We Couldn´t resist this 5 day 4 nights short break to Barcelona, Julie booked us a flight on Ryanair for 2 pence each yes 2p each return + airport taxes which came to £43 altogether it cost £43.04p, Julie also found us a Bed and Breakfast for €50 a night per room, in the centre of Barcelona called Anna´s Guesthouse which is located at Roselló 298, Between San Juan and Bailén. Its just 3 minutes walk to the famous Church of the Sagrada Familia. When arrived at 8-30 pm, so we just went to have a look around locally and to the local supermarket where we got some bread cheese, ham and cakes went back to the B&B to unpack and settle in for the night. Anna and her family were very nice and friendly; Natalie (Anna’s daughter) gave us some maps and lots of information on what to see and where to go and about the various tourist bus routes and where to catch the bus.

Next day it was raining until late afternoon, in the morning we went for a walk to get our bearings, we headed towards Las Ramblas. Spotting the places and museums we could visit later in the week, as we walked through hustle bustle of people in the tree lined streets, we stopped off at the market and had a coffee, it´s very colourful with the brightest flowers, fruit and vegetables and people of course. Las Ramblas has market stalls and street vendors all the way down the road selling flowers, food and pets including lots of different kinds birds, tortoises and other animals, there also street entertainers, although most were probably put off that day by the rain. We found out where the bus stops were for the next day when we going on the tour bus of the city.

In the afternoon we went to the Church of the Sagrada Familia, Which was designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudi, its the most amazing, extraordinary building you´ll ever see, as we walked through the Christmas market and park towards the church, its imposing size was a wonderful sight as we glimpsed it through the trees, We thought it was a functioning church and were surprised to see its not, although we new it was unfinished, we just thought it was the outside that wasn’t finished and were unaware of how just unfinished it is, its still a massive building site.

The front façade is dominated by the passion sculptures, sculpted by Josep Subirachs in the 1950´s it depicts the final arc of Christ’s story, from the last supper to his burial. The ascension of Jesus has been placed at a height of 60 m. It is a bronze cast that was cast by Vila workshops of Valls, it was gilded and painted by Jordi Abancó and Ramon Millet. We are presented with the triumphal culmination of Christ after the Passion, death and resurrection, in the act of bidding farewell to his disciples and all those who await his return.
The other side of the church is different again. The detail of the nativity facade is unbelievable, as is the range of building materials used upon it; there are three portals to the Nativity façade. The central portal is a celebration of creation, with the birth of Jesus being the central theme. Along with the carvings of angels, shepherds and Magi, can be found animals, plants, and stars. If you look close, you will also see words written among the statues proclaiming the glory of god.
Once we went in through the doors of the Cathedral we entered a gigantic building site. Despite its unfinished state the Cathedral’s interior is very impressive. We gazed up at the massive columns, we were amazed by their tops that splay out like the branches of trees to support the ceiling. We marvelled at the enormous size of the inside of the church were we could see different sculptures being made, there are 90 resident artists and sculptures working on the church as well as lots of construction workers, the stained glass windows were amazing from the inside as all the coloured shafts of light filling the interior.

We then went up to the top of the church in the elevator, which cost €1 each, we climbed up further the inside of the cathedrals spires via spiral staircases, which are joined by maze like series of rooms. As we circled up higher the winding passages become narrower and narrower, until we came to the bridge walkways, which join the towers together, like the parapets of a castle, where we stood outside and looked out over the city, at the fantastic panoramic view. We went back down the spiral staircases, as you can only go up in the lift and must walk back down, when we got to the bottom we were very dizzy and disorientated, we needed a sit down. It was fantastic and well worth seeing.

Casa Milà or as it is better know as La Pedrera (the Quarry) was built between 1906 and 1910m bears all the hallmarks of Gaudi, It is Gaudi´s greatest work and one the last he completed before he devoted his time and energy to La Sagrada Familia. Its an amazing building with its curving facade made of rough-chipped stone and wrought iron balconies and the most bizarre rooftop terrace ever seen, this surreal fantasy is now a museum dedicated to Antoni Gaudi, We got our headphones and museum oration guide, the exhibition centre is situated in the attic space with 270 brick vaulted arches, forming the corridors of the exhibit rooms, the private residences are on the top floor, also you can go onto the roof were there are striking surreal sculptures.

The exhibition is a fantastic insight of how Gaudi came up with his ideas from nature and how he put them to use and implemented them within his designs, there are many photos, drawings and intricate models, and videos to watch, we were spellbound with his ingenuity.

The residences give us a glimpse into 19th century life; the flat is filled with period antique furniture including desks, beds, a marble bathroom, and nursery filled with old fashion toys,

We spent nearly an hour on the roof terrace as the view of the street below was really good, the strangely shaped chimneys and arches are very photogenic and colourful, and you can also look down through atrium to the court below.

Another building is the colourful Casa Batlló (Batlló House) in the passeig de Garcia, is also the work of Gaudi, and is an amazing sight during in the daytime and even more spectacular at night. Julie wanted to see this building and it exceeded her expectations, full of texture and colour and a sense of amazement as we gazed upwards on the facade, with forms that resemble human and animal bones and which is covered with mosaics and the most fantastic stained glass windows depicting birds and hills and nouveau shapes, we marvelled at this house every time we passed it, it epitomizes everything Gaudi’s Barcelona to us anyway.

At the end of Las Ramblas is the Barcelona port, which is over looked by a statue of Christopher Columbus. Which had crammed with of cruise and trade ships, over the bridge there’s a cable car that runs from the shopping mall to the top of the hill of Montjuic, we didn’t go on it as it was wet and windy and wasn’t running, further down the road is the marina and beach area, the marina is full of very expensive yachts and boats there are more shops and restaurants along there.

Later we went on the bus passed the Plaça de Braus Les Arenes, a former bullring where the Beatles played in 1966, to Plaça d’Espanya and got off near the Museu Nacional d´Art de Catalunya, we walked up between the two towers towards Castell de Montjuic and watched the Motor show that was being staged there in the building across the road, for a while, seeing trucks doing wheelies and other stunts.
Unfortunately the Montjuic fountain (La Font Magical), wasn’t being very magical that day, it wasn’t working for some reason or another, LOL, we had planned to return at night, to see it lit up and listen to the music, (Natalie later told us it wouldn’t be working at night either).
We got back on the bus and went up the hill to the Olympic village and Castell de Montjuic; The Olympic Stadium was built also for the 1929 Universal Exhibition and hosted the 1992 Olympic games. The whole Olympic Ring complex is the group is of sports buildings, where the main events of the games were held, we relaxed there for a while here and had a cup of coffee, from the outdoor café. We walked through the gardens and park of the Castell de Montjuic; the view of Barcelona is fantastic from there. We loved Montjuic parks and gardens high on the hilltop.

Later that night we went out to a restaurant besides the Sagrada Familia Church. We pushed the boat out that night we had a very nice 3 course meal with wine, and a brandy coffee to finish it off, it was expensive but very good, we cant remember the name of the restaurant mmmm, must have been the brandy coffee, LOL.

On our visit to the Gothic Quarter, we got an idea of the atmosphere of the city in medieval times, with its stone houses, narrow streets, porches with arcades and small churches. The Jewish Quarter is well preserved with a labyrinth of terraced, sloped and narrow streets. The Cathedral of Santa Maria dominates the Old City. The Cathedral is gothic with a baroque front, and was being restored, in the courtyard there was a Christmas market on it was really busy everyone rushing around we went in a café and had a coffee and sandwich, as we watched everyone going about their business.
Alas we must do home, just as we were about to leave Ivan the man who owned the café next door to the Anna’s, and also a restaurant/bar near the Sagrada Family church, who befriended us came out to see us off and say goodbye, he said “you now have a friend in Barcelona” “come back soon” and gave as a hug, we said we would come back and see him next time we visit Barcelona, we will return soon to see the places and things we missed and of course to see the magic fountain being magical we hope. LOL