Mallorca, Spain - taxi tour (part 1)

I don't have a car this year so, in order to see more of the island without dealing with multiple buses, we hired Pierre to drive us around for a day. He picked us up at 9am and we headed up, Northeast, into the Tramuntana mountain range.

First stop was Sa Capalleta to show Eve, Nic and Dave the funny little chapel. We then had a quick look at the church next door at the convent.

I think this tile picture may be new but certainly the egg cartons lining the wall (for insulation? acoustics?) were.

Eve, me, Nic, Dave and Pierre at a scenic lookout in the mountains. It was lovely to have Pierre driving, I could actually enjoy the scenery.

There is a hiking trail down this gorge to the sea but it is considered dangerous to do in the winter months.

The next stop was the Lluc monastery, up high in the mountains, in a valley. Remote but protected from the worst of the elements. It was up a road that I hadn't dared to drive on last year.

The church was built in the early 1600s although there was a smaller church there before that.

Its more of a tourist attraction than a religious area now.

Inside the church was dark and traditional.

This is what brings the pilgrims; the black virgin, a statue that has darkened with age.

A complex sun dial on the hill behind.

We walked up a steep path to

the cross at the top of the hill

looking down on the monastery (that's Pierre's car)

and the valley on the other side (the sheep looked like polka dots in the fields)

Its also a hotel.

We were sharing the roads with donkeys, goats and sheep as well as the occasional bus but not as many cyclists as last year. (photo by Nicola as mine was too blurry)

Barcelona, Spain - market and home

When Eve and I checked our flight details we discovered that our flight to Mallorca left earlier than we thought so we didn't have much time on Monday morning.

We went over to the Boqueria Market which was just on the other side of Las Ramblas from our hotel.

The selection of fresh fruit and vegetables was amazing

and artistically displayed.

These are fresh fruit popsicles and ice cream macaroons. There were also stalls of dried fruit and nuts, "take away" cups of cut fruit and juices, chocolate and candy stores, butchers and fish mongers.

Its a pity we didn't have more time there, to have breakfast. These strawberries looked like someone had actually polished them.

We got a taxi to the airport and, after standing in numerous lines to get my seat sorted out, had breakfast in the terminal. The flight from Barcelona is 50min long and most of that time is taken up with taxiing in and out on the runways not in the air. Pierre, our taxi driver, picked us up and we were home by 2. Nic and Dave had waited to have lunch with us so we walked down onto the waterfront and ate at Pizzeria El Port (it doesn't just serve pizza) where we chatted, ate and drank until realizing there were no other customers and the wait staff were eating their meals.

The restaurant was closed until reopening for dinner.

Barcelona, Spain - Palau Guell and Flamenco.

We felt we needed more than just a croissant and a coffee so found this little shop with seating in the back, were we had quiche and salad.

There was a constant line up of people to sit in the few tables at the back and to buy at the counter.

Sheep cup cakes.

We were heading down to the Columbus Column, at the bottom of the Ramblas, to go to the tourist office there, when I noticed the house that Aimee and I had gone to, Palua Guell. Well, after yesterday, Eve was well and truly "Guidiazed" and asked if I would mind going in to it again.

Because I posted a ton of pictures last time, I will just do a few this time.

All of the furniture and decor were designed by Gaudi and built by a team of artisans to his specifications.

The house is much darker than Casa Bitllo, shutters and wrought iron over the windows and doesn't feel like a comfortable home. It was a collaboration between Gaudi and Guell and was Guidi's first major project. Guell was a rich industrialist who was to become a friend and patron to Gaudi and they also worked together on Parc Guell.

In spite of trying to control my picture taking at this location,

I again went crazy with the rooftops ,

the central pinnacle bringing in light and

all the chimneys.

A stall on Las Ramblas selling Catalan independence and flag items. We walked down to the tourist office and bought tickets to a flamenco show.

We had a fabulous lunch, surrounded by locals and tourists having their Sunday lunch.

and walked back to the hotel for our afternoon rest.

Eve in the entrance to Tablao Flamenco Cordobes.

The venue was cramped, low ceilinged, warm and crowded. When the lights went down our first impression was that the singers were not particularly melodic, sounding like a more gutteral "call to prayer". The brochure describes it as "..a lament, a scream, an outcry, a laughter..." I don't remember hearing anything joyous, it all sounded like grief or anger.
We were only permitted to take pictures for the last 10 minutes.

There were 2 female dancers, 1 male dancer,

1 female singer, multiple male singers and

2 guitarists (I love Spanish guitar)

Barcelona, Spain - Sagrada Familia

Aimee and I went to Sagrada Familia 3 years ago when we were in Barcelona for a week but I  suspect I will always want to visit this "work in progress". It was worth booking the tour for the expression on Eve's face when she first saw the building. Pictures cannot replace seeing the size of the structure and the amazing level of detail.

The main entrance, which is on the left of this picture was covered in scaffolding when I was last here and much has been completed since.

The nativity entrance, which was completed by Gaudi (he worked on the building for 45 years, his last 12 were devoted to it exclusively)

is still amazing in its level of detail and symbolism.

Some of the statues have been cleaned

and some have been replaced. There have been complaints that the 3 wise men have more Asian faces than previously but those in charge indicated that there is no reason they couldn't have had slightly Asian features.

The model shows, in grey, what has been completed and in yellow, what still needs to be done. The current estimate for completion of the outside is 2026, 100 years from the year of Gaudi's death.

Inside, the stained glass,

blues and greens on the East side and

reds and oranges on the West, flood the space with vivid colours that change as the sun moves through the day.

Gaudi achieved his intention,

of giving the impression of a soaring forest with dappled sunlight.

The choir balconies look like birds wings.

I still don't care for the modern sculptures on the "Passion Facade" but we stood out there and listened to the bells ringing.

Gaudi accepted that others that would follow would do things differently.

In the foreground is the roof of the school that Gaudi designed and had built for the children of those working on the project. It was in use up until the 1970's.

The museum is far more extensive than when I was last here, full of photographs,

models,

quotes and

a view into the current model workshop. Gaudi preferred to work from plaster models rather than just architectural drawings and now they are created with 3-D copiers.

By now our tour group had left as we had opted to stay longer and not take the bus back.

Back into the Basilica itself to look down into the crypt, where Gaudi is buried and services are conducted.

The organ pipes reflecting the stained glass.

By now we were famished so we wound our way back towards the hotel and stopped to have paella (Eve) and calamari and grilled peppers (me).

Passed Barcelona's very gothic Cathedral

where I had sat for hours sketching this facade while Aimee visited a museum.

We had been on our feet for 8 hours so rested in the hotel for a while

Then we walked Las Rambla searching for supper.

We finally decided on a restaurant with a buffet that included salads, pinchos,

hot food and dessert.

Then back to our hotel, which is on a pedestrian street just off Las Ramblas.