Gaudi

The trash truck comes by about midnight and 3:30 a.m. outside our hotel room. Mental note, next time ask for a room in the back of the hotel. 😊

We found the best little pastry shop on the corner. Only $7 euros with pastries and coffee. 

We needed to check into making train reservations for France and Germany.  Unfortunately the train station cannot do that, they only handle domestic travel. So will book them when we get to Avignon. So much for the European Union!

La Sagrada Familia is absolutely beautiful. The building began in 1882 with the first stone being laid, Antoni Gaudi began to add his artistic creativity in 1883. Even though he was a part of the project for a brief period overall, his plans and models have driven the construction. The pope came to consecrate the church in 2010, services currently take place only in the chapel. 

There east side stained glass are blue tones and the west side are earthen reds and yellows. Gaudi said "The sun is the finest painter."  He put funnel shaped openings in the ceiling to allow light to filter in. 

We went up into the nativity tower, it was 135 meters, just high enough for me not to look out until I had walked down 

a ways. 

A short subway ride later we got to the Mediterranean, had 

some lunch and stood on the beach. 

We prepared for tomorrow by finding the office where we will pick up a bus for Montserrat. 

We went to a really good dinner at Peppitos. Stuffed ox Tortellini and duck stuffed cannelloni, with strawberry 

creme brûlée.

For the best thing that happened today click here!

Owen

Stolen Baguette!

This morning we walked to the same little Greek pastry shop and had coffee, fresh squeezed juice, croissant and a chocolate pastry for just $4 euros. The cost of food here is pretty cheap. 

After we ate we went to the park next to the Royal Palace. There was a little lady playing with her chihuahuas, Ollie the 
little 5 month old came to us to be petted. He was so

cute! 

We checked out of our Madrid hotel at noon and took the subway to the train station, Atocha Renfro.  We had to validate our EuroRail pass and then find our way to the right gate. This was very different than in 2014, we assumed because of upgrades to security. 

We are on the train as I am writing, the area around Madrid is very brown and not very pretty, but as we have moved east it has more hills and a little thunderstorm popped up.  

We are staying in a beautiful hotel in Barcelona, Murmuri. They suggested a restaurant Bardot, a good variety of food. We all had asparagus with a cheese. Tim had fabulous oxtail, Annette had the winner with octopus/prawns risotto, Bryan had tuna tartar and I had vanilla scallops. Here are a few food photos, for the children reading along, we keep forgetting to take food pictures.

For those of you that really looked at the title you're

probably wondering about the baguette. Tim had purchased a baguette in Madrid to eat on the way. When we got to Barcelona it was still sticking out of his bag and between getting off of the train and getting our subway ticket it was gone. Hopefully a hungry homeless person had a good meal!

Palace & Prada

Apparently we were tired, we went to bed about 11:00 and slept for 10 hours straight. It helps when the room has darkening screens.
The Royal Palace has 2800 rooms and totals approximately 1.5 million sq. ft., just a little place. It is the largest palace in Europe.

Apparently multiple rooms are needed for dressing, dressing, sleeping  and eating. A formal dining area for 140 along with a dish and silverware room.

When King Charles III died his body was moved here and anyone and everyone in the country was able to come here and show their respect. He was a King that loved the arts, many tapestries, ivory 

and other media. He started the early plans for the Prada, but it was not until Queen Maria many 

years later, she finished the plans and had it built. 

Close to the Plaza Mayor is a Market, kind of like the Reading Terminal Market in Boston. The best stuffed olives, croissants with jamon and cheese, fresh mozzarella, wine, paella, and special sweets. We ate some of them all! 

 I like the trees in front of the Prada, they were huge!

We walked our feet off, Bryan and Annette taking a little rest before seeing some Rafael and Rembrandt. 

After the Prada we walked down the Grand Via, looked a lot like New York with a bigillion people. We really liked our quaint area where we finished the day with a nice dinner and churros with chocolate for dessert. 

We're Not in Texas Anymore!

Thankfully there were no delays this trip, we made it to Madrid right about the time that was stamped on the ticket and all luggage arrived with us too!
We checked in at Hotel Preciados which is right in the heart of Madrid, and is located on a street that is for pedestrians only. It has quaint tapas restaurants and colored canopies shading the street area. We began exploring the area, and walked to the Puerto del Sol.

This area filled with street performers later in the evening after we returned from the bull fights. The lights and the people were amazing. 

We ate at a restaurant after walking and realizing that we were getting pretty droopy from lack of sleep. 

I really didn't want to go to the bull fights, but I have got to say that I really enjoyed them. The pattern was that the bull entered and the little bull fighter helpers worked to wear the bull down, then the main guy came in and worked in the center ring. These horses with body armor attracted the bull and the rider stabbed at the bull. That was when the real bleeding began and the horses leave and the matador uses the red cape to wear the bull down and some stabbed him with a long sword and after the bull falls they poke him in the head to make sure he is dead and then drag him out of the stadium with a team of mules. Gross huh! But absolutely fascinating.