Where in the World is Sharon Daugherty2: Barcelona (getting acquainted)

Yesterday we took the metro to Placa Catalunya to get on a bus tour of the city, mostly to get a feel for its size and where things we want to see are located. It was so cold. As you all know, bus pictures aren't great, but we will go back to the more interesting ones. A few buildings designed by Antoni Gaudi, a Spanish Architect.

Antoni Gaudí was born in Reus in 1852 and received his Architectural degree in 1878.

From the very beginning his designs were radically different from those of his contemporaries. Gaudí was not so much influenced by other architect's ideas but more by forms of nature. More about him later when we go to his most famous buildings. Here are a couple of his designs

Placa Espana which is near our apartment, is one of Barcelona's most important squares, built on the occasion of the 1929 International Exhibition, held at the foot of Montjuïc, in theSants-Montjuïc district. The two towers are the Venetian Towers 14 feet tall lead the way to the museum.

. The fountain at the centre of the square was designed by Josep Maria Jujol, a collaborator of Antoni Gaudí, while Miquel Blay designed the statues.

Palau National which houses the National Museum of Catalonian art.

On Montjuic hill

Back down into the city center area, we got off the bus at the port to find lunch and warm up. This isthe view from inside the restaurant we chose. It was beautifull but too cold for us to sit outside.

A pedestrian bridge/walkway from the port across the water to the restaurant area

Tribute to Columbus. He is supposedly pointing towards Spains discoveries.

We transfered to the blue route to see more of the city. I was so cold, that nothing could make me go up into the open air top of the bus, so I have no pictures of the afternoon. We went home to warm up and get ready for dinner. Me and Sandy warming up with a little wine. We were cold to the bone.

Next morning we took the metro back down thr Placa Catalunya to book a walking tour for tomorrow in the Barri Gotic (the old medeival quarter). Once we booked our tour we decided to walk down the La Rambla, the promenade in the heart of the pre-modern city. It was originally a watercourse, dry most of the year. In the 14th century, the city walls ere extended and the arroyo was filled in, so it gradually became a thoroughfare where peddlars, farmers and tradesmen hawked their wares. LIt is now a sea of humanity, with mimes, arobats, musicians, and portrait artists vying for attention.

In the center of the fountain is Josep Claras marble Goddess, kneeling gracefully in the water.

Inverted stair monument by Josep Maria Subirachs

is a monument to Francesc Macia, President of the Catalan government from 1934-1936

From the Placa Catalunya, at the head of the Rambla is the Cafe Zurich, a rendezvous point to stroll down the Rambla towards the harbor.

As we walked we noticed people going into a building across the boulevard and so decided to check it out. It was a tourist information center, but with a display of giant figures used in festivals.

La Baqueria - Barcelonas most spectacular food market, also known as the Mercat de Sant Josep, is an explosion of life and color graced with wonderful little tapas bar restaurants. Stall after stall of fruits, vegetables, candy, ham, fish, poultry. Under a hangar of wrought iron and stained glass built in 1840 by Francesc Daniel Molina

Joan Miro mosaic

Once and umbrella shop

Note ceramic umbrellas on the walls

Great little tapas place for lunch around the corner from the umbrella shop

you are given a plate and you pick up whatever you want. All the tapas cost the same. At the end of your meal you present your toothpicks and they charge you accordingly. Pretty nifty system. I had 4 toothpicks worth. Ha. About 9 Euro including my cafe con leche.

Plaça Reial is one of the most beautiful squares in Barcelona. It is located in the old town, near the Rambla and looks unlike any other square in Barcelona. The square features a fountain and two lampposts created by Gaudí

The two lampposts with six brackets near the fountain are early works of Antoni Gaudí. The famous Catalan architect designed them in 1879, shortly after graduating as an architect, but his unique style is already visible. The lampposts are decorated with iron snakes and a winged hat, symbols of Mercury.

The large fountain in the middle is called the 'Font de les Tres Gràcies' (Fountain of the Three Graces). It was created in 1878 by Antoni Rovira i Trias. Statues of the Three Graces - goddesses of charm, beauty and fertility - support a small basin.

Another Gaudi building

The Port Authority building

The base of the monument to Columbus. The monumental cast-iron column stands in the middle of the Plaça de la Porta de Pau (Square of the Gate of Peace). It is set on a stone pedestal sumptuously decorated with statues. The statue of Columbus atop the sixty meter tall column (197 ft) overlooks the sea from its elevated position and is visible from afar.

The monument, locally known as the Monument a Colom, was designed by the Catalan architect Gaietà Buigas i Monravà for the Universal exhibition of 1888. Construction of the monument started in 1882 but due to financial problems it was only completed just in time for the exhibition.

Christopher Columbus

The monument is placed at the site where Christopher Columbus arrived in 1493 after his discovery of America the year before. Columbus was presumably born in Genoa, Italy. He first moved to Portugal and later settled in Spain. Nevertheless in the nineteenth century Columbus was considered a Catalan - some historians still claimed he was born in Catalonia, hence the monument for the famous explorer in Barcelona.