| 23-Aug-2009 | We headed out this morning to Parc Güell to check out more Gaudi. We took the subway rather than hike all the way out there. We snagged some pastry on the walk from the subway stop to the park. Delicious!

We strolled through the park a bit, but it was already packed with tour groups. The park offers some beautiful views across the city and out to the Mediterranean Sea, but the haze obscured everything – you couldn’t see the sea.  After taking in as much mosaic as a person can handle in a single sitting, we headed for Montjuïc – site of the castle and many of the Olympic venues. After a long, air-conditioned subway ride that restored some energy, we hiked around the park. No photograph can capture exactly how hot and humid it was. Another subway ride back to Plaça Catalunya in search of lunch, and a nap. El Corte Inglés, the department store where the supermarket is, isn’t open on Sunday so we noshed on pita sandwiches from a little shop on La Rambla instead. After a nap in our tiny, air-conditioned room, we’re considering tapas for dinner. We’ll let you know how that goes!

Jeff’s Note:  Word fail to describe the energy-sucking heat and humidity.  The middle of the day is almost a complete loss – you just can’t be out and about.  However, the mornings are great, and the smells from the bakeries amazing!

Casa Batllò. Equal parts genius and crazy. But then, isn’t that always the case?

We stopped for pastry on the way to Parc Güell. Pain au chocolat, with custard ,,,  mind blown.

Mosaic work at Parc Güell. Seriously, a crap-ton of mosaic.

Some of the winding mosaic bench at Parc Güell. Miraculously, with no on sitting on it! You’d never suspect this place is crawling with tour groups.

More Parc Güell.