We went back and stood in line for only about 15 minutes before we were at the entrance. When I went to Barcelona the other summer with Aam and Grandma, but we'd only really been in town because it was our port of call for our cruise. We spent about 24 hours in the city itself - and then we just took the tour bus around town for the day. But in that short amount of time the thing that had made the biggest impression on me was the Sagrada Familia. I remember the tour bus turning the corner and seeing if for the first time. I'm pretty sure it LITERALLY took my breath away. I've seen amazing European cathedrals and other awesome architectural wonders... But nothing I've seen so far even comes close to this surreal temple. I'd really wanted to go inside, but we really didn't have time and so I put it on my mental jet-set to do list. So when Dad said we'd be going to Barcelona, it was the main thing I wanted to do!
And let me just say, the wait was totally worth it. :) The inside isn't quite as dark and ridiculously intricate as the outside, but instead it has it's own, colorful and whimsical beauty. The stain glass is made up of the most playful colors, and because the inside is done with such lightly colored stones, the light reflects onto all of the surfaces in the cathedral, making it feel like an exotic and dreamy far off land inside. It's the kind of building that you'd think could only exist in a fairytale, and as you walk around it, gawking up at the awe-inspiring ceilings which look like a complex canopy of fantastical vegetation, you almost half expect to see a mythical dragon cross your path, tipping off its top hat and exclaiming, "Good day to you, Sir!"
^_^
Dad went to explore more as I sat down to continue to take it all in, when all of a sudden I heard a tiny voice say my name. o_O Chelsea is not a name that you ever, ever hear in Spain... And certainly not from a voice as tiny and accented as this one was. I looked around and there she was just a few steps to my right - my best 4th grade student!! Holy awesome! She ran to tell her parents her discovery and the whole family (her little sister, also my student, included) came over and chatted with me! The parents told me that both the girls had been practicing English on their trip and were fascinated by all of the signs in Spanish, English and Catalan. ^_^ Adorable!! What a cool coincidence. :)
After we left the Sagrada Familia an hour and a half after we'd been admitted, we were off to Park Güell. I love Central Park, and I love Retiro Park, but Park Güell is another crazy Gaudí construction, and for that I might just love it more than the aforementioned two! The whimsical stone work and the musicians and the colorful mosaics and the nonstop sinuous lines all serve to make the park the unique gem it is. ^_^ Last time I'd come with Grandma and Sam, I'd only been able to bribe one photo out of Sam, so this time I took advantage of who my travel partner was and got Dad to take a bunch so I could pick the best ones! ;) I also wore my craziest outfit there - a long vest sort of dress I'd found at a sample sale hidden in a flee market in Los Angeles. I totally channeled the Gaudí spirit of individuality and uniqueness, if everybody's stares were any indication. Haha!
A stroll through the park later and it was time for a quick lunch before a last minute cupcake stop, followed by heading back to the hotel for our suitcases and heading to the airport. Which brings us to now - as I type this we are in the air on our way to Granada! Yay! :)
XOXO
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