Park Güell

So, we got to Barcelona the next day.  We found our apartment without too much trouble, and while it was not nearly as nice as what I was expecting, in fact rather dingy, it was clean…ish, and fine.  Also, maybe next time I book an apartment I’ll just pay the lot of extra money for a place with it’s own parking, since finding a place for the van was always a problem. 

Anyway, we decided not to waste any time, so after lunch we took the van out and tried getting to Park Guell.  We had… many issues.  The GPS was supposed to be getting there, but it was highly problematic, and we drove for a long time, with Brett getting, understandably, more and more frustrated.  Actually, after going around and around, he got quite steamed indeed.  I only mention this because it was so funny, after we had finally got to the park and gone around it and were finished and came back, we got in the car and Brett said, “Kayli, I sure wish you were more patient and didn’t lose your cool when we get lost.”  I laughed so hard.

Anyway, here is the park.  We took the long way around, and went a long way through the trees and trails for quite some time before finally coming to the entrance where all the cool Gaudi stuff is.  I kept telling the kids that it gets much cooler than just a regular old walk through the woods.  Park Guell was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí.  Guadi is really cool.  Like, REALLY cool.  Everything has SO MUCH COLOR!  Here is a shot of the tiled serpentine benches that go all around this main terrace.

 

Wiki says that to design the curvature of the bench surface Gaudí used the shape of buttocks left by a naked workman sitting in wet clay.  :)

 

Here is one picture from the internet of the benches, because there weren’t 50 billion people around when it was taken:

Back to my own pictures.

 

I really loved the park, the only drawback was how very crowded it was.  I guess it probably always is.  But, happily I somehow got this great spot on the bench right in the front (with those two houses in the background) so I quickly took some pictures, and tried to get Brett and Ethne and Orrin to hurry over.

What a great shot!

 

So then I quickly asked a lady who was standing by us to take some for us (so I could be in them), and she did a really great job, but unfortunately Ethne was being a turkey and was turned around, and I don’t think the lady realized she was ours, so Ethne was cut out of all the pictures!  So sad!  Otherwise what a great family picture.  I’m going to try to get Brett to photoshop us together.  Oh, and my awesome Barcelona fedora was just hanging out in our apartment, so I decided to wear it.

 

Look up Orrin!

She even turned the camera and took one vertically (I love when strangers do above average jobs of taking pictures) because people were really hemming in on us.  Open your eyes Talmage!

 

Squinting in the brightness.

The girls said that since they were in an arena they had to bullfight.  Funny girls.

 

Okay, one more picture from the internet, because my picture didn’t turn out as well as this one (although mine had a cool bird in it, did you see that?):

Then we went in the tunnel thingee, and the kids had a great time climbing the walls.  I love that this is allowed.  At least, I think it is.  :)

 

All of us in a little nest.

I decided if Brett ever dies and I have to go to work, I’m going to get a nice cushy job like this guy’s.  Dress up in a pretty awesome costume, and have people pay you to pose with them.

 

And by the dragon.

 

  

   

Orrin was such a good boy!