Barcelona - Good Friday, Hop on, hop off bus.

We weren't sure what would be open today so thought it would be a good day to do the city tour bus. We picked up a crème croissant to eat on the way and found that the market was closed (so no coffee). There was a craft market being set up in the square though. We bought our tickets (Euro 28) and were on the bus by about 9:30.

We were early enough that we got the front seat on the top deck. This
put us at about the second floor of the buildings and some great views.

It got much more crowded later on. We had walked so much yesterday we thought
we would take it easier today and see parts of the city we couldn't walk too.

There are a number of companies that do the tourist buses, this is the one we chose. It
has 3 routes and you can travel on all of them and hop on and off. They gave us each
our own earphones and we could listen to a guide if we wanted. We took the red route first.

Another chance to take pictures of Gaudi's work.

Into areas of modern buildings

What used to be the bullring is now a shopping mall with a walkway
on top to view the city.

Sites from the Olympics and views from the mountain.

Christopher Columbus monument. He's supposed to be pointing towards the New World
but it turns out, that's the wrong direction.

At the waterfront we got off the bus and walked along by the beaches before
getting on the green route along the waterfront. The volleyball players were in bathing suits but
nobody was in the water.
 

Back on to the bus, blue route now, up past Sagrada Familia. The views from
the bus wont be nearly as good when the trees are in full leaf.

More Gaudi

We got off the bus at Park Guell. Designed by Gaudi for his patron, businessman, Guell,
to be a residential development but only 2 houses were ever built and Gaudi lived in
one for a while. It is now a city park.

At the park Gaudi played with structures, pathways and balconies, that were even
closer to nature. Walking there is a constantly changing experience of rough rock
pillars, sometimes topped by rock planters, views from rock balconies, over the city
as well as the usual city park experience of trees, shade, flowers and people watching.

There were musicians entertaining in various locations but I have to stay they were well spaced. We could listen to Spanish guitar then walk with a period of quiet before listening to a full horn section. Most just played and hoped you'd put money in the hat but one group made the asking for money part of the entertainment, with mime and song. In one glade a man was making huge bubbles with two sticks and loops of string between.

I never know, taking these kinds of pictures, whether the shot is going to work, until
I put it on the computer in the evening and I was happily surprised.

The kids were really enjoying the bubbles and the parents too. I hope they put a lot
of money in his hat.

Aimee is using her phone to take pictures that automatically load up  on to
the icloud and then to her ipad. Many of them are as good or better than mine.
Less washed out by the sun and brighter when it is a grey day, however her bubble
pictures didn't turn out. At least my point and shoot is better for one thing.

When George and I where here 3 years ago the only part of the park that you had to pay to see was Gaudi's house but now you also have to pay to see any of the area were his mosaics are. We got there at about 3 and the next times tickets were available for was 7 so we decided not to.

Spire and roof of Gaudi's house with the city view behind. His house looks like it has been
iced like a cake with swirly designs around the eaves, windows and doors and swirly
carving.

One of the chimneys on Gaudi's house.

A mass of Wisteria that smelled lovely.

View of Sagrada Familia from Park Guell

Part of the area we couldn't go in to. When you are walking above you just think its a terrace
or a patio but when you get below you realize the whole thing is held up with pillars, and its
huge. The edge undulates with a bench covered in broken tile mosaics. Classic Gaudi.

As are the roofs of the gatehouses which remind me of twist soft ice cream cones and
Aimee of gingerbread houses.

We got back on the bus and finished the blue route, going past a monastery, another Gaudi
designed house and the place where the Barcelona Football Club plays.

By the time we got off the bus at Placa Catalunya it was 6pm. We had done all three routes and seen what a diverse city Barcelona is. Old and new, cultural and athletic, hills and beaches, parks and ports. We had planned on going back out as the bus runs till after dark and we though that it would be interesting to see the city at night but after we got home and made dinner we opted for getting into our jammies.