The Night Train to Grenada

Was just plain bizarre. As torn as I was about missing the scenery, I wanted to sleep on a train just because I never had. It turns out that I had to escape my four person couchette at the first opportunity.  It had a sink which we couldn't get to over our luggage and was about the size of a sardine can with two quite stout infirm elderly women - one who still insisted that she preferred a top bunk and the other who used two canes, had only two teeth, and undressed, showing us, among rolls of old fat, how she injected her insulin shot.  The third person was a very nice young woman from Seoul who did not speak much English or any Spanish - oddly my smattering of Spanish got us over a few hurdles,  but for the most part the two women continued talking at us as though we had some idea of what they were saying. <div><br></div><div>The young woman from Seoul was able to articulate that she wanted to be an angel after I expressed my dismay at her ability to continue smiling like the Dalai Lama throughout what sounded like unending complaints from these other women who also somehow got it into their heads that the girl from Seoul was my daughter. We gave up trying to convince them otherwise. What did it matter?<div><br></div><div>I took my bottle of tempranillo, cheese, anchovies and olives to the dining car where I received kudos on my selection of wine from a group of businessmen traveling together, as well as a nod of approval to my entire spread from the ticketmaster.  Spaniards seem to take a good deal of pride in their local products and in the art of eating well.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                                 <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nJBY7yfFR-U/U4pSLypM3WI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/xezxkKKhgYg/s640/blogger-image-1851559361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nJBY7yfFR-U/U4pSLypM3WI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/xezxkKKhgYg/s640/blogger-image-1851559361.jpg"></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The train traveled along the Mediterranean Sea and then it got dark and the dining car began to fill up with miscellaneous folks, among them Fran and Fiona from Australia, who joined me.  They were quite amusing. We stayed up later than we should have.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In talking with Fran and Fiona, I found that there were other options for couchettes, but getting a ticket for a Spanish train is a pretty major enterprise in itself, requiring a trip to the train station if you want to assure that what you are buying is a genuine ticket along with a seat reservation.  In this case, I went to the station when I was out and about and then realized that I needed to have my passport if I actually wanted to purchase one.  I went back for my passport and then stood in a long line until I realized that windows 11-19 were for long distance tickets for today and I was not leaving for two days.  So I went to windows 1-10, which I was sent away from after standing in line because they were for only medium distance tickets and I should be in the long distance line.  So I went back to the long distance line which was a long line again.  When I got to the window, the man told me I could not buy a ticket unless I was traveling today.  I asked him if I could buy it from one of the machines.  He said yes.  So I went to the machine, but there was no option for a sleeper.  I asked a nearby employee and she tried too, but couldn't find an option for a couchette either.  She went somewhere to find out and returned with the information that I had to buy it personally from another train station.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kngvrnIE0ck/U4peHdYWCLI/AAAAAAAAA3o/MV8pj95blXo/s640/blogger-image-1490601461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kngvrnIE0ck/U4peHdYWCLI/AAAAAAAAA3o/MV8pj95blXo/s640/blogger-image-1490601461.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So I went to the other train station where the woman at the window was not busy at all, but demanded that I take a number.  She was very cranky and it was all I could do to get a sleeper, any sleeper. I just build these ticket purchases into my schedule now as part of the adventure.  It will take hours and the outcome is uncertain.  The train and bus lines frequently do not publish their routes more than a week in advance, posting on the websites that unfortunately the line is not running at this time, but they are hoping to improve their service and getting it running again sometime. A completely meaningless lie. It wouldn't hurt to say check back later for the schedule.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Anyway,  Fran and Fiona and I shared a lot of laughs until I finally stumbled back to my couchette bunk with the other girls.</div><br></div><div><br></div></div>

Viva

The Night Train to Grenada

Was just plain bizarre. As torn as I was about missing the scenery, I wanted to sleep on a train just because I never had. It turns out that...

Leaving Barcelona

<div><br></div>Ah, the Catalunyans! So decisive.  None of this come si come saw stuff or autre directions or todos directions...when I was wondering which direction my hotel was when I looked up and saw this dude in front of the Maritime Museum (a museum as inviting as the chocolate museum to me and which I chose over the Pablo Picasso museum as I just couldn't invite the displacment Picasso causes in me while still feeling the presence of the Holy Host in the Sagrada Familia). <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                            <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1EoZU0vICmk/U4pKrmcpWkI/AAAAAAAAA3A/halpf3-xAhE/s640/blogger-image--1099086231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1EoZU0vICmk/U4pKrmcpWkI/AAAAAAAAA3A/halpf3-xAhE/s640/blogger-image--1099086231.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I understand that it is Christopher Columbus not pointing toward America.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">They've got a weird thing going on over here about him.  There's a statue of him presenting a map to Queen Isabella at a prominent intersection in Grenada as well...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">and all the buzz there is that he was actually having an affair with her. It just seems a little off to me to still be gossiping about people 500 years later.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Saw another statue of him in Genoa, his birthplace. Seriously, he is more popular in Europe than America.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The weather in Barcelona was tempestuous and unpredictable, meaning that my knapsack included several shirts and a poncho every day.  What better to do on a dark, chilly morning than visit a Gothic Cathedral? Skies were black and it was thundering, so the photo I took of Saint Maria del Mar in her niche does no convey her true beauty.  I will settle instead for your classic stained glass window and vaulted ceiling photo to give you the feel of this holy space very much revered by the locals.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                          <a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-D8bD1i-9j5s/U4pKxb5opCI/AAAAAAAAA3I/1adIc9jUZnA/s640/blogger-image--636575940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-D8bD1i-9j5s/U4pKxb5opCI/AAAAAAAAA3I/1adIc9jUZnA/s640/blogger-image--636575940.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The rain was a blessing as everything was in bloom and very green.  And I probably would not have noticed these gutter spouts if water wasn't dripping out of them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                               <a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xxGCSB3Nfw4/U4pJPzXL08I/AAAAAAAAA1c/Z5IEyKVI_QI/s640/blogger-image--675187452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xxGCSB3Nfw4/U4pJPzXL08I/AAAAAAAAA1c/Z5IEyKVI_QI/s640/blogger-image--675187452.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">They were placed at intervals along the gutter.  I think they are a grand idea and I want some for the cabin. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I also took a million photos of the skate park near my hotel as though I am really going to build one.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I found my <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">hotel ideally situated near several parks and the beach.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I didn't see this sign when I sat down at the beach to write the first chilly evening.. and was a bit surprised to look up and notice that I was surrounded by naked people.  I am not sure what about this sign conveys that it is okay not to wear clothes, but that is its accepted meaning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                         <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UTezREkjwjo/U4pJJ4CpNCI/AAAAAAAAA1M/KND57DE0gz0/s640/blogger-image--1435859739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UTezREkjwjo/U4pJJ4CpNCI/AAAAAAAAA1M/KND57DE0gz0/s640/blogger-image--1435859739.jpg"></a>...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The iHandy translator on my phone seems unable to explain this sign located about nine feet up on the side of a building. Things can get pretty confusing, from turning on water to buying ibuprofen when you don't know the language. I decided to play it safe and walk on the sidewalk across the street.</div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                                 <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TZxdPSiQcNY/U4pJWrbqDrI/AAAAAAAAA1s/0EUxrcaHxA8/s640/blogger-image-455116534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TZxdPSiQcNY/U4pJWrbqDrI/AAAAAAAAA1s/0EUxrcaHxA8/s640/blogger-image-455116534.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Well, I went down to St. Joseph's Market for fresh fruit juice just because they have an easy fifty flavors, great mixes of papaya and mango, blackberry and strawberry, coconut and peach, that sort of thing...and then wandered around my local neighborhood, feeling melancholy about leaving...and tred to imprint the sensations in my heart.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                           <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-BJ9I7GgSjkc/U4pKaBbzsQI/AAAAAAAAA2g/CTNGmvjfRwU/s640/blogger-image--786987968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-BJ9I7GgSjkc/U4pKaBbzsQI/AAAAAAAAA2g/CTNGmvjfRwU/s640/blogger-image--786987968.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                           <a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-VzCNrv57YxM/U4pKg3CWmzI/AAAAAAAAA2w/cFkvGGBDzf8/s640/blogger-image-1819618327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-VzCNrv57YxM/U4pKg3CWmzI/AAAAAAAAA2w/cFkvGGBDzf8/s640/blogger-image-1819618327.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I had one afternoon left before catching the night train to Grenada, and I wondered if I should visit the interior of the Gaudi. It<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> was quite amazing and I thank Caleb for advising me to do it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">(Plus I got to talk with a very interesting optician who fixed my glasses for me while I was waiting for my entrance time. It's actually pretty enjoyable discussing politics and culture with Europeans, a pastime I loathe in the US.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I just thought that after seeing the features of Parc Guell I got the idea and didn't want to pack in with hundreds of tourists and see more of the same. It wasn't that way at all.  They did an excellent job of crowd control so that you can actually even pray.  I was moved to tears.  I truly felt that the interior was filled with angels and that Jesus was coming right down through the light in to my heart.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                            <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-SWsXkmx_E6A/U4pJHiDZ2iI/AAAAAAAAA1E/MAjl4QHeFiA/s640/blogger-image--1012478541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-SWsXkmx_E6A/U4pJHiDZ2iI/AAAAAAAAA1E/MAjl4QHeFiA/s640/blogger-image--1012478541.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6ynXKhr9Jus/U4pJNs-dQ2I/AAAAAAAAA1U/5-JZ56xAGjs/s640/blogger-image--1291075523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6ynXKhr9Jus/U4pJNs-dQ2I/AAAAAAAAA1U/5-JZ56xAGjs/s640/blogger-image--1291075523.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                              <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-61T_q-uEUEI/U4pJZCfIrZI/AAAAAAAAA10/uBsYYDDeqe0/s640/blogger-image-1688821137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-61T_q-uEUEI/U4pJZCfIrZI/AAAAAAAAA10/uBsYYDDeqe0/s640/blogger-image-1688821137.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                               <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xy2Gvp2sEKU/U4pKV0d912I/AAAAAAAAA2Y/uW01hGIF8CE/s640/blogger-image-1531965258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xy2Gvp2sEKU/U4pKV0d912I/AAAAAAAAA2Y/uW01hGIF8CE/s640/blogger-image-1531965258.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                               </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                               <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kqtApvN8DlU/U4pJejntFuI/AAAAAAAAA2E/ikGCW71HsZo/s640/blogger-image-2017843966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kqtApvN8DlU/U4pJejntFuI/AAAAAAAAA2E/ikGCW71HsZo/s640/blogger-image-2017843966.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                               <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m7SoD8PRppA/U4pJbz2hDcI/AAAAAAAAA18/jYIXGu5dT5A/s640/blogger-image-1273541152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m7SoD8PRppA/U4pJbz2hDcI/AAAAAAAAA18/jYIXGu5dT5A/s640/blogger-image-1273541152.jpg"></a></div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I am not sure why I am so lucky, but I have been stumbling into one amazing performance after another on this journey. The entire place became completely hushed at one point and a lovely choir with angelic voices sang several hymns with such purity, including one of my favorite blues gospels: come on children, come on down, come down to the river to pray.</span></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The interior has such a mix of architectural features (as does the exterior) organic fruits and classical as well as cubist figures,l</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                                   <a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GgM9uinUICQ/U4pJTTS4ixI/AAAAAAAAA1k/uD6Xx3LxbUk/s640/blogger-image-1470330094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GgM9uinUICQ/U4pJTTS4ixI/AAAAAAAAA1k/uD6Xx3LxbUk/s640/blogger-image-1470330094.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                                   <a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-X3lUpuUYFiw/U4pKdCvOwbI/AAAAAAAAA2o/CWPPIZzS4VM/s640/blogger-image--345907229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-X3lUpuUYFiw/U4pKdCvOwbI/AAAAAAAAA2o/CWPPIZzS4VM/s640/blogger-image--345907229.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">     <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PYJ5UQlbd6I/U4pKTGEUSHI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/HTH_850DQRI/s640/blogger-image-1446230853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PYJ5UQlbd6I/U4pKTGEUSHI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/HTH_850DQRI/s640/blogger-image-1446230853.jpg"></a></div><br></div>a bit of something for everyone. The result is a very open and illuminating space that pays homage to all of the main characters of Catholicism and is going to be an awesome space to worship once completed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                              <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7GKWPQyfAEk/U4pKmM-gjjI/AAAAAAAAA24/Pjzj5OETUAA/s640/blogger-image--51659514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7GKWPQyfAEk/U4pKmM-gjjI/AAAAAAAAA24/Pjzj5OETUAA/s640/blogger-image--51659514.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><br></div>

Viva

Leaving Barcelona

Ah, the Catalunyans! So decisive.  None of this come si come saw stuff or autre directions or todos directions...when I was wondering which ...

Fantastical, humanistic Barcelona

<div><br></div><div><br></div> A true model for curbing drug and alcohol addiction and promoting healthy life choices. It would be almost impossible for anyone to remain isolated and lonely here. So many public spaces accommodating every age.  It grows dark outside my hotel window, yet a vigorous soccer game has young and old still shouting frenetically. The avenues are broad, with lanes for bicyclists, skateboarders, roller bladers and skooters.  Some streets have sidewalks between single lanes with trees and benches and restaurants.  Every few blocks is a roundabout with trees and benches at minimum, sometimes also flowers and a fountain.  Between my hotel and the beach is a very very wide promenade dedicated to those learning to roller blade and after that a tremendous skate park: a huge concrete structure with deep wells and long deep curved walls where people on skateboards, roller blades and skooters all attempt wild and dangerous maneuvers, frequently within seconds of each other.  There are rails for skaters to skate on top.  Next to the skate park is a grassy park.  On the other side is a huge city building for indoor sports. Then there is the beach, a wide three-tiered affair.  The top avenue is for runners, cyclists, skaters and walkers, as well as spectators.  The entire top tier is lined with benches above a high wall so that folks can just look out over the beach at the gorgeous blue sea.  Today there were hundreds of people on these benches. Then below it, accessible every sixty meters or so by sloped concrete or stairs, both used by skaters, runners, whoever wants, is another wide sidewalk.  Erected here and there is permanent fitness equipment, seriously - stair steppers and other machines found in gyms.  Granted they are a bit squeaky from the sea air, but still well-used.  Permanent ping pong tables are affixed to the concrete as well.  There are restaurants, some with music, plenty of public toilets, tables where old men play dominoes and a game that appeared to be a poker game though I did not recognize the suits: one looked like bowling pins and another like vegetables.  Will have to google that one.  The beach has fantastic playground equipment.  In fact, much of the play equipment had me marveling.  We wouldn't dare permit most of the commonly accepted sports here for fear of lawsuits.  And yet everyone is having so much fun! (Wouldn't I love to see the tort of simple negligence abolished from our legal system; what a drastic improvement it would mean to our social relations and to the acceptance that humans err and accidents happen; that's just the way it is.) The beach also has many permanent volleyball nets, well-maintained.  In addition to the many volleyball games I watched going on today, there is another played with a tennis ball and open hand, four people, two to a team.  People build elaborate sand castles: saw two Aztec ones with fires burning in them and of course your typical obscene ones thrown in to elicit euros from tourists.  At the port, a lovely port, which is actually four separate ones (I visited the maritime museum today and got very excited over the marine operations as I really like both the complex logistics of it and the romanticism of voyaging) vendor tents are set up and of course musicians play here and there, their instrument cases open for tips. I love the musicians in the subways best; heard a melancholic accordion tune in an underground tunnel today that ripped my heart out, moments before the crooner with his microphone and background speaker on the train had us smiling wistfully. I often wish I had more expendable money handy when I encounter these folks as they contribute so much to the ambience. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                         <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-78NKZYK1VgU/U4JZ3ALUuMI/AAAAAAAAAw4/YIUCbdkbM_4/s640/blogger-image--1647149080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-78NKZYK1VgU/U4JZ3ALUuMI/AAAAAAAAAw4/YIUCbdkbM_4/s640/blogger-image--1647149080.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                          <a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lEbGYlE38yM/U4JawrFAq_I/AAAAAAAAAz4/kL__HZ9nVJg/s640/blogger-image--927906898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lEbGYlE38yM/U4JawrFAq_I/AAAAAAAAAz4/kL__HZ9nVJg/s640/blogger-image--927906898.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">                      <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hytlJb63o2M/U4JakPYDUBI/AAAAAAAAAzA/3PxweOZZs-E/s640/blogger-image--833857997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hytlJb63o2M/U4JakPYDUBI/AAAAAAAAAzA/3PxweOZZs-E/s640/blogger-image--833857997.jpg"></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">  <br><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; clear: both;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">                  <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hytlJb63o2M/U4JakPYDUBI/AAAAAAAAAzA/3PxweOZZs-E/s640/blogger-image--833857997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Y0BeVZsdbXw/U4JatQDqtDI/AAAAAAAAAzo/VzJiO7XjGMA/s640/blogger-image--1756075833.jpg"></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                      <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LD7hmtBg674/U4Janv9WG3I/AAAAAAAAAzQ/Abje-1st-As/s640/blogger-image-1497311269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LD7hmtBg674/U4Janv9WG3I/AAAAAAAAAzQ/Abje-1st-As/s640/blogger-image-1497311269.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                      <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7xtwNv5NYXc/U4JaY6UZPtI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/ZJLkfxHoh6s/s640/blogger-image-553935061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7xtwNv5NYXc/U4JaY6UZPtI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/ZJLkfxHoh6s/s640/blogger-image-553935061.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                      <a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zS2X_XoFBSA/U4JalwpC-cI/AAAAAAAAAzI/hK3PXfik6ko/s640/blogger-image--1077138718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zS2X_XoFBSA/U4JalwpC-cI/AAAAAAAAAzI/hK3PXfik6ko/s640/blogger-image--1077138718.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                      <a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-khpSJq2pihQ/U4Ja43tGEzI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/WMI_DY2vxrc/s640/blogger-image-609080971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-khpSJq2pihQ/U4Ja43tGEzI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/WMI_DY2vxrc/s640/blogger-image-609080971.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                             <a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OLlP78EdMUU/U4JZ5wuXX6I/AAAAAAAAAxA/gjPB8ERl-5I/s640/blogger-image--1955815376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OLlP78EdMUU/U4JZ5wuXX6I/AAAAAAAAAxA/gjPB8ERl-5I/s640/blogger-image--1955815376.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                             <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5ZHinAxCfCQ/U4JbDeAyG5I/AAAAAAAAA0s/B-PvyzItaDI/s640/blogger-image-1773000969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5ZHinAxCfCQ/U4JbDeAyG5I/AAAAAAAAA0s/B-PvyzItaDI/s640/blogger-image-1773000969.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                             <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nRT4ZnTh3m4/U4JaTeC3yuI/AAAAAAAAAx8/qPqSn8-mpyk/s640/blogger-image--59330046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nRT4ZnTh3m4/U4JaTeC3yuI/AAAAAAAAAx8/qPqSn8-mpyk/s640/blogger-image--59330046.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                             <a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Nw1jIRBKx1g/U4JarYMV_YI/AAAAAAAAAzg/phOzq0FSz-E/s640/blogger-image--1780982329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Nw1jIRBKx1g/U4JarYMV_YI/AAAAAAAAAzg/phOzq0FSz-E/s640/blogger-image--1780982329.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                                <a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1dI-fC-kSFk/U4Ja1LDtFsI/AAAAAAAAA0A/RlX_CLjEc0U/s640/blogger-image--273972577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1dI-fC-kSFk/U4Ja1LDtFsI/AAAAAAAAA0A/RlX_CLjEc0U/s640/blogger-image--273972577.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The port</div><br></div></div></div></div><div><div><br></div><div>Then there is La Rambla, the long avenue cutting through the historic Barri Gotic, with architecture so beautiful I found myself photographing telephone numbers to find what it would cost to rent a flat.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZwhyS5Hg5-0/U4JadEvazOI/AAAAAAAAAyg/mzO97A81YnQ/s640/blogger-image--448720201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZwhyS5Hg5-0/U4JadEvazOI/AAAAAAAAAyg/mzO97A81YnQ/s640/blogger-image--448720201.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-I1zF4xG_0O8/U4Ja6xfDH2I/AAAAAAAAA0Y/PFQ82kAypFI/s640/blogger-image-873574732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-I1zF4xG_0O8/U4Ja6xfDH2I/AAAAAAAAA0Y/PFQ82kAypFI/s640/blogger-image-873574732.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                             <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hvFGv9gqkKU/U4Ja2wfF_lI/AAAAAAAAA0I/pW4w9s_C_qE/s640/blogger-image--1372977434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hvFGv9gqkKU/U4Ja2wfF_lI/AAAAAAAAA0I/pW4w9s_C_qE/s640/blogger-image--1372977434.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                             <a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jNJbOA76Juo/U4Jaa3UfiCI/AAAAAAAAAyY/lRaehcaBUyM/s640/blogger-image--1820873519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jNJbOA76Juo/U4Jaa3UfiCI/AAAAAAAAAyY/lRaehcaBUyM/s640/blogger-image--1820873519.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                             <a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-oV1Pa5o2aJQ/U4JaFLpN_BI/AAAAAAAAAxo/Z7ltTNLaf4I/s640/blogger-image--1927147529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-oV1Pa5o2aJQ/U4JaFLpN_BI/AAAAAAAAAxo/Z7ltTNLaf4I/s640/blogger-image--1927147529.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                             <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-t8y-ej30Fsw/U4JapictN4I/AAAAAAAAAzY/W-m4idEBRUE/s640/blogger-image-128344831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-t8y-ej30Fsw/U4JapictN4I/AAAAAAAAAzY/W-m4idEBRUE/s640/blogger-image-128344831.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                             <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_Xhz8zN6B0k/U4Ja_0U8DlI/AAAAAAAAA0g/f2uv0hijnls/s640/blogger-image-1185004330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_Xhz8zN6B0k/U4Ja_0U8DlI/AAAAAAAAA0g/f2uv0hijnls/s640/blogger-image-1185004330.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I have a ridiculous number of photographs of beautiful apartment buildings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div></div></div></div><div><div>And then of course - Gaudi's influence and that of his contemporaries, whimsical, organic, stunning, awe-inspiring and kooky all at once.  All embraced by the City.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                        <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-wq_K4jJ2XQM/U4JaI0cYPKI/AAAAAAAAAxw/a-1o3i16E2o/s640/blogger-image--225196240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-wq_K4jJ2XQM/U4JaI0cYPKI/AAAAAAAAAxw/a-1o3i16E2o/s640/blogger-image--225196240.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                        <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aTXW8aGbeVg/U4JaezSET8I/AAAAAAAAAyo/y211oJCHo38/s640/blogger-image--1730092160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aTXW8aGbeVg/U4JaezSET8I/AAAAAAAAAyo/y211oJCHo38/s640/blogger-image--1730092160.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BiofeYLcnNk/U4JaO40VXEI/AAAAAAAAAx4/bWzzTQpEbiY/s640/blogger-image-2091638192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BiofeYLcnNk/U4JaO40VXEI/AAAAAAAAAx4/bWzzTQpEbiY/s640/blogger-image-2091638192.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                         <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SIgLjJ_dYc8/U4JaWoUCbqI/AAAAAAAAAyE/GGv0AO8D-2Q/s640/blogger-image-1781286331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SIgLjJ_dYc8/U4JaWoUCbqI/AAAAAAAAAyE/GGv0AO8D-2Q/s640/blogger-image-1781286331.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                             The Sagrada Familia, a work in progress.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">                         <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rjkQVcTrVE0/U4JZ7pVxHoI/AAAAAAAAAxI/NmFUHYAwCCs/s640/blogger-image--506488454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rjkQVcTrVE0/U4JZ7pVxHoI/AAAAAAAAAxI/NmFUHYAwCCs/s640/blogger-image--506488454.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Taken from the hilltop above Parc Guell, Gaudi's abandoned utopian residential project now a park, to give a better idea of the scale of the church.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The photos below were taken at Parc Guell, before I settled in with a lovely bottle of Cava under a windy tree canopy listening to a violin quartet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xR2zp3SF67U/U4JaghrMUuI/AAAAAAAAAyw/c8oce-qarHM/s640/blogger-image--2117209606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xR2zp3SF67U/U4JaghrMUuI/AAAAAAAAAyw/c8oce-qarHM/s640/blogger-image--2117209606.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5guAchjPIIM/U4JbBxyOHuI/AAAAAAAAA0o/2bspRjxXcdk/s640/blogger-image--1573866356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5guAchjPIIM/U4JbBxyOHuI/AAAAAAAAA0o/2bspRjxXcdk/s640/blogger-image--1573866356.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UVLEi1HBbUU/U4JZ9z5h_gI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/9KY13SBAChY/s640/blogger-image--1523314595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UVLEi1HBbUU/U4JZ9z5h_gI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/9KY13SBAChY/s640/blogger-image--1523314595.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-URDzz_Vyu44/U4JZ_zVxQ9I/AAAAAAAAAxY/l7sP7vM2qQQ/s640/blogger-image--1976076562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-URDzz_Vyu44/U4JZ_zVxQ9I/AAAAAAAAAxY/l7sP7vM2qQQ/s640/blogger-image--1976076562.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The community water supply would have fed from an elaborate and beautiful system of viaducts before coming out of a salamander's mouth.  Only two houses of the proposed sixty were built, but the infrastructure begun is very cool.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xFkU0U7kmY8/U4JaiUDh93I/AAAAAAAAAy4/C-Bor002OrI/s640/blogger-image-1389361780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xFkU0U7kmY8/U4JaiUDh93I/AAAAAAAAAy4/C-Bor002OrI/s640/blogger-image-1389361780.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8iLhf6GcF2c/U4JauynZqzI/AAAAAAAAAzw/kYtZwREmsfk/s640/blogger-image--2071141005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8iLhf6GcF2c/U4JauynZqzI/AAAAAAAAAzw/kYtZwREmsfk/s640/blogger-image--2071141005.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5v6vmQIAzQk/U4JaBwM3anI/AAAAAAAAAxg/ckPcDPYWEfE/s640/blogger-image-881657799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5v6vmQIAzQk/U4JaBwM3anI/AAAAAAAAAxg/ckPcDPYWEfE/s640/blogger-image-881657799.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And don't even get me started on the food in Barcelona.  I suppose it is merciful that internet service at my hotel was feeble and my photo stream did not link up all of my photos - the fresh squeezed fruit juices at the mercados, the many delightful tapas, the jewel-like sangrias...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div>

Viva

Fantastical, humanistic Barcelona

 A true model for curbing drug and alcohol addiction and promoting healthy life choices. It would be almost impossible for anyone to remain ...