Day 11: Gaudi's Casa Batlo,straight lines, the Gothic Quarter & the last supper

The day started with a visit to the fabulous Gaudi house: Casa Batlo.  Commissioned by a textile magnate in the early 20th century, it's one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau modernism in the world.  It has all Gaudi's usual features inspired from nature, which means lots of curves, few straight lines ;-) and a range of colours in the tiles and glass.  It's also known as the house of Yawns or house of Bones due to the look of the front.  After an organic lunch everyone headed for a tour of the gothic quarter of Barcelona, with it's narrow twisting maze like streets very different from the wide boulevards of the rest of the city.  We saw the Gothic cathedral, the kings square and some remains of Roman Barcelona, dating back almost 2,000 years.

The day ended in Barcelonetta, at the famous restaurant Salamanca where we had a huge variety of locally caught dishes including of course delicious Paella.

Curved stairways of Casa Batlo

Greta & Gloria look at the fireplace

Gorgeous photo shows of the curves

Beautiful wood details

The main room

More curves than Marilyn Monroe

A nice contrast between styles

Everyone's headset got stuck to their ears

The supports- similar to Park Guell's

The Dragon's back on the roof with chimneys

Front tiles

Straight lines on curves

In front of Casa Batlo

Casa Batlo, the House of Bones

At the main Square, Plaza Catalunya...where's Rudi off to?

Picasso's drawing enlarged

In front of Barcelona's Gothic cathedral

One of the many gargoyles

Medieval Streets in the Gothic district

Joe & Franny

Never ending starters!

Delicious Paella!

Walt gets in on the act

The show must not go on!

Jack & our entertainer

Outside Restaurant Salamanca in Barcelonetta

Day 10: Barcelona highlights tour, tapas & Flamenco

Today everyone enjoyed a privately guided highlights tour of Barcelona with our guide Patrick, we saw wonderful sights including Gaudi's Park Guell and of course the Sagrada Familia cathedral.  We went past the beaches and up to Montjuic hill, the site of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.  After the tour the group enjoyed a walk to the famous Boqueria market, where everyone had lunch.  Then another ramble down the Ramblas and after a tapas style dinner, everyone went to a flamenco show.

Some of the supporting structures in Park Guell

Hansel & Gretel style candy houses

seating in park guell

David & Marlene in Park Guell

Our guide Patrick

Gretchen & Walt

Ceiling support

Detail form the Ceiling

Organic supports

at the park entrance

Detail from Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familial, Gaudi's modernist Church

More to go...

Entrance to the church

details from the church

How it will look when finished

Montjuic park

Overlooking Barcelona

the Boquria

Lunch at the boqueria

Rambling down the Ramblas, with David wearing a lovely thong, superman style!

Tapas dinner

Much wailing and stamping of feet at the Flamenco