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If I walked 500 miles yesterday then I must have done 2,000 today.
Last night I purchased tickets online to see 3 of the famous Gaudi buildings. Two sent me back vouchers I could use on my phone but one insisted I take a printed voucher. Oh oh - how? Decided to work it out as I went, so early breakfast in a cafe - they don't have the breakfasts we have like bacon and eggs, so it was coffee and a pastry. Then off to the first place - Casa Batlo. This was built in 1877 and was commissioned as a family home for the Batlo family. It is quite stunning - all curved walls, beautiful glassworks and mosaics etc. I could have lived there easily. After that I had to work out how to print my voucher for the next place so I asked one of the guides at Casa Batlo who told me to walk about 3 blocks and I would find somewhere. So off I went and saw a little printing place. Good so far. The man spoke very little English but he told me to email the voucher to the address he gave me. Ok so I needed wifi - he had none. So off up the road to find a cafe with wifi, had a coffee and managed to email the voucher. Yippee. Then off to Casa Mila - this was a block of apartments Gaudi engineered. Quite different to Batlo but impressive - one area is decorated just as an apartment would have been back around 1910 when it was built. Then off up the road about 30min walk to the masterpiece - Sagrada Familia - a UNESCO World Heritage site. Work began in 1882 but still is only about 65% finished. The design is incredible and Gaudi factored in everything - even though it looks dark on the outside it is designed to be filled with light and when it is complete (and it will be much taller) it will be filled with even more light. And the acoustics are amazing - there is a walkway up high that allows for up to 600 choir members! Anyway I was blown away and hope I'm still around when it's finished!
My feet were still sore from yesterday but I chose to walk further (of course I did) to see an old hospital with the plan to get the subway or a taxi back. My tour guide gave me the wrong instructions and by the time I worked out I was in the wrong area I saw signs to Park Guell so,decided to head there - all uphill mind you. Unfortunately the next time available to enter the paid (and best) section was at 6pm and I was there at 4 so I wandered around the free part and then walked all the way back to Sagrada Familia. I am officially mad. If you look at a map of Barcelona you will see how far I walked. There was a metro station there at least, so I managed to take the two trains needed to get back to my place.
I have found that any of my photos over about 1mb won't upload and I don't have time to play around and work it out so I'm only posting the ones I can. A shame cos most of the best photos are about 2mb. Plus the wifi here is good but not great.
Off on a day trip tomorrow and an early start - at least I get to sit in a bus for a while!
- comments
Terri Look after your poor legs and feet Shelley. I'm so glad you went to the Gaudi buildings. They really are incredible.