PARK GUELL

Our destination was Park Guell but knowing that the park was located on the edge of Barcelona we were unsure of eating places so decided to try out an eating establishment that our tour guide had recommended.  She had told us it was a lot of little eatieries called El Nacional.  What a delight it turned out to be.  Lots of very nice places to enjoy, wine, tapas, oysters, fish, salad and sandwiches.  

It's at the end of a little street and I don't think we would have even gone down it if our guide hadn't told us about it.  

Something sure must have tickled us.  

We settled on a little eatery called LaPadadeta and we each had a salad and a sandwich.

We finally pried ourselves away from the very relaxing atmosphere of the El Nacional and Sharon saw a very nice jewelry store right outside the so we stopped to have a look.  We are never in any hurry.  Shedeliberated  for some time but ended up buying a beautiful ring and lovely bracelet.  Absolutely necessary purchases since we have to have something to remind us Barcelona in the future .  That task behind us we caught the bus right outside the restaurants to the park.

The park was intended to be a 30 acre garden to a 60 residence housing project - a kind of gated community.  Work began in 1900, but progress stalled in 1914 with the outbreak of WWI.  Only two house were built, neither designed by Gaudi. As a high income housing developement, it flopped; but as a park it's a delight.  

When considering the failure of Park Guell as a community development, also consider that it was an idea a hundred years ahead of its time.  Back then, high society ladies didn't want to live so far from the cultural action. Today, the surrounding neighborhoods are some of the wealthiest in town, and a gated community could be a big hit.  

The park was free at one time but became so overfun by tourists obscuring the very sights they'd some to see an admission free and timed entry to the Monumental Zone were established.  The Monumental zone consists of a pair of gingerbreat-style houses, a grand staircase monitored by a colorful dragon, a forest of columns supporting a spectacular view terrace, and an undulating balcony slathered in tile shards.  

Outside the zone , the rest of the park contains the Gaudi House Museum, Calvary viewpoint, picnic area, and a pleasant network of nature trails.  

There are two of the Hansel and Gretal type houses - one is undergoing some renovation.  They are now a bookstore and the other a museum, a branch of the Barcelona History Museum. 

This dragon - slain by Barcelona's patron saint, George - is a symbol of Catalan pride.  This creature also evokes the crocodile mascot of Nimes, France, where Eusebi Guell spent much of his youth.  

The columns that you see here was the space designed to house a produce market for the neighborhood.  It is called the Hall of 100 coumns despite the fact that there are only 86 columns.  

This is the Catalan shield with the head of a serpent poking out.  

There are four of these giant sun-like decorations representing the four seasons.  There is a hook in the middle of each where a latern can be hung.  

Arranged around the large decorations are smaller rosettes meant to suggest the lunar cycle.

This was the house of Eusebi Guell which is now a school.  It predates the park project.  

The park is a "Pathway of Columns".  Gaudi drew his inspiration from nature, and this arcade is a like a surfer's perfect tube.  This is one of the many double-decker viaducts that Gaudi designed for the grounds:  Vehicles up top, pedestrians in the portico down below.  Gaudi intended this walkways to remind visitors of the pilgrm routes that crisscross Spain.  

The wave!

Here you can see part of the 360 -foot-long bench that surrounds the Terrace.  To Gaudi this terrace evoked Ancient Greek theaters that burrowd scenically into the side of hills. It's primary purpose was to provide a wide open meeting place.  Gaudi engineered a water catchment system by which rain hitting this plaza would flow through natural filters, then through the columns of the market below into a 300,000-gallon underground cistern,  The water was bottled and sold as a health cure.  

Here we are sitting on the bench to try out it's comfort factor.  Gaudi enlisted a construction worker as his guinea pig to figure out exacty where to place the lumbar support ( back in a time when "ergonomics" and "lumbar support" hadn't been heard o)f.   Why can't airplanes adopt this design.  We were in heaven!

This picture really points out how very fashionable I am when traveling  - old black granny shoes, Brooks Addictions and white Nikken socks.  What a look.  The only thing I can say is the combination has kept my feet in perfect form on this adventure.  

Notice the lion's-head gargyles and the big stone roplets that cling to the ourside edge of the terrace which hint at it's purpose of collecting water.

Again - pretty roof - ugly roofs!

A view of the steeple of Gaudi's house. 

A stone tower topped with three crosses, represents the Hill of Calvary, where Jesus was crucified.  Gaudi envisioned the topography of Park Guell as a metaphor for the soul's progress: starting at the low end and toiling uphill to reach spiritual enlightment. A chapel was originally intendd to occupy the spot.  

Here we are meeting in the meeting place. 

The main drag connecting Gaudi's House to the Terrace is called the Rosary Parthway.  It is lined with giant stone balls that represent the beads of a rosary.  During the years Gaudi lived there, the reverent Gausdi would pray the rosary while walking this path.  

We found a staircase which looked ike it would go to a neat palce so Sandi and I decided to climb while Sharon said she'd explore below and meet us later.  We climbed and climbed and came across this beautiful house , lovely grunds, and interesting fence work and beautiful views.  

After our climb and following different paths down we finally ran into Sharon. We had spent sometime looking for her.  I even called her.  We bought phones so we could get in touch with each other.  The only problem is we either don't have them with us or we forget to charge them, or we just forget to listen for them. Anyway, Sharon did not have her's with her.  We finally ran into her and she informed us that she had managed to see the same things we saw without climbing all the stairs.  She had found a nice gradual ascent  on a pathway.  

This is Gaudi's house - again not designed by the master but he lived here. 

We caught the bus back to the city and the metro home.  Another good day in Barcelona enjoying the architecture of Gaudi.