Gaudi

Today, we were on the trail of Gaudí. Who is Gaudí? He is a famous architect who lived here in Barcelona around the 1900s. He was a pioneer of his time, much like Frank Gehry today. A little mad man, a little genius. What is also interesting about him is that in his younger years, he was very rebellious; however, as he grew older, he was commissioned by the church to do some work for them. Through his day-to-day relationship with the monks, he grew closer to God. Our first stop was La Peddera, a building that was designed for family living. When visiting these attractions in Barcelona, allow yourself plenty of time, as the lines can be long and it takes some time to get through each one. The building is divided into three sections: the rooftop, also known as the terraza, the attic, and the apartment. I didn’t show any photos of the apartment, but it was very beautiful. Next was the cathedral, or Sagrada Família. It is approximately a 20-minute walk from La Pederra, or you can take the metro. We did not go inside because we had not purchased tickets in advance, and the line was quite long. Also, the ticket prices are pretty steep. This church is still under construction and is not expected to be finished until 2050. It is like looking at something constructed out of Star Wars. The building showcases Gaudí’s love for nature. When completed, it will be adorned with a giant statue of Jesus. Then it was on to Park Guell. This park was designed as a private family living community, but the idea never gained traction. The Gardens are beautiful, but be prepared to wait a long time to get in, as we waited for 2 hours. I would buy tickets online, and then you just need to show up at your time-given slot. Today was indeed a dream come true for me, as I had wanted to see his works for 17 years. Avery has been a dream. She is such a good traveler. After the park, we headed back to our hotel, stopping for dinner, diapers, and a curling iron. My adapter didn’t work here as I didn’t have the correct number of prongs. Well, by the time you read this, it will be my birthday, and we're off to see the works of Salvador Dalí. It is a 2-hour train ride north. That should be fun!

A contrast from your typical architecture!