78. Barcelona 2

You tend to take a lot of photos in a week - especially in a beautiful city like Barcelona and especially if you have a new camera you are trying to learn about.  So here are a few odd snaps to give you a bit of an idea about Barcelona.

We spent a lot of time in Barcelona just walking the streets.  Susan took hundreds (perhaps thousands)  of photos, but I didn't get my new camera (an iPad mini) until Day 4 so I had a bit of catching up to do.

We spent a lot of time standing around, gazing upwards.

The buildings are beautiful and the streets are wide, well laid out and reasonably quiet.

Walking is easy.  The metro is easy and efficient, but not as efficient as Paris.

Trees are plentiful. So are balconies.

The historic centre of Barcelona is the Gothic Quarter, inside the old walls.  Very narrow streets so pedestrians only.

There are lots of street entertainers.  Obviously the piano was on wheels!

A Gaudi window security grill in Park Guell.

A wrought iron cross in the garden of Gaudi's own house in Park Guell.

A cradle Gaudi designed and had built for one of his staff.  Mr. Curly would love it!

The great man himself - "Architect Antoni Gaudí was born in Catalonia on the Mediterranean coast of Spain on June 25, 1852. He showed an early interest in architecture, and went to study in Barcelona—Spain's most modern city at the time—circa 1870. 

Upon graduation, Gaudí soon developed his own style, composing his works with juxtapositions of geometric masses and animating the surfaces with patterned brick or stone, bright ceramic tiles and floral or reptilian metalwork. The salamander in Park Güell, for instance, is representative of Gaudí's work."

The wrought iron gates at Park Guell.

Part of the ceiling detail in the grand shelter at Park Guell.

The aforesaid salamander at Park Guell with the grand shelter behind.  But it was so crowded we couldn't really get close.

The same crowd around the salamander, viewed from the grand shelter, above.

Detail of the seat that runs along the whole perimeter of the plaza above the grand shelter.  The seat doubles as rainwater collection channel which then fills the tanks hidden amongst the supporting columns.

And everyone wants to get their photo took on the mosaic seat!

Including Susan and I!