Amazing European Holiday 2008 - Barcelona, Spain (Contd.)
Barcelona - Day 2
Okay so I've been caught up doing some stuff... like getting obsessed about two particular models of DSLR.
Oh who am I kidding I think everyone who reads this blog knows how I've been agonising about the freakin' Canon EOS 50D vs EOS 5D Mark II. Well it seems to have been settled... It will be the 5D Mark II, but I'm going to have to wait for it. I'm so in love with the new Canon EOSes... I can't wait to start shooting with one.
Okay on to the blog post then. I cast your mind to when I last left you in Barcelona. The first day was a tired semi-jet-lagged haze. Went walking down La Rambla and had a look around the main city.
So Day Two. Main highlights:
- Sagrada Familia
- Park Güell
We bought the Bus touristic ticket... it's one of those hop on hop off type things. It wasn't too bad, except the long queues at the more popular attractions. The queue at the main station were so long we decided to walk to the cathedral... it didn't look that far away. Half an hour later we're still walking towards it. It's so big we thought it looked nearby, but it was almost 45 minutes away. sigh. On the way I did see this Owl billboard which I found quite cute.
Oh and along the street, just beside Louis Vuitton, was this building front... the bare mannequins were quite interesting. Made me do a double take and I bet you did too.
Soo we finally get to Sagrada Familia. The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (aka Sagrada Família) is a massive Roman Catholic church still under construction in the heart of Barcelona. Construction began on this Antoni Gaudí' in 1882, and continues to this day (according to his design).
The exterior is unmistakeable... with tall intricate spires with an interesting combination of catholic and gothic styles. Distinctly Gaudí' though. Have a look at the images and you'll understand what I mean.
This is one of my favourite images of the entire trip. This is one half of the main cathedral doors of Sagrada Familia... I didn't crop or rotate or have to edit this much. Only adjuested the levels a little. And you know I'm not the religous type... so it wasn't the Jesus aspect either.
Interior of the cathedral.
Now back in the day when they didn't have computers, let along design programs etc, they used sandbags and string to recreate the structure of the cathedral... I was blown away when I realised what it was.
And now onto Park Guell...
Park Guell overlooks all of Barcelona and the sea... it's quite simply one of the most glorious spots in the city. Ahh did I mention it has a great many Gaudí' influences.
Okay someone tell me what this ceiling adornment is made of. I was amazed at the ingenuity... and you know those were broken intentionally for the sake of art.
I will leave you with this one last image... this was the sight that we were greeted at when we got to Park Guell. I'll let the picture do the talking. *shudder*. Now try to find the man wearing the white cap in the image. Just at the base of the fountain - beside the white banister at the bottom of the stairs. Found him... well look at the next image.
Yup that's a middle-aged man... just walking around with a baseball cap and sneakers - to protect him from the sun you see. Nudity is not illegal in Spain, so lots of naturists choose to go au naturale. *shudder*. Why don't the ones we want to go naked actually go naked. Life can be so unfair huh. Poor kiddies around.
Okay that enough about that. Next post will be on Port Olympic - where we have some fantastic eye candy. :)
Night everyone.
Okay so I've been caught up doing some stuff... like getting obsessed about two particular models of DSLR.
Oh who am I kidding I think everyone who reads this blog knows how I've been agonising about the freakin' Canon EOS 50D vs EOS 5D Mark II. Well it seems to have been settled... It will be the 5D Mark II, but I'm going to have to wait for it. I'm so in love with the new Canon EOSes... I can't wait to start shooting with one.
Okay on to the blog post then. I cast your mind to when I last left you in Barcelona. The first day was a tired semi-jet-lagged haze. Went walking down La Rambla and had a look around the main city.
So Day Two. Main highlights:
- Sagrada Familia
- Park Güell
We bought the Bus touristic ticket... it's one of those hop on hop off type things. It wasn't too bad, except the long queues at the more popular attractions. The queue at the main station were so long we decided to walk to the cathedral... it didn't look that far away. Half an hour later we're still walking towards it. It's so big we thought it looked nearby, but it was almost 45 minutes away. sigh. On the way I did see this Owl billboard which I found quite cute.
Oh and along the street, just beside Louis Vuitton, was this building front... the bare mannequins were quite interesting. Made me do a double take and I bet you did too.
Soo we finally get to Sagrada Familia. The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (aka Sagrada Família) is a massive Roman Catholic church still under construction in the heart of Barcelona. Construction began on this Antoni Gaudí' in 1882, and continues to this day (according to his design).
The exterior is unmistakeable... with tall intricate spires with an interesting combination of catholic and gothic styles. Distinctly Gaudí' though. Have a look at the images and you'll understand what I mean.
This is one of my favourite images of the entire trip. This is one half of the main cathedral doors of Sagrada Familia... I didn't crop or rotate or have to edit this much. Only adjuested the levels a little. And you know I'm not the religous type... so it wasn't the Jesus aspect either.
Interior of the cathedral.
Now back in the day when they didn't have computers, let along design programs etc, they used sandbags and string to recreate the structure of the cathedral... I was blown away when I realised what it was.
And now onto Park Guell...
Park Guell overlooks all of Barcelona and the sea... it's quite simply one of the most glorious spots in the city. Ahh did I mention it has a great many Gaudí' influences.
Okay someone tell me what this ceiling adornment is made of. I was amazed at the ingenuity... and you know those were broken intentionally for the sake of art.
I will leave you with this one last image... this was the sight that we were greeted at when we got to Park Guell. I'll let the picture do the talking. *shudder*. Now try to find the man wearing the white cap in the image. Just at the base of the fountain - beside the white banister at the bottom of the stairs. Found him... well look at the next image.
Yup that's a middle-aged man... just walking around with a baseball cap and sneakers - to protect him from the sun you see. Nudity is not illegal in Spain, so lots of naturists choose to go au naturale. *shudder*. Why don't the ones we want to go naked actually go naked. Life can be so unfair huh. Poor kiddies around.
Okay that enough about that. Next post will be on Port Olympic - where we have some fantastic eye candy. :)
Night everyone.