June 26 - Barcelona

We woke up early and got cleaned up, ate breakfast, checked out of the hotel and caught a cab to the airport. On the highway about 10 minutes from the airport, a car in front of us stopped to keep from hitting some road debris (looked like part of a truck bumper), and our cab driver noticed too late - we slid into the car in front and, a few seconds later, a van rear-ended the cab. Luckily no one was hurt. We had to sit and wait while the police filled out their reports and for a replacement cab. We left plenty early, so we made it to the airport in plenty of time and the flight was a half hour late but otherwise uneventful. We took a cab from the airport to the Best Western Premier Hotel Dante (we like staying in Best Western hotels because they cater to business folks (they have amenities we like) and are usually friendly and clean - just as we no longer like to camp in the wild, we like to be comfortable!).

After unpacking and having a Coke Light we were off to the modernist architecture area. Gaudi is the most famous architect from that movement here, and his work is quite fanciful. We started at the Casa Mila, one of his famous buildings; its also known as La Pedrera, or stone quarry, because its said to look like it was carved from rock. We got to go inside - on the top floor (the former attic) there's a museum about the building and about Gaudi's architectures. You can walk up on the roof, which gives a great view of Barcelona. You can also tour an apartment that is furnished as they would have been when the building opened.

Casa Mila
The "warrior" chimneys	La Sagrada Familia in the distance from the roof
The middle of the building was under intense construction
Aviva and I in a mirror in the open apartment in Casa Mila	A streetlight designed by Gaudi outside Casa Mila
A painted ceiling in the apartment
One view from the roof
And another view from the roof
The ticket

We walked down Passeig de Gracia to Casa Batllo and Casa Amatller, the first another famous building from Gaudi.

On the left is Casa Batillo	A building with a University of Chicago label on it!
A view of Casa Batillo from below
A detail from a building

We walked back towards Casa Mila with the intention to see Casa de les Punxies, but we got tired (and way laid by the Casa Mila bookstore again), so we sat on a bench and watched people for a while, then walked back towards the hotel. We ate dinner at "the pork museum" (Aviva's name for it) - a restaurante that specializes in pork, which isn't one of Aviva's favorites. I had their tapas selection, which was excellent, Aviva had their grilled tuna, which was good. Back to the hotel and to sleep.

Hams waiting to be sliced thin for tapas and appetizers