Barcelona

We took advantage of the late docking time in Barcelona to get some extra sleep this morning. But we did make it up to the top deck in time to check out the huge port at Barcelona with all the cranes loading and unloading barges.

We made our way into down via the Terminal Bus which took us right to the Christopher Columbus monument.

We walked down the main road of La Rambla which was a huge pedestrian walk way with the streets on either side of it. It was loaded with street vendors, entertainers, artists, and even pet shops!!!

Along the way we saw one of the famous Gaudi buildings. Gaudi was a famous architect who has left a big influence on the city of Barcelona. He is known much for the use of tile and piecing rocks and tiles to create a movement and unique look to his buildings. Here is a replica of the amazing little critters featured in one of the parks in the northern side of town that we didn't get to. I just think these things are so beautiful. A lot of the chimneys on the Gaudi buildings also have this type of work on them and look like of like fruit bowls on the top of a building as my dad would say.

The street entertainers were also quite interesting. We saw the Alien and also some really elaborate, hellish type creatures along with Spanish senoritas. This fellow intrigued us the most as he appears to be floating. It took some time but the boys figured out that there must be a lead base under the rug and he's sitting on an elevated platform somehow...I still thought it was pretty cool!

We took a detour through this absolutely huge and amazing market full of all the fruits, nuts, sweets, meats, fish, and all other types of foods you could think of.

We picked up some fruit for the kids and a few gummy sweeties to tide them over but then the mini octopus things deep fried on a stick really caught my eye. I was too chicken to try them so dad just picked up some calamari since mom had never tried that before. It was really the coolest market I've ever seen.

After about 30 minutes of debating what to do for lunch we found a little sandwich shop and brought our lunch up to the main square at the end of La Rambla. Mom and Dad felt eyes on them, well at least someone staring into their back pack. We had been warned online and by friends that a lot of the places we would be visiting were notorious for pick pocketers so we tried to be as weary as possible.

We took the Metro out to the big cathedral. I would have to say that Barcelona's metro has to be one of the nicest we've used...topping the London Underground in terms of cleanliness and stroller excessible. The transfers are a bit weird until we figured out that your train ticket once validated would allow you on any train for up to 75 minutes because I freaked out when we had to leave one station and walk two blocks to the next to make our connection. The people working there were great and let us back in after we had accidently walked out a few times. Also the actual trains were spooky cool. Each car was opened up to all the others so when you made a turn the back of the train disappeared. Everyone wanted me to take video but I was already self-conscious taking pictures since most places don't allow photos for security reasons. It was super cool though.

La Sagrada Familia one of the most famous landmarks in Barcelona. Started in 1882 it is still under construction some 125+ years later and appears that they are planning on a completion date not until 2025 perhaps. The masterpiece of Gaudi's design is so intricate and detailed that you could take a thousand pictures and not catch everything. The front of the church is the oldest part and portrays the birth of Christ.

When looking at the church from the front off to the left is a new part of the church and it is quite amazing to see how time has aged the stone of the older part. I've been so used to seeing really old castles and churches and cathedrals in the UK that seeing modern cranes and builder working on something that is old, but brand new as well.

On the back side of the church it portrays the beginning of Christianity, the passion and death of Christ. I was able to get some neat close ups of some of the stone work. Here is Mary holding Jesus' shroud.

Here is Jesus being put in the tomb above but below it shows Jesus' broken body after dying on the cross. Mom and I tried to figure out all the different scenes portrayed in the back and were just overwhelmed at the detail and emotion shown through carved stone of all things.

One thing I found unique and I think it is something that recent architects have changed from Gaudi's original plans (from what I've read) is that they have made all the people squared off. Square heads and sharp edges so they don't seem life like, but part of a scary dream.

Kevin and I with the back of the church behind us. It is truly amazing!!!

I do have to say that my one year of Spanish in high school came in handy, but in Barcelona we never came across anyone who didn't know English so I was essentially being polite by attempting to ask questions in broken Spanish. It was pretty fun trying to have mom figure out the metro ticket machine. Luckily it translates into 5 different languages so we didn't have to buy random tickets.

Like I said before the Metro was amazingly easy to use and only one or two times was it easier for us just to carry the stroller down the stairs than search out the lift. It was nice to have Dad step in and carry since the kids are getting bigger and I think its about 90 lbs to be picked up with the two of them plus stuff under the basket.

Harrison used to be our laid back and quiet little boy but ever since he's been mobile he won't sit still for long. But...he does have some really tender moments when he gets a little sleepy and he will cuddle up with you. I caught this precious moment of Harry snuggling up with Grandpa Jeff. I got a few with mom as well.

We took a ride on the funicular train up the big hill to the Olympic Park. Since Addison is my little runner I made her get in a little runner's stance with the track in the back.

There is a big waterfall fountain just outside the stadium and over looking the Olympic park that we caught a nice all-family picture. It was hard to try and take a picture with all 6 of us because we were afraid to ask anyone to take our picture or let it set out in the open around too many people because the last thing I wanted was to watch someone whisk it away in a crowd. Totally paranoid but safe.

The Olympic Park was also a great place to let the kids run around and blow off some steam before our big trek back to the ship. Harry had fun ducking under the barriers at the old ticket offices.

At the top of the hill you get an amazing view of the whole city and off in the distance in the middle you can see the cathedral where we were about 1 hour ago.

We would have loved to taken the cable car ride from this look out point but it would have carried us to far beyond a reasonable walking point from the ship so we enjoyed the view and tackled our way down the wooden steps and trails in this park to get down to the street. At the street level we were a bit worried that we went the wrong way, but found a trail under the highway. Unfortunately had all the lights broken out of it so it was the scariest 100 feet I've ever walked but we went through very briskly and arrived safely at the edge of the dock. Dusk was approaching it was amazing to think of all the things we had done today and the ache in our feet and backs was well worth it all.