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This morning we met up with Ray, Sandra and Eric again to finish our locals guide to Barcelona. Today we focused our attention on Gaudi, one of the most famous architects in history (up there with Frank Lloyd Wright). His original and distinctive style made him a key figure in the Catalan 'Modernisme' movement from 1875 to 1926. We visited; Casa Batlló, a Barcelona house remodeled in 1904 by Gaudi, known locally as Casa dels ossos (House of Bones), as it has a skeletal quality. Casa Mila, known as La Pedrera (The Quarry') due to its stone facade and wrought iron decoration of the balconies and windows, was built over 6 years 1906–1912. Finally Gaudi's greatest work Sagrada Família, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted his last years to the project, and at the time of his death at age 73 in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete. Work is still being undertaken today to finish the masterpiece and the Catalan people joke that it will never be finished in their lifetime! It is a giant, dark and eerie place. Prince used Sagrada Familia as the backdrop on the cover of his 'Come' album in1994 when he proclaimed is death as 'Prince' and his rebirth as 'Love Symbol'.
We also had a chance to visit some sites special to Ray and his family; the Barcelona Hospital de la Santa Creu where Eric was born, which looks like a grand and magnificent hotel and the little church that they held their wedding in Sant Joan in Plaça de la Virreina in Gràcia. A quaint and peaceful spot amongst busy Barcelona.
For lunch we had a traditional spanish menu at an authentic Spanish restaurant in Gràcia. We said goodbye to Ray, Sandra and Eric In the afternoon having thanked them so much for their personal and local introduction to Barcelona. We would never have had as great a time there without them!
In the evening Rossco and I enjoyed our last night in Barcelona at a quiet tapas bar near our hotel, reflecting on all that we had seen in Barcelona.
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