Spain (Part 1)

Family Reflections:

Women's footwear has changed drastically since 25 years ago...most women are in sneakers now (so much more comfortable and better for the ankles)!
We all love comida and empanadas! Kids have been very willing to try and scarf down many tapas.
It's hot! 😂
People are just more outwardly social on public transportation, much more lively.
We love all the sidewalk and street cleaners (truly keeping the country clean). We'd get a little serenade in the morning by a deep baritone going up and down our street.
We went from countless vineyards to orange groves to miles and miles of olive trees from France down to Sevilla.

En route through the Pyrennes Mountains...beautiful countryside! WE SAW FLAMINGOS in many of the smaller lakes in the south of France. That was a total surprise!

Barcelona

Catedral de Barcelona (it houses 13 geese inside in memory of Saint Eulalia who suffered 13 punishments by the Romans...and they were harsh).

Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand stayed in this area (and Colombus came to ask for sponsorship for his explorations to the Americas).

Right: Exploring and getting yummy food from Mercat de Sant Antoni. Lots of jamon legs everywhere (my three counterparts all love it!)

Old Town Barcino

"Just" some Picasso on a building.

Lego Parc Güell

El Caganer...a figure hidden in the nativity scenes at Christmas (smaller) to bring luck and fertile soil (yes, he is the pooper).

I mean, come on Legos, this is amazing...Sagrada Familia too!

Plaza de Sant Felip Neri (sadly bombed during the Civil War). The facade remains pocked with marks as a reminder.

Roman findings reconstructed (amazing what you happen upon in the Gothic Quarter).

Snail Bread!

Casa Batlló...really cool architecture. Antoni Gaudí is totally my style and we loved seeing some of his visions come to life!

Love this tree knot...grew here for Gaudí, I'd think.

Kayaking, cliff jumping (well a 3 and 6 meter jump), and a little snorkeling in Costa Brava (north of Barcelona). It was amazing! The waves got big toward the end and we were working hard, but also having the time of our lives with the big waves rocking us!

Sagrada Familía

(last time I was here, you couldn't enter...it's amazing and I'm so glad we did the tour)!

This side is the Nativity Facade (birth), represented by spring and summer things.

The inside of the church represents a ton of nature!

I love it!

The light coming in from all the stained glass is crazy beautiful!

This side is the Passion Facade (death), represented by fall and winter things.

The tree trunk pillars reaching up and coming together to form the leaves.

View of West Barcelona from the Passion Tower we went up.

Stairs climbing down the Passion tower.

Everything in Sagrada Família is very purposeful and thoughtful. Such as the "tree" pillars...12 in one size/rock for the 12 apostles, 4 in another and bigger for the 4 Evangelists, 3 for Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, etc. The guided tour was fascinating!

Walking around

Park Güell

(a 5 minute walk from our house).

Very cool viaducts.

Around Valencía

Stopped at the Coves de Sant Josep on our drive down to Valencía...the longest subterranean river in Europe.

It's Bacon and a Jelly!

Road in a boat and had to duck a lot!

There's evidence of humans here 17,000 years ago.

A quick overnight in Bellreguard, right next to the beach. Had a wonderful, evening stroll and finally got some paella (from this region)!

Granada

This unique bell tower has a Roman bottom, a Nasrid middle, and a Christian top. Another view of old school recycling.

Looking out over Granada

Door Fun!

So many interweavings of the Nasrid period, the last Muslim rule.

Living up in the Albacín, where the streets are winding, small, and cobbled.

La Alhambra from our hood.

A beautiful sunset welcomed us to Granada!

We went on an evening walking tour through the Albacín and Sacromonte neighborhoods and ended with an amazing flamenco show.

Many aljibes (water cisterns/aquaducts) from way back in the day still exist. Here's a public fountain.

Sacromonte neighborhood...the caves where gypsies came to settle after being mislead to come and work the land.

Truly breathtaking, Amari was beside herself!

Waylon really wanted a photo of him chilling with a banana. 😂

Happy Cow Sighting!

Fruit trees and flowers hang over from people's courtyards. It was a way for Muslims to give food to the poor, one of the five pillars (zakat).

(Left) Beautiful passageways (some of which we are shocked to see cars fitting through)! Apparently, cars have gotten stuck on stairs, been flipped over, against walls...we did not bring the car in here!