Barcelona

Before I begin, I should give the disclaimer that I will be posting twice on Barcelona: the city of today, and the city of The Shadow of the Wind (see plug in earlier post). Barcelona was beautiful... perfectly clear blue skies, a gorgeous stretch of beach, strikingly divergent medieval and modernist architecture, peacefully treelined streets, colorful characters on the Ramblas, and savory foods.

The city is beautiful from above. There are several vantage points from which to view the city: Montjuic (the hill topped by the castle/fortress and including the Olympic stadiums):

Tibidabo (a secluded area rising above the northwest corner of the city):

And our hotel room window (convenient, no?):

But even more intriguing is being on the street level with the sounds, smells, and people of Barcelona. The Ramblas, the central street in Barcelona's old section, is complete with shops, street performers, and a fabulous market:

Just off the Ramblas, in the Gothic Quarter, are beautiful, secluded plazas and a grand cathedral:

In the newer district, the Eixample, a master-planned community of the late 19th and early 20th century, are broad treelined streets randomly graced by creative, modernist buildings by architects such as Gaudi:

Gaudi, the prize of Barcelona and the modernist movement, is also responsible for the start of a grand and modern cathedral, one that is still under construction today:

Also designed by Gaudi is the famous Park Guell, a beautiful landscape (which actually reminds me a bit of the Texas Hill Country, except for the palm trees, obviously) dotted with creative structures and areas for live music:

Overall, it was a fabulous trip, and I highly recommend you go. Soon to come: the Barcelona of The Shadow of the Wind and Angel's Game. If you haven't read the books, read them, at least The Shadow of the Wind, and if you have read them, stay tuned...