Life Through My Eyes: Segrad Familia

As our 2nd day in Barcelona continues so does beauty of the Segrada Familia. We originally had sign up for the "skip the lines" tour of this famous church but if it had been the height of the tourist season I could definitely see the need for such a tour but during the time we visited Barcelona this type of tour was not needed. We ended up ditching the tour and were able to walk right in. The interior of this church was amazing to say the least.

No commentary that I could add to these photos would do the architectural beauty any justice, so none will be added....

After viewing the interior of the Sagrada Familia Veronica and I hit the streets again to see what we might find. We decided to ride one of those tour bus rides that take you around the city. As the late afternoon and early evening approached it got rather cold and sitting on the top open level of the bus became quite the chilly experience. It was either brave the cold and get some decent photos or go below in the covered and enclosed portion of the bus. Nothing worse than taking photos through bus windows. So we opted to ride it out up top. We saw this hand drawn portrait with the question "Why?" hanging from one of the apartment balconies. Not sure why the "Why" was there but pray that it wasn't questioning the early death of a young family member.

One of the thousands of little market stores that dot the inner city landscape of Barcelona

The seemingly endless metal staircase that runs up the side of an apartment building

This could be any couple that has grown to appreciate the beauty and neon nightlife of Barcelona. This actually could be Veronica and I returning to Barcelona to visit Barcelona years from now. But then again...I know Veronica could say the same of Paris.

The assorted lights of an oncoming night in Barcelona

A beautifully lit "piazza" that we discovered almost right across the street from our hotel. We did not know it was there until we walked down a short passage that opened up to this scene. I went back the next morning before our driver picked us up at our hotel to take us to the pier where our ship would be sailing from.

This brightly lit store carried anything and everything that was sharp except for possibly sharp cheddar cheese. They carried knives, razors and scissors to list just a few items

With the nighttime fully engulfing Barcelona and the hour getting late we headed back to our hotel to close out this our last full day in Barcelona. Tomorrow we will get up early enough to grab a cup of coffee and a donut at the local Dunkin Donuts...yes you read that right...about a 8 minute walk from our hotel and also do some last minute discovering of Barcelona before we check out of our hotel and head to our ship. Tomorrow we will be starting our 11 day cruise on the NCL Epic.

Today is our first full day in Barcelona and we have a full itinerary of things to do and see.
At 3 this afternoon we have a skip the lines tour to go into the Sagrad Familia Church. Here is some information about Antoni Gaudi that was taken directly off of the Basilica De La Sagrada Familia web site:

Antoni Gaudí was born on 25 June 1852 in Reus, in the Baix Camp, which was then the second city in Catalonia. He attended the Escoles Pies school, where he excelled in Geometry and Arithmetic, and received a traditional, religious and humanist education. Son of a coppersmith, he started learning about crafts in his father’s workshop in 1860.

In 1869 he moved to Barcelona and prepared for entry to the School of Architecture, which he joined in 1873. He combined his studies with working as an assistant in an architectural practice, as well as in the workshops of a carpenter, a glassmaker and a locksmith where he learned these crafts.

He was inconsistent in his Architecture studies, but stood out in the subjects of design, drawing and mathematical calculation. In 1878, after qualifying in Architecture, he received his first official commission. As his professional reputation grew he undertook larger projects commissioned by the bourgeoisie such as, amongst others, the Casa Calvet, the Casa Batlló and the Casa Milà. In 1883 he took over the design of the Sagrada Familia, while also working on other projects.

He worked for 43 years on the temple until 1926. In 1914 he left all other work to concentrate exclusively on this sole project until his death on 10 June 1926, the result of a tragic accident three days earlier. His funeral cortege, which went through much of Barcelona and finished in the Sagrada Familia, was a grand event in the city in recognition of his status as the greatest architect Barcelona has ever seen. Gaudí was buried in the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia.

We started off our day walking in the general direction of the Church. Of course along the way I had to take photos of whatever I found interesting. I did notice that the are lots of street art everywhere you go in Barcelona

I found the architecture and street lamps very artistic and interesting

We found several other churches along our way and there was this one Church that had a beautiful courtyard with fountains and lots of geese roaming around.

There was a goose that seemed to be injured and it was just kind of laying on the ground when another goose jumped on its back and began to attack and bite at the injured goose. Before you knew it all of the other geese starting making noise and attacked the goose that was on top of the injured goose. Eventually everything quieted down in goosedom.

I am not sure what this goose was up too but he did not seem to happy with me filming the assault upon the injured goose.

Veronica and I continuing our tradition of taking a photo with ours shoes in it on a manhole cover that shows the name or location of where we are

Just a wall with plants growing out of it. I thought it looked kind of cool with the shadows

A cool looking painted mural scene

More street art

Artistic and elaborate street lamp

These are some exterior photos of the Sagrada Familia.

The church is not yet completed thus the reason for the tall cranes that appear in many of the exterior building photos

A really nice park that is across the street from the church

There were a couple of people entertaining the kids with these huge bubbles that they were making

Closeup of one of the church's entrances

One of the doors of the church

a closeup of the door

Now we begin to see what is really magical about this church. The interior is absolutely amazing and super artistic. Many of these photos show the interior ceiling of the Sagrada Familia. Please click on any of the photos to get the enlarged high quality view.