Spain > The Gaudi mosaics

When I wake up, it is raining and thundering outside. The storm is quite intense. It doesn’t look like it will clear up anytime soon. I decide to have breakfast at the hotel first. A fine breakfast buffet. After some practice, I figure out how to get good coffee from the machine.

Spain - The facade from the inside

Around ten o’clock, I head out with my raincoat and umbrella. The rain has lessened. On the Ramblas, I visit the Mercat de la Boqueria, the covered market with many fruit and fish stalls. Through the surrounding streets, I reach the d’Art museum. The rain has turned into drizzle, so I decide not to visit the museum and to brave the light rain instead. I cross the Ramblas and arrive at Av. Catedral square in front of the cathedral. I visit the impressive Santa de Eulàlia cathedral and the neighboring monastery. When I come outside, it has stopped raining, and the sky has cleared considerably. Through the Barri Gòtic neighborhood, I wander the small streets toward Plaça de Catalunya. Along the way, I order a sandwich and a cappuccino. After eating, I walk past the Palau de la Música, a beautiful theater from the early 1900s. The tour does not start for another half hour, which I find too long to wait, so I continue walking. At Plaça de Catalunya, I want to ask the tourist office for information about the train to Figueres. However, the line is so long that I decide against it. I stroll from Plaça de Catalunya down Rambla de Catalunya. At number 43, Antoni Gaudí designed Casa Batlló.

Spain - Gaudis mosaic on the roof of Casa Batllo

The house is adorned with his characteristic figures, wavy walls, and mosaics. He also incorporated ingenious features for air circulation and natural light. I wander through Casa Batlló, using a phone device to start audio explanations for each room. Outside again, I try to photograph Casa Batlló, but due to the sunlight, it is impossible at this time of day. Across the street, I have a beer. I continue along Rambla de Catalunya to Casa Milà, Gaudí’s second house on this street. The exterior is in his distinctive style. I only visit the bookshop under the building. Then I walk back toward the city center along the same street. Near my hotel, at Plaça Reial, I decide to have a drink. I arrive at the square and enjoy a beer in the sunshine. After a short stop at the hotel room, I head out in the evening to the neighborhood behind the hotel in search of a cozy restaurant. On the square in front of the Sant Agustí church, I find a pleasant terrace. I also visit the church briefly. When the lights go out, I step quickly back outside. On the terrace at the square, I have my dinner. I walk back to the hotel through the Barri Gòtic neighborhood, where there are also plenty of charming eateries. Perhaps I’ll try one of them tomorrow?