The last of Barcelona

Here is Christopher Columbus, pointing to the way to America! Not a very good picture but it will do! Can you imagine such a thing! Even with engines and GPS I wouldn't do it!

We went to the Cathedral, and I mean 'The Cathedral' ; a truly traditional Catholic Cathedral and a huge tourist attraction. Right now it's under huge major construction and I couldn't get an outside photo of it for this reason.
On the cement floor inside, there are many symbols of those buried below (at least I think that's what they are) such as sculls and crossbones and these scissors which may represent a tailor?? We weren't sure, maybe someone else out there knows what this means?

Here is a sclulped figure at The Gaudi Tower. All of the figures look like this. Not life like at all, but more like Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas.

See the scull at Christ's feet? Weird.

Another view of the incomplete Gaudi Cathedral.

Cranes in the background. They could be there for another 200 years!

I kid you not.

Here is a view of a different cathedral at the top of Mount Tibidabo. The restaurant we ate at was about 3 quarters of the way up this mountain. One Sunday, about 15 years ago, when Hans was in Barcelona on business he actually walked up this mountain from bottom to top because he had nothing else to do that day!

You'd have to be here to appreciate this!

Of course I knew exactly what he did when he reached the top.

Had a beer and got a taxi back to the hotel!

We landed at Orly Airport in Paris on Saturday and today is Sunday. We went to the Louvre today and I do have photos but have only just now been able to get online.

We did have a minor problem on the subway when my ticket wouldn't work at the turnstyle and when I motioned to the nasty ticket seller that there was an issue, she waved her hands over her head, stuck out her tongue, and rolled her eyes at me.

She should be incredibly thankful that I don't have PMS!!

Barcelona

We were all invited to dinner last night and even though work was scheduled for 8:30 AM this morning our resevations were for 9:00 PM which while late by American standards is actually very early for Spaniards. They even appologized for the lateness of the dinner but said that nine is the absolute earliest you can eat!

We were the first to be seated and even as late as 10:30 people were still arriving to eat.

This is a view from the top of our restaurant.

Our restaurant from across the street. Absolutely beautiful.

One table situated on a landing. As a waitress I would hate having to take this table. I can just imagine taking a tumble down those stairs.

Here we are outside. That's a chain 'gate' behind us that draws across the opening like a curtain.

Food was brought out on platters throughout the evening. A lot of meats, sausages, lamb, wine, breads, and liquours. Dessert was puff pastry with a vanilla custard center. I ate both mine and Hans'!!

But what to do with that pesky dirty laundry? You can have the hotel clean it for a small fortune; about $10.00 for each shirt and $3.00 per pair of socks!

Sorry, no way!

So I spent my morning in Spain doing laundry in the bathtub!

Once a red neck always a red neck!!

We're hoping to go out with the men this evening and see some of the beautiful sights that Barcelona has to offer, like Gaudi's Cathedral. The word gaudy comes from this artist Gaudi and I can see why.

Tomorrow we head off to Paris and if I remember correctly, internet connections were not free and certainly not cheap so I'm not sure how much I'll get to post.