Bold Barcelona

Spain’s second largest city is also perhaps it’s most interesting. Innovative, vibrant and just plain beautiful! I could not help admiring the buildings and lovely wrought iron balconies so common in Barcelona. There are many, many, small alley ways here and one can get lost very easily. One minute you’re on track, and then you’re hopelessly astray. It happened to us at various times and even our GPS was no help. But with the guidance of kindly Spaniards – who seem to know a smattering a English, we got by. Some highlights: La Sagrada Familia, Guell Park, La Rambla , the Picasso Museum, and the many interesting local markets. A fascinating side trip to Monserrat, just outside Barcelona helped me to realize where the architect Gaudi probably got his inspiration for his masterpiece the La Sagrada Familia. The pillars of his church loom like the mountains around Monserrat,where there’s a Benedictine Monastery and church housing the sacred Black Madonna. Newly weds often visit here to get blessings from the Madonna. Weddings are also performed at the beautiful chapel but apparently it’s quite expensive. Still there’s a long list of couples waiting for their turn.

To get back to Gaudi- He designed many famous but strange – looking buildings including apartments for clients who refused to live in them. He had many wealthy clients but worked for free for the church for about two decades. He was devout and focused and did not care much about physical appearance and was often poorly dressed. He died in his early 70s in an accident on Gran Via Avenue and it took a few days to identify him. He passed away in hospital after three days. He was dressed so raggedly no one knew it was him. We visited his charming house in Guell Park where he lived for 20 years working on La Familia Sagrada. The ground breaking for this church was in 1882 and it is yet to be completed! 2030 has been mentioned as the final date of completion.