Self-cleaning fabric?

If my girls were with me, this would have been our first stop in Barcelona. Thankfully, Lauren is a designer and wanted to go as well, and we all found something interesting among the award winning designs.

I took photos of what interests me most: bikes and textiles.

There was a fascinating section on new materials such as plastics that emit light, transparent concrete, materials that resist fingerprints, and two fabrics that we wish we had bike clothes made out of for our Camino: a self-cleaning fabric that repels germs and never has to be washed, and a fabric that emits aloe vera lotion.

A plexiglass tutu?

Electric folding bike

Gelato

Barcelona's zoning laws must require a gelato shop on every block. We found one block that had four. 

Somehow we got through the first day without gelato, but we indulged on the 2nd. Non of the Camino pilgrim blogs and forums mention gelato, so that may have been our one taste of gelato in Spain.

Don't worry, we didn't gain any weight from the gelato. They have six serving sizes. The smallest is not much bigger than a thimble. Or you can go a little larger to the size cup that a nurse might put your pill in.  Or a bathroom Dixie cup size. If you really want to go crazy you could get the largest size which might fill an espresso cup. 

All of the sizes combined would easily fit into one cup at 16 Handles. What we consider one serving in the US would 12 in Spain.

Sagrada Familia

Wow, Goudi, you outdid yourself!

Sagrada Familia, the unfinished Basilica designed by Goudi is unlike any church you've ever seen before. They've been building it for about 100 years and it's nowhere near done. Goudi incorporated natural designs such as angles that occur in nature, flora and fauna. I can't possibly do it justice.

The Nativity facade:

The Passion facade:

Goudi's plans were destroyed in a fire, so other architects have designed the parts that they've been constructing the last several years. Paul knows construction and could tell that they're using pre-formed concrete, then setting it in place. The Passion facade is controversial because it was designed by someone else and the style is quite different from the Nativity facade. The people all have cubic blockheads. 

Notice the alpha and omega on top of the pillar between the two doors. The full text of the 4 Gospels is written on the facade. And there is a sudoku-type number square she all the rows and columns add up to 33, the number of years that Jesus lived on Earth. The text reminded me of modern quilts, which often contain fabric printed with text. The stained glass windows also have a modern design.

The Glory facade:

Inside, the columns suggest a forest of trees:

The blue windows represent the Living Water.

The clear windows represent donation opportunities for wealthy Catholics.

Spiral staircase up to the choir loft that seats 1,000.

I think I read that the church will have four organs.

The four red pillars represent the apostles.

We rode the elevator up the Nativity tower and then walked down. 

Nice view of the Mediterranean:

The staircase reminded me of being inside the Statue of Liberty. Not recommended for claustrophobics. 

Paul and Linda in the windows:

Shell geometry in e tower staircase. 

Those who are afraid of heights might not want to step out onto the views spots, especially this one that had a big crack:

I'm not sure whether people dropped these coins from a higher level, or shoved them out this window. 

Despite my efforts to stop working while on this trip, what came to mind was: would those coins damage the coin sorter head?

Goudi incorporated birds and fruits and other animal and plant life. As well as the geometry found in nature

In the basement you can see the original church that Goudi built on top of.

There is a great behind the scenes exhibit of the plaster models used in the design process.

This holy water fount is a prelude to the Camino where all pilgrims carry a shell. Sagrada Familia would frown on us taking this one.

Picasso and Santa Maria

Today we went to the Picasso Museum. Admission is free on the 1st Sunday of the month, so we were blessed to get in along with 500 amigos that were ahead of us in line. The line gave us an opportunity to take turns going into the nearby church: Santa Maria del Mar, without losing our place in line.

To make this blog completely sensory, I'll describe the smell inside Santa Maria: Eau de candle.

The church had beautiful stained glass windows. 

On one side the glass is beautiful and the sun streams in and lights up all the colors. On the other side of the church the windows are covered in black soot, most likely from Eau de candle.

Here is the magnificent organ, with some of the above referenced, soot emitting, candles.

The flying buttresses fly in:

A new stained glass window:

After church we got into the Picasso Museum. Picasso spent his early years in Barcelona so they have a lot of his early works, as well as enough work from throughout his life that you can see his incredible progression of styles. No cameras are allowed except in this small outdoor section:

No backpacks are allowed, but if you take it off your back and sling it over one shoulder like a purse, you're in. Thanks for the tip, Rick Steves! They do have lockers if you don't want to carry a purse.