Once again, we headed to the Mercat for breakfast and lunch food. We had found one stand that sold the most delicious tomatoes! We went there everyday to get some for lunch and we progressively bought more each day. I told the woman that they were the best tomatoes we had ever had. She said they were the kind that Italians used to make their sauces. Yum!
Next we headed off to La Sagrada Familia. We figured getting there an hour after it had opened we wouldn't have to wait in line for that long. We were dead wrong. We got there and the line stretched for at least two blocks! When we finally got to the end, one of the workers came up and informed us the line was closed and that we could come back at noon. He said he suggested buying tickets on-line or going to the ATM on the corner to buy tickets. We headed to the ATM where a line of about 20 people waited. After waiting 15 minutes for just one person to buy tickets and then another 15 minutes for the second person to buy tickets, Ben went in search of a locutorio so we could buy the tickets on-line. I stayed in the ATM line just in case. Ben came back to say he found a locutorio so we went and bought our tickets for later that afternoon and then headed to Park Guell.
Park Guell was intended to be a residential park with about 60 homes designed by Gaudi. Only 2 of the 60 planned homes were built. So Guell's idea kind of failed but the park was beautiful and we got to visit the house where Gaudi lived until he moved into his workshop at La Sagrada Familia. After exploring the park we headed back to La Sagrada Familia to wait until our time to scan our tickets. Once we could scan our tickets we passed up at least 100 people, scanned our tickets and entered. We have decided that during tourist season it is worth the couple of extra euros to buy tickets on-line.
La Sagrada Familia blew me away! We were trying to decide if buying tickets was worth it and I am so glad we did. The height of the towers was unbelievable and the tallest one hasn't even been built yet! The stain glass inside was so beautiful. Gaudi got his inspiration from nature and you can tell by visiting this place. The columns inside resemble trees. After La Sagrada Familia we headed home to spend some time out of the sun and then we went to dinner at the yummiest Italian restaurant. The food was so good! It made me even more excited to visit Italy in July.
While we were waiting in the ATM line, I noticed they were doing work on La Sagrada Familia.
Park Guell
Gaudí´s house
We had a great view of the city from this park.
Mount Tibidabo. If you know me well, I am obsessed with Friends and in one of the many great episodes they talk about hiking in the mountains of Tibidabo. So, when Ben pointed them out to me I was really excited!
A hospital designed by Gaudí. Up until about a year ago it was a fully functioning hospital. They have decided to turn it into a full time tourist site though so it is undergoing some pretty intensive renovations.
La Sagrada Familia is filled with images and verses from Jesus' life. It is a building truly dedicated to showing who Jesus was and is. I absolutely loved it!
Matthew 27: 19 - While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don´t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him."
When you walk in, the floor is covered with images of when Jesus went to Jersualem to eventually be arrested and crucified. These scenes show him riding in on the donkey and the people laying down palm branches and praising him.
The stain glass blew my mind! The inside of this church will be absolutely stunning when it is finally finished!
The altar at the front of the church.
That spot of light at the top is where the final and tallest column will go. This column represents Jesus.
Gaudí said he was inspired by nature and you can see this in how the columns supporting the church resemble tree trunks and their branches.
"I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen."
Praise God! This was posted throughout the church in several different languages.
It took me awhile to notice but the nativity scene is built into the outside of the building. Here you can see the star, people worshiping God and, Mary, Joseph a donkey and Jesus.
Down and to the left of Mary, Joseph and Jesus are the Three Wise Men.
Down and to the right are the shepards.
This is a model of what it will look like when it is finished. The middle column and the ones on the far right still need to be built among other things such as finishing the inside.
