Day 12 — Barcelona

The Plan (the whole Plan)
Day 12 : Sat 2 Jun : A day in Barcelona

Barcelona!

The thing about Barcelona is ...

... oh, for God's sake, it's Barcelona! If you don't know, just go there. Soon.

Here are the statutory pictures.

The day started (obviously) at the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia. The day started (obviously) at the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia.
Gaudí's eternal building site is full of scaffolding and concrete dust (as is quite a lot of Barcelona at the moment) but you can still get some good shots like this. Gaudí's eternal building site is full of scaffolding and concrete dust (as is quite a lot of Barcelona at the moment) but you can still get some good shots like this.
We tried to take a photo from an unusual angle, but there are so many unusual angles in the building already that it became a bit pointless. We tried to take a photo from an unusual angle, but there are so many unusual angles in the building already that it became a bit pointless.
The latest attempt to complete the job is well under way, and the authorities claim it will be finished in 30 years. We'll see. The latest attempt to complete the job is well under way, and the authorities claim it will be finished in 30 years. We'll see[1].
We then went to Montjuic and found an Olympic stadium — a bit bigger and newer than the arena at Nîmes, but not quite as pretty. We then went to Montjuic and found an Olympic stadium — a bit bigger and newer than the arena at Nîmes, but not quite as pretty.
Here are some contestants aiming for the Olympic-standard lounging-about medal. Here are some contestants aiming for the Olympic-standard lounging-about medal.
The park's also full of silly toys you can play with. The park's also full of silly toys you can play with. The park's also full of silly toys you can play with.
Or you can make a complete arse of yourself (and threaten bits of your anatomy) by climbing on ropes. Or you can make a complete arse of yourself (and threaten bits of your anatomy) by climbing on ropes.
The park also has innovative and scary means of transport. The park also has innovative and scary means of transport.
As indeed does the rest of Barcelona. As indeed does the rest of Barcelona.

Oh, and Kevin will be pleased to know what not only did we find the Basque tapas bar that he and Mark spent a long afternoon in a couple of years ago, but we also went to the Restaurant Set Portes. We had to join a bloody great queue to get in, but the baccalà was excellent. They don't do the tarta de whiskey any more, but they gave Patrick a suitably huge pud to make up for it.

Two puddings in the same picture

Anyway, it's Barcelona. Just go. Now. Take my car. (It might just about survive the journey and I ought to replace it soon anyway...)

[1] Within the grounds, there is also a schoolroom designed by Gaudí, with similarly bizarre geometry. As David pointed out, any pupil who misbehaved and was told to stand in the corner would face a real conundrum.[Back]

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