him. The tram driver did not recognise the genius and moved him to the side and continued the tram trip. Antoni Gaudi was thus killed as he did not get the treatment he deserved.
Antoni Gaudi took a lot of his inspiration from nature and this can be seen in his works. He was very reluctant to draw plans and had strange ways of creating structures. He used inverted images of strings hung with weights to create the structure for columns and arches. (I have a taken a photo of this model when I went to see the museum under Sagrada Familia). An eccentric genius! He could/would design everything from furnishings to illumination to wrought ironwork.
Sagrada Familia.
It is the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church in the world and work is expected to get completed by 2025. Gaudi died in 1926 and work still continues.
The 3 sides are...
Nativity Facade
Gaudi was very much into details. And he had helped in the construction of the nativity facade.
Example of his attention to detail..
See the figures depicted. For sculpting them, he studied human skeleton system. He photographed models in various poses with mirrors placed on all sides. Then he made plaster casts of everything. Even animals were not left alone. See the Donkey? The model donkey was sedated and hung from ropes in the ceiling to get a particular stance; said the guide.
This facade was nearly completed when he was alive and this is the most intricately decorated side of the church.
The second is the facade at the other side of the Nativity Facade called Passion Facade.
It is very bare and seem almost made of bones. You will see harsh straight lines here as it is dedicated to the crucifixion of Christ. Gaudi had left some drawings and he had intended for this side to evoke fear in the heart of the onlookers.
It was completed by another sculptor and you can see how he has paid homage to Gaudi if you notice the masks of the soldiers in the second level...does it not remind you of the ventilition towers of Casa Mila?
Christ ascending to Heaven. Notice the figure in between the towers on the connecting bridge.
The third side is Glory Facade.
The guide told that Gaudi's vision was to have a huge bridge connecting this side of the church to a large park, with a mock river flowing in between where the sinners would be shown suffering. Like a bridge between Earth and Heaven; passing over hell. An allusion of avoiding hell and coming straight to Heaven from Earth through prayer. But now there are so many shops around this Church that it will very tough for the authorities to get land for the park.
The tour ended and we took some photos around the Sagrada and walked nearly 3 kms to a very nice restaurant with a roof top seating area - Cer el Cle, Carrer dels Arcs.
There is something in walking through new cities, which makes you get familiarised with the area.
Look at the Giant Thermometer!
What a beautiful way to end the day. :D
26 June, 2017.
We were to see the insides of Sagrada Familia! Yippee.
Not just see the insides, but we were also to climb up the Passion tower.
We had booked our tickets for entry into the church, audio guide and to climb the tower of Passion before we started our trip. We were to be given entry at 10 am and entry up the tower at 10.15. By the time we reached, the gates were crowded. People in clothes not fit for a religious place were asked to either cover-up or return suitably attired. We were allowed entry at 10 and my husband went in search of the Audio guide. As we had 10 minutes to spare before we could ascend the towers, we walked in and got awe-struck. The size and colours and detailing....Amazing.
When we went to the lift which would take us to the very top, the person warned us that if we were afraid of heights, we must not go up; as we had to walk down a steep flight of spiral staircase to come back to ground level.
The lift zoomed up and we were left on our own.
Oh! the view of Barcelona...
Ocean in the distance....
The steep spiral staircase we were to climb down....
We thought we had a close look at the sculpture of Jesus ascending to Heaven....The one we had seen yesterday from oustside...
And the beautifully decorated turrets..
These were decorated with broken tiles to look like loaves of bread and green fruit.
A view of the above, as you climb further down.
Look at these workers; high above the ground..
Graffiti....
And then we were back on ground level. Time to enjoy the beautiful interiors of the church.
Really looks like tall trees in the forest with heavy canopy, right? It is really nature-inspired.
This was on the eastern side...the blue and green. Cool colours when the sun rises.
The west side had red hues..
Time to listen to the Audio guide.
This is the first sight you see when you raise your head before you enter the church...
Incredible, isn't it?
Look at how Gaudi has placed the pillar on top of a sea turtle on one side and on a tortoise on the other.
These doors are made to look like leaves...look at the number of bugs depicted....
The ceiling....Tall trees in the forest! Yes, yes. I am repeating myself. But you must see it with your own eyes to understand it's real beauty. Can you see how the sunlight finds it's way in through the ceiling...Looks like bulbs have been placed. Another of Gaudi's kamaal.
The central nave of the church, starts from glory facade and ends in the pulpit.
Choir stand. It seems when Pope Benedict came in 2010 to consecrate the Church, music by the choir was reverberating inside without any modern sound system. The had made a small recording of the same and anyone who has the audio guide could hear it....mindblowing. The sound effect of the church is amazing!
We now proceed outside to the Passion Facade. Sad side.
Time to give back the audio Guide and head to see the museum. We did not spend much time here, as we had booked a Guided visit at Park Guell at 12.30 pm. It was not what I must have done and many of the advisors on Trip Advisor, were quite sore that I did the same! It was a huge mistake as the museum had so many treasures.
I had time to photograph some but the most important one is the one below.
Remember I had told you how Gaudi used inverted images of strings hung with weights to create the structure for columns and arches? This is one such model of his.
It was an urban development project away from the city awarded to Gaudi by Guell. Guell wanted to sell the plots to 61 well-to-do families. Since it was hilly, Gaudi designed a network of sloping roads with collonaded pathways and stairs. He also built a pillared hall at the entrance which could act as the market area and built a beautiful entrance way with Guard houses.
The Guide told us that only 2 plots were sold and then Guell sold the whole property to the City Council.
Look at how Gaudi has connected the 2 hills with a gentle slope.
Till this point of the park, the entrance was free and open to all.
To enter the Monumental area you need to have a ticket, which was included in the guided tour.
The Guards house.
It seems they had found the skeletons of a mammoth here. So Gaudi made a parking space resembling an elephant!
The grand entrance to Park Guell.
The guide explained to us how Gaudi has tried to not play much with the surroundings and how the water flowing through the spout of the snake is ground water.
The steps up has the famous Gaudi lizard placed in the centre.
The ceiling of the Market place was decorated with broken pieces of glass and if you look carefully you can see how he has reused some old bottles, tea cups in creating this mosaic.
Upstairs is a large open area, which could be used for recreation. And the view of Barcelona from here is incredible.
The famous colonnaded pathway under the roads which have a wave pattern.
Look how Gaudi has seen to it that the roots of the trees from the road can touch the ground and still look beautiful!
We went inside the Guard's house which has now been converted into a gift shop. The insides are said to look like an elephant's. Two large windows, and a hole for the trunk.... We bought some souvenirs from here and a book on Gaudi.
Eye of the elephant from outside...
Inside the gift shop. Look at the 2 windows on either side and the gaping hole in between where the trunk would be. Imagination!!
Handsome dude!
The metro station is quite far from the Park and we had to do a long walk to reach it. And on the way I saw one sign I had been aware was rampant in Barcelona, but had not seen before because the Corporation had removed them.
We went to Liceu again as I had booked the 'Gothic Quarter Free walking Tour'. I felt very sorry for my husband. But he likes to walk and I like to see sights! We did not dare go to our room as then we would have slept and not done the tour.
We had lunch at 'My Bar' (usual: Patata Bravas and chillies). The waitress there is from one of the slavic regions and is a PhD student!
While we were waiting for our Tour to start, we saw some amazing Gymnastics performed by 4 agile incredibly strong men. Please take a look at this video.
The tour took us through the old quarters of Barcelona and told us much about Catalan history. Our guide was a Irish chap who fell in love with Barcelona and stayed on. He did his degree by teaching the Spaniards English at the same college.
Our First stop was Placa del Pi. He showed us a church with Catalan Gothic. It has a single nave with almost no ornamentation. And he showed us a Pine tree which is said to have been used by a Giant to throw at his opponents. It is still standing at the square. 😉
Our second stop was Placa de Sant Felip Neri. This place sports a pockmarked look after 2 bombs exploded simultaneously killing many children studying here in the church school during the world wars.
If you look at these photos, you will see a building which has been moved stone by stone to prevent it's demolition. It was a building belonging to the cobblers association.
From here we moved through some small streets and reached a place which is very important for the Jews.
There existed a sizeable Jewish community in the province of Catalonia since early times. By the fourteenth century the situation of the Jews of Barcelona worsened. Many anti-semitic laws were passed by the kings and by the church making life of Jews miserable. There were forced to convert or were killed. And in the late 14th century, many Jews were massacred following some revolution. This forced the rest to flee and there were no Jews in Barcelona for 500 years.
We saw the Sinagoga Major de Barcelona at the Carrer de Sant Domenec del call. It now in the basement of some houses.
From here, our next stop through the cobbled streets ...
St.James....
Catalan wants Freedom....look how the residents show their dissent by flying just the flag of Catalan.
Our next stop was a beautiful Church - The Cathedral of Barcelona.
The guide showed us some interesting sights on the way.
The bridge between 2 buildings and the remains of the old walls of Barcelona fort.
And through the side of the Church we went to see the Palau Reial Major, adjacent to The Museum of History (MUHBA). The guide wanted us to come back the next day and take a tour of it. He said that way we could enter the Palace. We did not.
Philip V Of Spain took over the reigns of Spain and his accession started a huge war which lasted 14 years. It was only after this war that it was decided France would never rule Spain.
The last stop Basilica de Santa Maria Del Mar or St.Mary of the sea. It is on the edge of the Gothic region. The church was paid for by fishermen and is a fine example of Catalonian Gothic architecture. Very different from Gaudi!
This is the route Map, if you are interested.
We had food at a vegetarian place called Veggie Garden which the guide had loved..
Saw this place on the way...😜
We just wanted to relax and went to see the musical fountain at the end of Ramblas.
27 June, 2017
Our 21st wedding anniversary!
We went to see more Gaudi!
First stop the insides of Casa Batllo. The house which looks like a slayed Dragon.
There were no straight lines in this redone house. Gaudi style. Everything flowed!
These lights give the impression we are under the sea and look like the belly of Giant turtles.
Chimney looks like a giant mushroom and can seat two!
The chandelier is exquisite.
The doorway is also curved and decorated with tinted and plain glasses.
This large door connects two rooms. When opened, this can be a single large room used for entertaining purposes.
Look at the curves on top of the pillars and the lovely blue stained glasses in various hues. Do you feel like you are inside the mouth of a giant fish?
Chandelier or flower? Even the ceiling is not plain and flat but with concentric waves.
Look outside the window. The pillar looks like a bare bone!
How lovely this light looks and how it illuminates the wallpaper. Continues the effect of sea and underwater themes. The shade looks like a sea shell.
Moving to another room....Look at the ceiling here..
Walking out...
This is how the outside of the house from this side.
The tiles....
The 2 pillars leading into the house has such a faint tint of colour....
The stairs....
These vents can be opened or closed according to the weather....
There is a central core where the tiles are placed in such a way that the light tiles are at the bottom and darker tiles are the top.
The doors on each floor are marked with alphabets.
Cleaners at work.
Looks like dragon scales, right?
Look down to the road and do you see those balcony railings which look like bony eye-sockets?
The cross of St.George which has pierced the dragon!!
We had to walk down the stairs again. But no complaints.
The gift shop was filled with Gaudi stuff.
Time to see Palau Guell, off Ramblas.
Remember we had seen this from outside on the first day? And the guide had told us that this was the first house where the horse drawn carriages could drop their masters at the door step and proceed straight to the stables down stairs...
As soon as you enter the gateway....
this beautiful stairs greets you.
And on the side of this stairway, is the carriage way. The carriages / horses proceed further down...
Into the stables...where even the tethering points are decorated!!
The scaled down version of the Palace front
and back...
We saw our same guide explain to another set of Tourists about Palau Guell, while we were inside!!
How beautifully has Gaudi etched Eusebi Guell's alphabets in the window glass.
The dining area with a giant piano on the other side.
Look up and you feel small bulbs have been fixed. It is light streaming in, just like in Sagrada Familia. Gaudi style!
This was the chapel inside the home. When the doors closed, this became a giant entertainment area. The piano is on the left and beyond that is the dining area.
The family could look down from above to see their guests as their living quarters were upstairs.
Even the furniture was done by Gaudi. This is the cat and mouse chair.
How beautiful does the toilet look!
Upstairs...the turrets...
We wanted to see the Ocean. Enough of houses and palaces and interiors and architecture.
We walked through the Ramblas and saw people dressed as John Lennon, Alien and many other interesting characters. They stand like statues. If you pay them, they will move and you can take a photograph with them.
The Meditteranean Sea!!
Food in Barcelona continued to disappointed us.
This vegetable paella was old and stale?
And we wanted to have dinner at a fancy place as it was our anniversary. We zeroed in on aplce specialising in Italian cuisine - Belle e Buon. Cannot go wrong with Pasta!!
We left a little early and spent some time at a park near the restaurant. It was nice to see the children, their moms / dads and dogs playing.
There was a particular young dog who would not retrieve his ball from the water. It is amazing to see the patience of the 2 women who were trying to train him.
Belle Buon did not disappoint!
Hope you too enjoyed the journey with us through this blog and photos.
Until next trip.....ADIOS, AMIGO!
P.S. - By the time we were back home in Cochin, our daughter was going to school and had recovered completely from Dengue. I think she look plumper/taller than 3 weeks ago.
My mom needed just a reason to feed her and as she is great at spinning a yarn. She had convinced my daughter that only home cooked healthy food like fresh fruit/vegetable juice, more number of dosais and more rice soaked in ghee or curd will help her recover. It reminded me of the days after my delivery when I had not been allowed to enter the kitchen and when I did enter was shocked to see that I had been fed six 5 kilo jars of 'Horlicks'!! My, mom.😙😙
And my daughter told me her grand dad (my father) used to take parcelled food and commute everyday to office in the next district (80 km away). Saturdays and Sundays, he would skip work and they would visit temples, watch TV and eat ice cream. The love story of my parents!
My in-laws. My father-in-law was back home from hospital and he was doing great. His prostate had been scrapped and was slowly recovering. My mother-in-law continues to be a strong woman and still does all the work at home including taking care of her cranky husband. I hope I have as much energy/patience as she does at her age. 🙂
And my elder daughter finished her course in LSE and made more friends than before from many more countries. She scored an A grade for the course. But what I loved is her dreams has expanded and her vision has been enlarged.
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