A friend of Hera's has a niece in Barcelona, and we met up with her for a lovely brunch nearby. We chatted, and she suggested a restaurant for us near La Rmablas as well as a street in her neighborhood that was lined with other restaurants for us to discover.
In the afternoon, we head out to see Gaudi's Casa Batllo . The admission price may seem steep, but it is well worth the visit.
Gaudi's genius is best appreciated inside his works.
The winding staircase with intricately carved wood that is basically molded for a perfect fit to your hand.
Likewise the various knobs and handles.
His work is as much tactile as it is visual, so go ahead and feel his genious as you careful touch items.
Within the various rooms, no wall or cieling is flat, but all have gentle curves that give it a sense of motion.
Again, all the intricate woodwork for the doors and windows are specifically made to fit. Even the furniture he designed is made specifically for each room.
Some pieces are so contempory, that you would think it was an ultra modern item of today, and not something 1 century old.
A case in point it a sleek slab of marble as a washroom sink. Large enough that the shallow hollow is sufficient to stop the water from running off the edges.
Gaudi's designs encompass every aspect. While beautiful, it also serves specific purposes. Suggest as his care in natural lighting. Controlling the lighting so that just the right amount of light enters each apartment. The central light well is lined with blue marble tiles. Light entering the top is naturally stronger and more intense than light at the bottom of the light well, so he used darked blue tiles at the top, with smaller windows on the upper floors, and the tiles lighten in color and the windows get larger as one descends to let more light in.
We left Casa Batllo, and walked down the street, past the various fashion stores. We casually strolled the now familiar streets, across the square of the Cathedral where the Sardana dance is performed each week, in front of our neighboorhood Santa Caterina market, through several little narrow streets until we reached a pleasant square we had stopped once before. We sat at El Atril at 23 carre Cardera.
Hera ordered a wine, while I had a beer. We tried their Potata Brava which was excellent.
Each place has its own Brava sauce. This one starts off mild, but the heat slowly builds but never too intense. We also ordered some Cheriso that was equally delicious. A wonderful way to spend the late afternoon.
As we walked home, we bought two different Baclava at a pastry shop. We have good Baclava back home, but the shops here do make excellent Baclava as well. Never too sweet, just right. We relaxed at home for a bit, as we were going to meet a friend from home.
She and her husband had spent the last 2 weeks on a cruise that starts and ends in Barcelona. So we got together and had a pleasant evening at a restaurant. We had to remind them that dinner in Barcelona tends to start after 8 pm, with many locals eating only after 10.
After a late dinner, they headed back off to their hotel near the airport, while Hera and I strolled La Ramblas. Even late at night, people are out and about on the streets. The city is a vibrant street friendly place.
