Barcelone - Street vendor in Plaça Catalunya.

Barcelone - Casa Batllo (Passeig de Gracia, 1904-1907). Josep Batllo Casanovas asked Gaudi to rebuild this house dating from 1877. The people of Barcelona at that time were very amazed about the building and soon it got nicknames like the house of caves and the house of yawns.

Park Güell - Garden of Love
The several colonnades in the park appear to be natural formed caves and are strongly in contrast with other eye-catching and colorful elements, like the two fairy-tale houses from the park’s entrance.

Park Güell - Entrance
Near the entrance houses is a large temple with pillars. The lizard is connected to the water reservoir which is located under the colonnade.

Eusebi Güell wanted to build a residential area on an estate on the mountain Muntanya Pelada in the district La Salut, which had to be inspired by the garden-city concept. Here, the return to a healthful and natural state was propagated, a flight from the unhealthy city. Gaudi was busy with the construction of the park from 1900 until 1914 and went to live there himself, in 1906. Of the planned 60 houses, only two were build, for lack of interest and financial problems. The two houses that have been finished could have been taken unchanged from some fairy tale.

Park Güell Entrance Houses

Parade at Fiesta de la Mercea on Las Ramblas

Strange roof artwork close to Plaça Catalunya

Casa Batllo

Casa Batllo (right) and Casa Amatller (left). Part of the "Mançana de la Discòrdia" or "Block of Discord", the Casa Amatller is beside the Casa Lleó Morera and the Casa Batlló. This building with its stepped gable (more reminiscent of northern Europe than Spain) is Puig i Cadafalch's most elaborate creation. The facade is largely influenced by religious Catalan Gothic (especially the window surrounds on the lower floors) but the architect has added some playful touches. The facade is covered in ceramic tiles with a slight metallic sheen.

Casa Mila (Passeig de Gracia, La Pedrera, 1906-1912) The rich couple Mila-Segimon wanted a building on the Passeig de Gracia and hired the most famous (and most expensive) architect: Gaudi. The building not only created a monumental building, but also many differences of opinion between Gaudi and his customers. Gaudi was quite bitter by this and maybe that has made a contribution to the fact he never again made a non-religious building.

Park Güell Colonade

Park Güell Colonade

Park Güell Colonade - with my best friend

Park Güell - Garden of Love

Park Güell - Garden of Love

Park Güell

The house where Gaudi lived from 1906 until his death in 1926 in Parc Güell. Nowadays it is a museum with furniture made by Gaudi himself.

Park Güell

Park Güell

Park Güell

Park Güell

Park Güell – artwork on the ceiling of the temple

One of the fairytale houses from Park Güell’s entrance

The fairytale houses from Park Güell’s entrance

The fairytale houses from Park Güell’s entrance

Sagrada Familia façade. La Sagrada Familia is the life work of Gaudi, if only because he has been the main architect of this project for more than 40 years. The last 12 years of his life he was only working on this cathedral, not only as an architect, but also as an individual. The last years of his life it seemd as if the building directed his thinking and feeling more than the other way around. Gaudi shaped himself during the construction and the changes in the building plans seemed to affect and guide him personally. A human coming into being, never finished, always being formed and reformed.
Therefore, a lot of people are of the opinion the Sagrada should never be finished, if only for symbolic reasons. Architects either think the cathedral is hideous or are of the opnion that its charms would be best showed by leaving it unfinished. And maybe that is how it would express Gaudi's views best. 'A finished painting is dead, it only lives while it is being painted,' Picasso once said (by the way, Gaudi detested Picasso). Maybe this is also true about this building. It is true the intended final result is based on sketches of Gaudi, and no matter how impressive the end result will be, it is certainly worth visiting this unfinished building while one still can fantasise about the result. The original building plans were lost during the Civil War.

Las Ramblas

Artists performing on Las Ramblas

Parade at Fiesta de la Mercea on Las Ramblas

Columbus Monument
The 7.2 m high statue of Columbus by Rafael Atché stands on a round socle, on which is inscribed the word, "TIERRA,". It shows him at the moment of seeing land in the far distance, pointing to it with the right hand and holding in the left a chart or parchment. He is represented as simply but richly attired as Admiral of the Indies in court dress, and exactly in accordance with the fashion of his times. His uncovered head is of the Jovian type, softened, with long hair flowing over the shoulders. The statue is of bronze and was originally guilded. It was cast by Francesc Vidal y Compañía in Barcelona.
For more info click here.

Barcelona Port

Having fun with my friends at Fiesta de la Mercea (at Montjuic Fountain)

Sangria tastes really good. Drinking alcohol impaires your ability to get bored. It also makes you look and act like you're missing a chromosome or two.

Fiesta fun

Fiesta fun

La Sagrada Familia façade

La Sagrada Familia façade

La Sagrada Familia façade

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia - Under construction

Sagrada Familia - amazing detail artwork

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia

A huge termometer on Las Ramblas

Artists performing on Las Ramblas

Las Ramblas

Street performers on Las Ramblas (Traditional Catalunyan costume)

Street performers on Las Ramblas

Barri Gothic aka Gothic Quarter

Barcelone Gothic Quarter

Barcelone Gothic Quarter

Barcelone Gothic Quarter

Barcelone Gothic Quarter

Barcelone Gothic Quarter

Diana in Barcelone's Gothic Quarter

Barcelone Gothic Quarter

Barcelone Gothic Quarter

Barcelone Gothic Quarter

Barcelone Gothic Quarter

Barcelone Gothic Quarter

My boyfriend for the night, hahah!

Party on the beach in the Olympic Village

Party on the beach in the Olympic Village

Party on the beach in the Olympic Village

Party in the Olympic Village