Barcelona

Dec 28, 2007-Jan 1, 2008
AC872 YYZ-FRA, LH4452 FRA-BCN, LH4451 BNA-FRA, AC877 FRA-YYZ

We had considered a New Year’s trip to Spain in 2005, but with the earlier terrorist attacks in Madrid chickened out before booking.  Having heard very good things about Barcelona and feeling a little more brave, we went forward with a Barcelona-focused trip to end 2007.  Given that Barcelona is isolated from the other major attractions in Spain, it made for a good, short, city-focused trip.  The weather was sunny, but a little brisk, particularly in the mornings and evenings.  In addition to Barcelona, we did a side trip to Figueres and Girona, chiefly to see the very cool Dali Museum, designed by Dali in his later years and the location of his tomb.  We stayed at the Barcelona Hilton, a little outside the core, but on the subway, where we were treated very well.  We celebrated the New Year at a nice seafood restaurant on the coast.  Other than a long delay on our train to Figueres, the travel was pretty good, and after a year of expensive travel, we very much enjoyed the inexpensive food and wine.   

Dec 29

Arrived on Saturday afternoon and had the afternoon and evening for sightseeing

Columbus Monument at the foot of the Rambla

La Rambla de Mar extends into the harbour

Rambla architecture

One of many street performers vying for the tourist dollar

Narrow streets of the gothic quarter

One of the few views of Barcelona cathedral with a crane or awning

Part of an old roman aqueduct

Interesting architecture in the gothic quarter

Roman columns surrounded by other buildings with a protective glass roof

One of many cathedrals in the gothic quarter

The Picasso Museum from the only vantage point from which the guards will allow photos

Along the waterfront and the Columbus monument at night

Dec 30
The morning in Barcelona and the afternoon we take the train north

Gaudi’s modernist Sagrada Familia Church (1883-2030?) early morning before the crowds

One of many views with cranes; progress has been slow, but definitely an interesting structure

We take the first elevator to one of the towers for a better view of the church and city

The inside of the tower, walking down

Current construction centred on the fruit decoration

One a number of figures on the newer side of the church up close

The narrow circular staircase we take down the tower

Despite not having a roof or permanent seating they still do Sunday service

The nativity facade completed by Gaudi before his last work in 1926

Some of the details of the facade

The exterior of the Dali Museum in Figueres after a frustratingly slow ride on the Train in Spain

The exterior courtyard car and statue.  Feed the car a euro and get green rain inside the car

Large painting in the central atrium, Dali’s tomb is directly below here

An interesting installation with a room-sized face on the floor and eyes on the wall

We line up to get the full facial effect looking through the fish eye lens under the camel

A lot of effort for the payout, but a pretty cool effect

Dali’s homage to the Sistine Chapel

The rear view of the museum

Our for a stroll in the medieval portion of Girona

Much of the old city is up the hill down the narrow corridors and stairs

Girona’s cathedral next to our Hotel Historic rung out hourly to reminded us of its presence

Dec 31
We start out early for the first train into Barcelona

Navigating the narrow streets back to the train station

Exterior of the Catalana Concert Hall, a modernist building not built by Gaudi

We lined up for an hour for tickets to tour the interior, only a little chaotic

Concert hall exterior

Original ticket booth

Another Gaudi modernist building in the Block of Discord

Gaudi’s La Pedrera with crowds lined up for hours... we pass right by and will return later

Looking up on Park Guell, Gaudi’s urban park

Close up of one of the park fountains

Some perspective on the size of the park.  It’s not all strange architecture

A crowded overlook at one of the peaks

View down to the pickle shaped 31-story Torre Agbar on the left and Sagrada Familia

Looking up to Tibidabo and the Torre de Collserola communication tower

We head back down into the city; unfortunately the escalators only go up

A little lost. I think the map must have been upside down

Barcelona Cathedral with scaffolding

After a funicular and cable car ride to Castell de Montjuic

Castle moat and exterior walls

The city below and mountains to the North

The city and the cable car that brought us up here

Looking up at Gaudi’s Pedrera atrium.  Luckily the line was gone when we returned. 

Barcelona streets from the Pedrera roof

Some of the many chimneys from the apartments below

The roof, atrium and apartment balconies below

One of the rooms in the restored Pedrera apartments

La Pedrera exterior lit up at night

Port Vell restaurants and shops alongside the sailboats

Frank Gehry’s Peix sculpture lit up at night

An interesting sculpture on our way back from the restaurant

Jan 1

Left on New Year’s morning, navigating our way through drunken revelers heading home