It is very very cool!

I got to the hostel at about 4.00pm and checked in and then moved rooms - so I could get a locker in my room - I didn´t want one outside the room cause the security didn´t look that great.

The beach view from the hostel door!!!

......and Tanya has marked this postcard with the hostel's location

I really liked this place tho...so close to the water!
Literally about seven steps to the beach - you will see that in the photos.

Kaz had arrived already so I went to meet her on La Rambla which is the main street with a huge pedestrianised section.

Walking through the city Statue of Columbus (two photos)

A postcard from Tanya showing some of the sights

We wandered around and had dinner - looking at a few things but not really shopping.

We had been told to go to Montjiuc which is an area where there is fountains and a Palace and they have music and lights and the fountains move to it (there is a photo below of the Palace and buildings)
So we did - but it wasn´t on - weekends only!
Never mind - we had an icecream!

Back to the hostel for the night.

I got up for brekky (which was included in the accommodation and was really good!!) and then went to meet Karen on La Rambla again.

A brochure giving a few details on the Temple

(three photos)---The La Sagrada Familia---(two photos)

Some of the statues (two photos)--------- (two photos)

"Whipped cream and lollies" (three photos)--- "Ginger-bread houses"

Inside and the stained glass windows (three photos)

----Tanya in front of La Sagrada Familia----

The start of our day was La Sagrada Familia - possibly the most bizzare place I have been!!
It is a temple of some kind but was designed by Gaudi who certain has some imagination!!
His work looks a lot like gingerbread houses and whipped cream and lollies!!
He does a lot of mosaics which I love and they are pretty amazing.
It probably doesn´t sound great but the photos will show you that it is really really cool.

There was a museum that showed how he gets all his ideas and it is all from nature - trees, and shells and the ocean - the colours are especially great.

View over the city from La Sagrada Familia

We went up a column which had great city views.

La Pedra

We then went to La Pedra and Casa Batllo which were both designed by Gaudi too.

Casa Batllo - and a close-up look at the balconys (two photos)

......and Tanya in front of the building

We didn´t go in either of them but my fave was Casa Batllo.
The balconys looks like skulls but not sinister at all if you can work that out!

Tanya and the Park Guell sign--------- Tanya at Park Guell

......and one of the buildings in the Park

Then to our fave part of the day - Park Guell.
More Gaudi but so so so much better than what we had seen.

The wavy seats and mosaics (two photos)--- More mosaics

......and some more

----Tanya and the 'wavy mosaic' seats----

A mosaic lizard --- and Tanya is making friends!!!

Tanya with some more of the mosaics in Park Guell

There was the usual gingerbread houses but there was also the wavy seats (see the photos) and lots more mosaics.

A brochure giving a few details on the Museum

"The coolest mirror that I have ever seen!!"

We went into another museum there which had the coolest mirror in it that I have ever seen!!
It would probably suit Mum and Dad's bedroom - but would cost a lot more than the teacups Mum collects!!

"The walkway - walking through a crashing wave!!"

There was also a walkway that was designed to make you feel that you were walking through a crashing wave - almost like you were surfing.

After that it was back to the hostel and then to the beach.

We got there about five and sunbaked until about seven - it was still very hot but the sun had gone behind the buildings.
The water was great and very clear.
The only problem with the beach here is that there are thousands of sellers walking around with skirts and tops and bikinis and fake tattoos and offereing massages and if I hear one more time some big smelly bloke say "Cola, Fanta, Aqua, Beer" I was going to smash him!!
It really did spoil the serenity!

A postcard from Tanya

We had dinner on La Rambla again and then back to the hostel for the night.

Santa Maria Del Mar - and the "very modern looking" stained glass window

Up early for more sightseeing.
I met Kaz at Santa Maria Del Mar for a look.
The church had a great stained glass window that was very very modern looking - not sure about it at all but I realy liked it and took a photo to show you!

The Cathedral - "absolutely covered in scaffolding!!"

Then it was off to the cathedral which was absolutely covered in scaffolding - bugger - would have been lovely at the front.
We had to be covered on the shoulders to go into this one and as Kaz was the only one with her sarong we took turns.
She went in and then I went.

The Cathedral--- The geese (two photos)

It was pretty usual inside but there was an outside cloister with fountains and geese that were kept by monks centuries ago and the tradition continues.

......and the fountain

There was a lovely big fountain that you could drink out of so I refilled my water bottle - I wonder if it was holy water, hey Mum?

Palau De La Musica - and mosaics on the building

Then it was to Palau De La Musica for more Gaudi.
We guessed it was probably a nice building but it was in a narrow street and it was a little bit tricky seeing it.
We went in and it was pretty funky in there too!!

Then we went out separate ways - Kaz to the Picasso Museum and me to the Olympic site.

Tanya in front of Palau Nacional de Montjuic - Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

This was the same place as the music fountain light thingy but I had to go up behind the Palace.
I was a little concerned about the number of steps and whether my knee would survive but I was able to get the whole way up on outdoor escalators that dotted the hill - very handy.

I really liked the city.

......and click on the logo to go to The Barcelona Olympics web site

Outside the Stadium

I remember, during the Barcelona Olympics, Mum and I judging the diving and seeing the city views in the background and was quited pleased to actually be there.

The Olympic Pool ---and Tanya checking it out

The Athletics Stadium ---and Tanya is at the Olympics!!!

Tanya, the Stadium and the Cauldron

I got some shots of the pool and then went into the Stadium where the athletics were.
It was a lovely Stadium but didn´t seem to be all that big.
I saw the cauldron where the flame burned and as there was not much else happening there it was back to the beach.

Fruit (and lolly!!!) market (three photos)

I stopped in at a fruit market and took some great shots - I also bought some fruit to have on the bus the next day.
Kaz was already there so I joined her.
We went swimming again and then found out that the beach was contaminated that day and that no one should be swimming - never mind - I haven´t come out in any bad rashes yet!

There was apparently bed bugs or fleas in my hostel room too!!
One English girl was so badly bitten she had to go to the hospital and have antihistamine injections.
I didn´t come up in any bites either - lucky me!

Tanya and Karen having dinner at the marina

We both wanted to go somewhere nice for our last dinner so we had already picked a nice floating tapas restuarant in the marina and met there about 7.30pm.
We had a lovely dinner and chat and were there for about four hours eating and drinking and desserting and irish cofee-ing!!

Barcelona, and Tanya enjoying the city and sunset

It was such a lovely warm night and when we got there it was still sunny and then the sun set and it was just completely perfect.

The card Tanya received from Karen

(two photos)

I went back to the hostel to pack for my 8.00am bus to Valencia.
See you there!