was my first visit to Barcelona. I now rank it among one of the
"must-see" cities of the world -- it was awesome!
Besides the Roman ruins, the port, the beach, and the many
winding streets surrounded by old buildings, Barcelona is home to
a number of impressive museums and the 1992 Olympics
complex. There's a lot to see and do, not to mention the good food
and drink and reasonable prices.
One of the most famous destinations in the city are the various
works of Antoni Gaudi and his followers. I knew nothing about him
or his work, other than the fact that it was quite different from the
“usual” styles of architecture that we’ve all seen. I didn’t expect to
like it, but I knew I had to see it. Well, I was blown away. It doesn’t
translate well in photos, but trust me, there is something
magnificent about this crazy, undulating, organic, ornamented
style! Gaudi's unfinished cathedral Sagrada Familia is
unforgettable. Gaudi was struck and killed by a trolley car during its
construction, but work continues by dedicated followers and
through generous donations.
There is also a terrific Pablo Picasso museum in the city. I'm not a
big fan of Picasso's, so I thought I'd just breeze through. Hah! I
think most of us associate Picasso with his "weird" stuff, but he
was a well-trained and tremendously talented artist who did a lot of
"traditional" art and who delved in other media, including ceramics.
I ended up being in the museum for over two hours.
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