Barcelona - Gaudi

These are pictures that I have nicked. The man must have done some serious drugs in his time is all I can say. The below photo is in the Parc Guell. Guell was Gaudi's mentor. The park is like out of Alice in Wonderland. Again it is fantastic in the true sense of the word. The below pictures aren't tree trunks which they kind of look like until you get up close to them. They actually support a suspended road above it and were designed by Gaudi. This is some of the seating in the park. The park is huge and I didn't manage to get all around it. It wasn't until I got back on the bus that I realised that I missed seeing his house which is in the middle of the park and is now a monument to him. Bugga!!
Now if the below isn't an indication that he took some serious drugs I don't know what is!! This is a walk way located in the park. I did see this but couldn't get a decent photo because there were people everywhere. His inspiration for this was an ocean wave. Again, when you hit the right angle you can really see it and even more so when you see the right angle photo standing next to a photo of a wave. Truly extraordinary.
Oh I loved this building! This is called Casa Mila. It is in Eixample (where I stayed) and has the courtyard in the middle of the building. The building now houses shops, apartments and offices. One of the apartments has been set aside so you can go in and view it, which I did, and it is furnished with furniture from the period of Gaudi's life. Very plush and lovely. You weren't allowed to take photos in there though. The wrought iron balastraudes again reflect the ocean. The picture doesn't really show it well because it's a bit small but you can see it in the waves of shape that make up the building.
I call this building the Toad Hall house because it reminded me of wind in the willows. This is again another Gaudi Building (can't remember it's name) but it's pure magic and full of whimsy. It would be wonderful to live there don't you think?

Anyways, Barcelona is a beautiful city and not that expensive (provided you don't get hit up by gypsies... lol) I loved it but I do think it is a city that should be visited when it is warmer. I would also imagine that it would be a lot more expensive in the warmer months.

The only bad thing I have to say about the city (as opposed to the gypsies) is that it smells. I never did identify what it smelt of... at one point I thought it might just be the zoo because there is a zoo in the marina area of Barcelona but it pervades everything.... It's not overpowering like Rotorua but to be honest it was how I was expecting Venice to smell. Everyone told me that Venice stinks but it didn't! Barcelona is definitely a bit whiffy though.... maybe it's garbage. They don't have garbage bins like everywhere else I have seen. They have these huge covered skip thingies that everyone throws their garbage into. I have no idea how often they are emptied but they sit on EVERY street corner (4 to an intersection) so maybe that was it.... but if you go there, and I do recommend it, be prepared for the smell.