March 4, 2020
A bit jet lagged, we meandered our way downstairs to breakfast and were pleasantly delighted by the plentiful spread. One of the traditional Barcelona dishes was simply bread with a sliced tomato rubbed on it with a bit of cheese. Turns out, it's delicious and we wonder why we don't make this back home. In addition, we had Sobrassada, a sausage from the Balearic Islands, a full spread of cheeses, and truita de patates (Spanish omelette). It was all too delicious, so we were quite full.
Fueled up and ready to go, we decided to wander through Barcelona on a self-guided Google maps tour. We looked at the map, picked an intriguing nearby pin, and walked on over. This is how we discovered El Gatyo - Destroyer of Mice and Men.
Wandering towards the marina along Las Ramblas, we encountered Palau Güell, Mirador de Colom (a Columbus memorial), a fleet of mega yachts, and the neighborhood friendly giant lobster, Gambrinus!
As we made our way through the tight alleyways of the gothic quarter, we found ourselves in front of Catedral de Barcelona! The stained glass windows inside made for a pretty picture, but would pale in comparison for what was to come.
We decided to pick up a pastry at Dolceria de la Colmena and hit up Parc de la Ciutadella before heading home. At the park we found a giant fountain (Cascada del Parc de la Ciutadella) with Roman/Greek figures as well as a life size wooly mammoth (Mamut)!
After a much needed siesta back at the hotel, we hopped on the metro and walked over to one of Gaudi's famous sites: Parc Güell. While a bit crowded near the 'insta famous' spots (there was even a long line to take pictures), it was fairly easy to get around. Observing Gaudi's unique style, he seemed obsessed with geometric patterns and concave/convex shapes.
On the way to La Sagrada Familia, we hiked through parks and pathways with spectacular views.
At last, we arrived at La Sagrada Familia, a basilica designed by Gaudi. We both agreed that the outside looked like a termite palace, but the inside was incredible.
In particular, we managed to make it inside just in time for sunset and were treated to a beautiful light show from the stained glass windows.
By the time we made it back home, we had walked quite a ways and our feet were extremely sore. We ate a delicious dinner at a tapas bar (the white wine sangria was absolutely delicious) and promptly passed out the moment our heads hit the pillow.
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