I see this view of Dutchboy a lot while we're traveling. He's always trying to get his GPS to work.
2017
Utrecht. Dutchboy had an idea!! Let's go to the Nijntje Museum! Nijntje, or Miffy, is a beloved book character created by illustrator Dick Bruna. Everybody loves Miffy!
Playing it cool with Miffy.
But Dutchboy loves her so much!!
As much as I love Miffy and Dick Bruna, it really is a children's museum. I was eager to see the fashion on display at the Centraal Museum across the street.
Dutchboy isn't much for fashion. But functional design? He's a big fan!
He is also a fan of interactive art. Like indoor swings. Doesn't he look just like the Fragonard painting?!
A brief stop in the basement to view the preserved Viking longboat from around 1100 and we were done with the day.
2018
After a night of a headache, and being awoke every hour to answer math questions, I was happy to get up to sunshine, warm weather and trip to Park Guell. We, of course, got off at the wrong stop, and walked the wrong way. We ended up high on the hill above the main entrance to the park, but I didn't mind a bit. The view was fantastic!
You can see the tower of Gaudi's house peeking over the tree tops.
Gaudi's house. No, we didn't go inside. The line was exquisitely long. You can't believe how overrun the park was on this day. And it was 85 degrees. In October. And I was hot. And still had a concussion. I was likely very pouty. But we don't talk about that.
The main entrance to Park Guell, far below. We were slowly making our way down, enjoying the views.
When we reached the Casa Martí Trias i Domènech, one of the two houses out of 60 that were actually built in the Park, we paused, drank some water, and listened to the people selling these ridiculous bird whistles for "uno euro!" But in the midst of all these crazy vendors and their calls, this amazing guitar player started playing. It was a moment outside of time, and one of my favorite memories of Barcelona.
Gaudi's Park Guell.
Leaving nature behind, we ventured back to one of the busiest places in Barcelona, the Placa d'Espanya.
The square is dominated by this enormous fountain, designed by a contemporary of Gaudi. Designed and built to be the focal point for the 1929 International Exposition.
The Venentian Towers. Also Built for the 1929 International Exposition., they flank either side of the park.
This is the "Magic Fountain". I didn't get any pictures of it being "magical". But it really was lovely.
Palau Nacional. The National Palace, home to the national art museum's collection.
The Palau de la Musica Catalana. We happened by it on our evening walk. Too bad we didn't look ahead and get tickets to see inside?!!? Too much to see in a couple of short days.
Perfect way to end an evening in Barcelona! It was 24 hours later. Stop judging me. :-P
A historic day for me. We were up super early to be one of the first twenty allowed in Casa Battlo. It was raining, but it didn't dampen my excitement! I wantéd to go in, head up to the roof and get my photos of the dragon's back, without a lot of tourists. I wanted to EXPERIENCE it alone. We got in, and took a few pictures, heading up the stairs. WE would come back to this later!
We made it upstairs, to the terrace, just Dutchboy and I, and a security guard. I eagerly stepped out on the glazed tiles of the upper balcony. Before I knew what was really happening, my feet flew out from under me. The crack of my head hitting the tile resounded in the space. I couldn't move. The security guard came out, speaking Spanish, and trying to pull me up right. It was raining. I was soaked. Ton came running because he heard "the bang". They called an ambulance and I had my first ever ambulance ride. See? HISTORIC. At least I got to do down in the original elevator that the public doesn't get to use. And the Paramedics were super nice. Two hours at the hospital, one deeply bruised elbow, a huge lump on my head and a concussion diagnosis later, and all I got was this bracelet and an ibuprofen. No bill, though. They took my insurance info but refused money. They never filed the paperwork.
I was told to take it easy, not to sleep for more than an hour at a time without someone checking me, and not to drink alcohol for 24 to 48 hours. Dutchboy treated me like I was made of glass., and asked me to solve math problems in my head every hour.
By the time we left the hospital, the rain had stopped, and the hospital was a short walk from the Sagrada Familia. I may have missed my Gaudi tour that morning, but I would be able to see Sagrada while I had a coffee. And that evening we could take the guided tour of this Gaudi masterpiece, that's still a work in progress.
I am not a religious person. But there is sacredness about this place that transcends religion. It's completely personal, spiritual. You can feel it in the stone.
The sunset at Sagrada Familia. Antoni Gaudi devoted a large part of his life to this cathedral. He lived in a house at Park Guell, and walked to the cathedral most days, if he didn't stay at his workshop onsite. Along the way, he would collect funds for the building project. It was on this 3 kilometer walk that he was struck by a tram. He was so poorly dressed that he was mistaken for a beggar and left to die, until a policeman took him to a nearby hospital for the poor. The next day the chaplin of Sagrada was there, and recognized Gaudi. The story goes that the chaplin begged him to go to a better hospital, but he refused, saying he would die among his people. And he did, two days later.
The building of Gaudi's masterpiece was started almost 150 years ago, and is slated for completion in 2026, for the 100th anniversary of the death of Antoni Gaudi. I think we need to take this opportunity ti make a pilgrimage to Barcelona. Who's with me?!
I was told it hardly ever rains in Barcelona. We had rain and thunderstorms every single day!
Rain on the Ramblas.
2019
We spent the day in Utrecht with our good friends, Lucien and Wendy. Wandered through parts of Utrecht we hadn't wandered through before! And some we had. If you're in Utrecht, you have to have wandered around the Dom Toren, and DomKerk. But we also went UNDER ! Into the tunnels that have been excavated underneath, learning the history of the church, and the area. Fascinating. And dark. So I didn't take photos. Well, I thought I did? But once again, missing!! But have some random images of our ramble.
Cafe Lebowski. Weird, quirky. The giraffe ties the whole room together, man. We have walked by this place a hundred times, but thought it looked too gimicky. Nah. It's just gimicky enough.
Dinner was at a fantastic restaurant, 't Oude Pothuys, recommended by Lucien. Tucked under the street, at canal level, you're in an old warehouse space. It's cozy!
