Last time I was in Barcelona was summer 2011, after graduating from Montclair State. Robin and I backpacked around Spain and Italy, staying in hostels. This time around is a little different. I am traveling with family, so everything is a lot more fancy.
We arrived this morning at around 9:20 AM, and went through customs pretty quickly. We didn´t have to fill out any paperwork which was really nice. The airport in Barcelona is beautiful, a lot of glass windows, very modern. Jeremy met us at customs and it was great to see him! He now dresses very fancy, in nice pants and top and a scarf!! I think more American men need to head over here and learn how to dress.
We hopped in a cab and came to the hotel to drop our bags and change. The game plan we decided on was to visit Sagrada Familia (church). Robin and I visited the church last time, but we went at night. Seeing it during the day was just as breath-taking. The church is huge, and you can´t stop looking at it. For the past few years they have been working on the outside, cleaning the soot off. Once side is completely white, and the other side black. It was crazy to see the difference. We didn´t go inside today since the line to buy tickets was about two hours. However, while looking at the church, we started talking to another couple. They said that you can buy tickets online, and pick them up at an ATM at la Caixa bank. All you need to do is enter the credit card you used, and select pick up tickets. Brilliant idea Barcelona!
Since we decided to skip the church today, we wanted to walk around the whole thing and see the back. According to a guide (that we overheard) the back of the church represents Jesus´ birth, and the front of the church represents his crucifixion. Pretty interesting.
After looking at the church, we pre-ordered tickets to visit La Pedrera. This building was built by Guadi (who also created Parc Guell). It was an apartment building, but the architecture is so unique and stunning. We bought the audio guide and learned a lot. When you walk in, you´re not expecting the building to be circular, but it is. The walls are painted multiple colors, bleeding into each other. However, when you look up, you realize there is no ceiling. It´s like a courtyard. The walls near the top have been bleached white from the sun, and only the lower half of the building is still painted. The first stop was the roof. There you can see views of the city, including the Sagrada Familia and the W hotel. There are many spires on the roof, and the walkway is curvy and full of steps. The second floor visited was the attic. The ceilings are rounded into the walls, and it is very dark inside, kind of like a cave, but not dark and damp. This had different artifacts and information about the different projects Gaudi worked on. The third and final stop was to see an apartment. These apartments are huge! Each had 3 bedrooms plus a servants room, office, living room, dining room, and two bathrooms. The ceilings and door frames had different moldings on them. The floor was also done specially. The child´s room had a special green tile, and the floor in the dining room and living room was a special wood. This was to show that the family was separate from the servant. I highly recommend visiting the museum. It was awesome to see the architecture. However when you do buy the tickets, do some research online and buy them in association with other museums. You will get a much better deal, and if you order online, you can skip the lines!
So far that is all we have done today. It is now 5 pm, and after traveling/exploring for about 25 hours, we are ready for a little siesta. We will be going to dinner in a bit, and then hopefully walking around after. I would like to see La Pedrera lit up at night as well as Sagrada Familia.
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