barcelona

woke up not feeling too good. beginning of bug? took a vitamin c pill. coffee and chocolate croissant at café roma chain. set off for pension norma. turns out room is €43, €40 was for double bed. annoying but nothing to be done.
today was ruta del modernisme day. first highlight was puig’s casa de les punxes (house of spikes). red-tiled turrets reminiscent of red square. a fairy-tale castle on the corner of a busy intersection.
gaudi’s casa mila (la pedrera) was excellent. his vision is simply extraordinary. orgy of photo-taking, especially on the whimsical rooftop. also enjoyed exhibits of barcelona in the early 20th century, and the recreation of a bourgeois apartment then. lunch at 4pm at hostal de rita. excellent value at €7. moussaka was very good, totally different from the greek version: zucchini and potatoes on minced meat and melted cheese. main course of fish was ok. dessert was crepe filled with raspberry sauce and drenched in chocolate sauce. delicioso!
found that amex was near passeig de gracias and open till 6. finally managed to cash rest of TC with no commission.
before lunch, saw manzana de la discordia: domenech, puig and gaudi in one block. puig’s casa amatller had colourful ceramic decorations. also peeked into interior. gaudi’s casa battlo was again breathtaking in its singularity of vision.
post lunch: sagrada familia. iconic spires arching towards the sky. views from high up incredible and dizzying. walked up to other set of spires. spiral staircase with nada on the inside dizzying as well. josep subirachs did the passion facade on the west. strong, simple lines and comic-book style figures, in contrast with gaudi’s complex, detailed nativity façade. struck up conversation with japanese girl who had studied in barcelona for 3 months. going on to granada the next day.
interviewed by school girl at exit. questions on/about barcelona. had to take picture as proof! had coffee nearby; finished postcards. unfortunately, sagrada familia not lit up.
casa batllo was lovely lit-up. also venue for EC candidates’ dinner. proceeded up rambla de catalunya: broad pedestrian lane with traffic on both sides, sorta like las ramblas without the stalls.
gaudi’s casa vicens another revelation in the middle of a quiet side street.
dinner at lebanese place equinox at placa del sol. neighbourhood/student feel to the place, with kids even at the pub! had shish-tauk baradillo (pita bread), which was good.