I was saving the Sagrada Familia for my last day, but I got an appointment with an osteopath tomorrow so off I went this morning. It was spectacular, of course, especially the inside.
This is what I looked like most of the day:
Gaudi designed the Cathedral to convey the peace of quiet old forests with the structures and the light. It’s pretty obvious, and even with hundreds of other people milling about, you can feel the calm. Notice the columns branching like trees at the top:
The stained glass windows are being slowly installed, since 1999.
The construction was started in 1882 and isn’t scheduled to be finished for a few more decades. It was definitely odd to see signs asking for quiet, when workers in the loft were intermittently firing up stone saws. And a lift was in front of the alter!
I was on the fence about going up into the towers, but I learned they have elevators and it only cost $8 more, so I decided to do it.
The view was amazing, but unfortunately the elevator only takes you up and then it’s 220 steps down on foot. No jarring pain, but neither knee is very happy with me now!
I can walk alright, but I can feel something moving around in a way it shouldn’t. I still don’t understand why i have just developed the problem now, and I’m starting to be more concerned that it’s not going to go away just with rest. I’m starting to think of other longer term options in case I really can’t continue with my Camino (Malta? Iceland? African safari?) and googling “volunteer opportunities Spain.” But I’m still hopeful and excited to be moving on to Pamplona this weekend. I can always hang out there for another week if I need to. I think Barcelona is too big for me!
I’m reading a book about two women who raced around the world in 1889 (Eighty Days by Matthew Goodman). In it there is a description of what, at the time, was the quintessential “young American woman (representative, in any case, of how Americans liked to think of their young women): plucky, bright, courageous, free-spirited, warm-hearted…” I think I would like to be described as “plucky,” although I’m not entirely sure what that looks like! But here’s trying 🙂
I love the white lightness of the cathedral. It looks like a fairy forest or a paper castle or a mysterious milky fantasyland. The shot with you is haunting. Thanks for making the photos larger. Much more engaging. Makes me want to go there with or without the tapas. Cheers
Why did those “trees” look so familiar? I just saw the 60 Minutes report on Sagrada Familia!
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50142498n
Wow!! I hope I can still watch it online when I get home. Sounds fascinating! And what good timing, haha!
What an amazing building! I hope your neck doesn’t hurt too much from looking up so much!! i can relate with all the birding. You have shown a great deal of pluckiness thus far. When I think of a plucky woman, someone like Amelia Earhart comes to mind . . . .
Wow. Gorgeous.
Good luck with the osteopath. I really hope it helps.
Wow… just added Barcelona to my bucket list!
I wonder if this is where the expression gaudi comes from? Certainly looks like it could have. Oh Nicole, I am so hoping that you have an exceptional osteopath and are led down just the right healing road for you. Been following along. Forgive me for not chipping in til now. Maui is beautiful right now, showing her spring feathers, brilliant sunny days, tourgoise waters and much warmer weather than when you were here. Loving you along the way.
Maile
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