We were off to our last stop- disembarking in Barcelona. We checked off the ship with ease and took two taxis to our hotel, the Hilton Diagonal Mar, which was right on the beach. After having a second breakfast in the hotel lounge, we planned our sightseeing day, since we only had one day to see everything. Many shops were closed since it was Palm Sunday, so our options were limited. We got our maps and advice from the locals and hotel employees and then headed to the closest subway stop.
The train was quiet, clean and pretty simple to navigate. The only thing was many of the stop names were in Catalan, so the language was a bit different here. It was still decipherable, but tricky. Our first destination was to Parc Guell. When we got out of the subway station, we began "the walk," which was not so much far, as steep. We all got a major Stairmaster booty workout walking to the Parc. Lilly was in her chariot (stroller). I would NOT feel guilty later on for eating a truckload of paella after this workout :)
The Parc was designed by the Catalan architect/artist Antoni Gaudí and built 100 or so years ago. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was originally part of a housing site. The site was the idea of Count Eusebi Güell, whom the Parc was named after. When no buyers came forward to live there, Gaudí, at Güell's suggestion, bought it with his savings and moved in with his family and father.
The focal point of the Parc is the main terrace, surrounded by a long bench in the form of a sea serpent. Everywhere are bursts of colorful tiled mosaics of animals and shapes. Gaudí used the shape of women's buttocks to inspire him for all the bench surfaces. From above, the terrace forms little caves and enclaves, Lilly creating a cozy, secret atmosphere. Also, lots of street performers and vendors filled the Parc, which we really enjoyed.
After leaving the Parc, we stopped at a local store for some snacks and then hopped back on the train to head to our next stop; La Sagrada Familia (another Gaudi masterpiece). This massive church was under construction and is not expected to be complete until at least 2026, the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death. Gaudi devoted the last 15 years of his life to the structure. In my humble opinion, I always thought Picasso was Spain's "Native Son," but definitely felt that Gaudi is Barcelona's. You can sense the respect and awe and pride that Barcelona natives have with the man. Since it was Palm Sunday, the church teemed with life and the area was heavy with traffic, street life and people carrying Palms twisted into crosses.
Again, we found a large playground across the street from the church. Lilly had a ton of fun with local kids, while Mario went to take out a very Spanish lunch for all of us, McDonald's. We ate in the playground, Lilly stopping by us every once in a while for a French fry or bite of cheeseburger.
Our last stop was Las Ramblas, a busy thoroughfare of blocked off streets, filled with buskers, human statues, pedestrians, vendors, souvenirs stands, pharmacies, hotels and every business you could think of. We walked the almost mile until we realized it was getting late and headed back to the hotel on the train.
After freshening up, we went to a famous local restaurant and ordered paella at a restaurant that claims to be the "oldest in the city, 7 Portes (which means, 7 Doors). The paella was not the best we've had, sad to say!
We ended our trip with a perfect day touring Barcelona, Spain. We left Barcelona at 5:30 the next morning to head back to reality in Miami. This expedition only whet my appetite for future adventures with loved ones.
