Gaudi

Monday May 16, 2011                                     Day 320

We got up early and picked up breakfast at a bakery on our way, then took the subway to the top of Las Ramblas to pick up a Gaudi tour. The tour took us by two Gaudi houses on the way to Park Güell, which was conceived by a rich textile merchant to be a development for other wealthy people, but it was a failure because the commute from the development area to the center of the city was too long. Gaudi did a good deal of public space development of the area, but only two houses were built, one of which belonged to the merchant’s lawyer. Later the city of Barcelona bought the land and turned it into a park which celebrates Gaudi’s work. 

This is a curved bench in Park Guell - note the mosaic back

A tilted wall in Park Guell

A support post - Park Guell

Mosaic lizard in Park Guell

More mosaics in Park Guell. Gaudi bought broken ceramic pieces from local potteries
and used them as the basis for his mosaics.

Here he used broken tea cups on the domed roof - Park Guell

From Park Güell the bus took us to Gaudi’s greatest work, Sagrada Familia. This is a fantastical church conceived by Gaudi and still under construction more than 100 years after its commencement. Some hope it will be finished by 2027, the centennial of Gaudi’s death. Others suggest it will never be finished. Its construction is financed by private donations and ticket sales. It gained status as a church only last fall, when the Pope arrived and consecrated it. 

The ceiling of Sagrada Familia

One of three entry facades to Sagrada Familia.
This one tells the crucifixion story

St. Thomas on the Crucifixion facade of Sagrada Familia

After the tour we returned to the apartment for a 30-minute siesta, then set out to meet the neice of Jamie’s boss for lunch. We arrived about 15 minutes late, but she was waiting for us and we had a lovely lunch of tapas and wine. 

While wandering around the area near our apartment, we came upon a church. As we entered, a choir was singing, so we prepared to leave again, not wanting to intrude on a church service. But the song ended, and a VERY American voice said “Okay, let’s go back to that part where …” It turned out that this was a choir from a Miami university doing a dress rehearsal for a performance later in the evening. The conductor wore a tux and the choir was in suits and black dresses. Their voices echoed magnificently from the high vaulted ceilings of the church. We entered and sat for a while just to listen, leaving only when they finished the rehearsal.

In the tourist area near the church, Roger bought a hat pin. Later, when he took it back to the apartment and tried to attach it to his hat, the stem broke off. 

In the evening, Alicia, Peter and Jamie went out bar-hopping while Roger and I spent time on our computers, then went to bed.