Barcelona
Spain
Just
before the birth of my last grandchild we had enjoyed an off season trip to
Spain. My granddaughter is now two! Apparently with all the excitement of a new
baby and everything that took place at that time I never created the ‘blog
chapters’ for this amazing trip!
Realizing my omission gives me something to do during our ‘stay home,
stay healthy’ period of COVID 19, which we are still observing. So I thought I
would share our trip with you.
We arrived in Barcelona with a few hours to explore on our own. We wandered through the streets taking in the sights around our hotel. Here are just a few images we enjoyed as we strolled. I’ll begin with the Casa Bitllo, a beautiful structure created by Antoni Gaudi. We were not able to go inside but there are a few photos curtesy of unknown photographers that are free to edit and use; so, for this amazing structure I barrowed a few. (Only the inside shots are barrowed.)
Additional photos from our initial walk about.
The next day we boarded the bus for a quick tour of some of what Barcelona has to see including the Old Harbor, which is now more modern than ‘old’, the Plaza Catalunya which is the city’s main square, next a drive by Montjuic Hill, the home of the 1992 Summer Olympics. Then on to an even more famous structure, Gaudi’s masterpiece La Sagrada Familia; A colossal church that is legendary and to this day is still unfinished.
La Sagrada Familia
You may notice that this church has many sides and each side, each turn, each spire and each nook on a wall both big and small are different. The same is true of the finer details decorating the exterior of the church. Thanks to one of our friends who was able to gain a tour of the inside of the Cathedral (they arrived a few days earlier than we did!) there are also some beautiful shots of the interior.
Next is lunch, then an afternoon tour of Montserrat Monastery. The Royal Basilica is the name for the church at Montserrat. For most people a visit into the Basilica is essential for three reasons. First, it is a Gothic interior build of architectural significance. Second, it is the home of Montserrat's masses and choral concerts. Third, it houses what is arguably Montserrat's most important feature - the statue of the Black Madonna. The Black Madonna is sometimes referred to by other names, including 'The Virgin of Montserrat' and 'La Moreneta'. The statue sits behind a sheet of glass. However, one of her hands holds a sphere (which symbolizes the universe) which is not behind the glass. It is tradition for you to kiss or touch the Virgin's hand while opening out your other hand to Jesus. Montserrat is more than the Basilica though; it is simply a peaceful and beautiful place to visit with its 12th century Romanesque architecture, peaceful views and quite surroundings. These pics will give you an idea of what I’m referring to.
It
was a beautiful evening so Russ and I headed out on our own to see what else we
could see of this lovely city. Here are
some photos for you to enjoy.
Note: Our thanks to our friend Maylene for this
beautiful photo of Barcelona’s “Arc de Triomf” which was built as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World
Fair. The arch crosses over the wide central promenade leading to
the Park that now occupies the site of the world fair.
More coming soon 😉
Jan 🌷🌷🐾🐾
If you would like to send a comment please send to blueberi254@gmail.com thanks!
