A little random rant

   So I haven't really vented in a rant for awhile. But with the recent events in the news and my own personal life, I think I've gotta cut loose on a diatribe now.
   What the H*LL is going on in the world?!? There is so much criticism, hatred, animosity, antagonism, and downright nastiness going on. From the horrors of terrorist attacks to petty excessive complaints about disposable coffee cups, the world has gone nuts. If we say "Pray for Paris" we insult atheists who don't pray. If we don't say "Pray for Paris", we are heartless and unconcerned. And who cares what Starbucks does or doesn't put on their coffee cups. PEOPLE!!! It is not a sinister attack on Christians to use red cups! Why are we looking at every turn to start an issue?
   We need more love in this world. I am sick and tired of the hatred, the constant criticism that has become the knee-jerk reaction to EVERYTHING these days. Why can't we appreciate the glorious variation of the family of humans that inhabit this earth? We don't need to pick a fight at every turn. Life comes with enough hardship without creating more. Using religion to justify hatred is an insult to God. For all the effort it takes to launch a campaign of hate, couldn't we use that energy to promote love for all mankind?
   Ok, I know... it's the hippie in me coming out. But as I reflect on friends and loved ones I've lost recently, I am painfully aware at how relatively short and precious life is. Why not spend it looking for all the good in the world and promoting that rather than fanning the flames of the bad - big or small - in life.
   For me, I refuse to go down this path. I'm going to count my blessings and have daily gratitude for the good and beautiful things in my life. I am going to love my fellow human beings and rejoice in the diversity of man. I will celebrate your triumphs. I will try to lift your burdens. I will see the glass half full. I refuse to look for misery - enough of it finds me on it's own. And when it finds me, I will only spend the necessary amount of energy to overcome and move on. I am going to have a happy life.
Whew! I feel better now. Peace, my friends.

The Mediterranean!

19 August 2015

     Two days ago, Robert and I boarded a plane in Maui that via Los Angeles, CA and Newark, NJ has brought us at 9:00 am to Venice, Italy. The flights were pretty uneventful with the exception of the flight from Maui taking off an hour late and the flight from Newark taking off an hour late. 4 1/2 hours from Maui, 4 1/2 hours to Newark, 4 hour lay-over in Newark and a 8 1/2 hour flight to Venice.  Customs were a piece of cake, our luggage arrived fine. A little tricky navigating the transit system (no pun intended) but we made it by water bus to Guglio - just as the thunder and lightning started and the rain began.
     After schlepping 4 heavy suitcases up and down the cobblestone walkways and up and over the steps of the bridges for what seemed like hours (maybe only like 45 minutes) we arrived - looking like we had swam there- at our hotel. The front desk man was so welcoming, helping carry our bags up and up and up and up the steps. Even though it was 2 hours before official check in time, he had us in our room in 10 minutes! Got out of our wet clothes, walked down and got some pizza, came back and slept like the dead for 3 hours!

In front of our hotel

Courtyard and then the stairs go up and up and up. Once you get inside at the very top, they go up and up again!

We didn't go out that much because of the rain, but will probably walk to San Marco this morning after breakfast. We board the ship after 1pm and set sail for Greece. It's only the beginning!

Arrival and Day 1 : Venice, Italy

After yesterday’s rain storm, it was a delight to wake up to a sunny morning. The colors in Venice are vibrant when lit by the sun. The red tile roofs, the blue sky, the earthen colors of the ancient plaster - often missing in places to expose red brick or older stone- along with the occasional colorful fresco creates a patchwork of rich, warm color.

We had a delicious breakfast at our hotel in their very quaint dining nook. Cheeses, meats, pastries, fruits and juices - very European. And the Nutella!! My friend Julia had  told me that Nutella was better from Italy and it is! 

After breakfast, we ventured out to scout our way to the cruise ship before dragging 100lbs of luggage. Turns out, if we had taken the bus we originally planned for we were only one easy bridge and one difficult bridge away - maybe a 5 min. walk which would have been exponentially better than yesterday’s pilgrimage through the streets of Santa Croce in a rain storm. Live and learn. 

We returned to our hotel to get our luggage and in relatively short time were able to take the People Mover to the Cruise Terminal, drop off our luggage, return to Piazza le Roma to catch the Vaporetto to San Marco. The Vaporetto is the public water bus system that  serves Venice. A German couple at our hotel gave us their week-long pass for the Vaporetto so we rode free.  

 

San Marco was breathtaking and PACKED WITH PEOPLE. I think we got our first glimpse of the infamous crowds of tourist Italy. It was pretty warm so we NEEDED to get gelato  - mine was limone and melone, Robert opted for Caffe and Tiramisu. We tried to sit in the shade with a chair from the cafe but the cafe’s proprietor chased us off. In true form, Robert asked why we couldn’t sit there since no one else was sitting there (I mean, it was so hot no one wanted to sit out on the plaza) and the proprietor told Robert to “go home”. Robert told him to “go on vacation”. lol. Americans! What are you going to do with them?

After taking some pics in San Marco, we took the Vaporetto back (about an hour’s ride) and  made our way to the ship.

Day 2 - Day at Sea

Our day at sea was pretty uneventful. Very pleasant cruising and the weather has been mild. Not much to see aside from an occasional glimpse of the coast of Croatia. Next stop will be Katakolon Greece.

Day 3 - Olympia Greece

Arrived in Katakolon, Greece around 8am this morning. We got up earlier to have some breakfast and watch us come into port. Katakolon is a tiny little tourist port. Actually, I thought it was kind of tacky without much charm. We met our tour guide, Niki who was excellent. She told us all sorts of things about Greece, both ancient and modern day. Because Greece is currently in a state of crisis, there are large piles of garbage all over the roads. Apparently, the EU has dictated how trash is to be handled and the Greek government received funding to address it, but because it’s so corrupt, the money has been funneled away and now people just take their trash and put it in big piles along the roadside. The other disconcerting issue are the gypsies. You see the gypsy children along the roads begging or washing windows. They are beautiful children and we were told that the gypsies are not poor - just homeless by choice. That way they pay no taxes but can collect welfare for every child after their second child.

     As far as ancient Greek goes - the history is stunning. We traveled by small coach about a half hour to Ancient Olympia. Visiting the museum first, we saw statues and artifacts that have been excavated from the site. Olympia was looted and burned and left to be flooded and covered with mud. It has since been excavated and has revealed an incredible site. With as much as has been unearthed and reconstructed, it’s not hard to imagine what the original site was like when the Olympics began.

After visiting the site, we went to a restaurant for lunch with classic Greek fare - salad of feta, tomato, onion and cucumber, moussaka, cabbage rolls in lemon sauce, beef and onion in wine sauce, potato salad and hand made cheese pies. It was all very delicious. Spent some time in modern Olympia - typical tourist town. I have to say, Greek shopping in these towns tends to be unappealing to me. Aside from the leather sandals, I find it pretty tacky.

 

Day 4 - Santorini, Greece

Santorini was a tender port. We anchored offshore and waiting until the local tenders could take us in. Fortunately, we were the only large cruise ship in port so the town was manageable. We had virtually no wait for the cable car to the top of the mountain. The town of Fira perches on a cliff and you can only get there by cable car, walking or by donkey. Since the walking path shares with the donkeys, we opted for the cable car. Once in the town of Fira (another typical tourist town) we took the public bus to the nearby town of Oia (Ee-ya). It was on 1.80 euros each way which was a great deal. The roads are narrow and crazy and the bus was air conditioned. Oia was very charming as you wind along the cliff on stone paths. Again, it’s touristy, but seems to have a little more class than Fira. Santorini is very arid and not very attractive other than the typical white and blue greek homes.

After walking most of Oia, we took the bus back down to Fira where we shared a delicious spinach and feta pie (in phyllo dough), lemonade and bread with the most wonderful olive oil I’ve ever tasted. Watched people go by and caught up with a wifi connection - sending texts and FB to the kids back home. Walked back to the cable car  where the line had become pretty long. Watched gypsy kids fight over rights to play their accordions and beg. Caught the tender back and had about an hour to spare. Overall impression of Santorini - it actually reminded me of Mexico. Dry, arid and a little crummy.

 

Day 5 and 6 Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul was a fantastic port. Surprisingly clean, modern yet timelessly old and very exotic. The minaret towers from the mosques dotted the landscape - kind of like LDS buildings in Utah. 5 times a day the call to prayer is sent out from all the mosques from loud speakers at the top of the minarets - sometimes in an echo, often seemingly battling to bring the people in adding to the mysterious, exotic quality. 

The Turkish people (aside from the pushy, almost desperate attempts to sell you goods or pull you into a restaurant for a meal) were for the most part warm and friendly. Even though English was not as widely spoken, most were willing to help with directions or assist with getting onto public transportation. The first evening we walked across the Galata bridge and caught a boat tour of the Bosporus Strait. $4.50 a piece (12TL) for a hour and a half tour.The shores are lined with fabulous mini palaces and summer homes, not to mention the beautiful restaurants.

 

The Grand Bazaar was just that - GRAND. It’s huge! Everything imaginable is sold here with men delivering little glasses of apple tea on hanging trays. The tea is served in tulip shaped clear glasses, scalding hot with two sugar cubes on the side. Not that it needed it. It was absolutely delicious. Robert had twisted an ankle the first day and fallen on the street so we were looking for a place to sit. He opted to let a carpet dealer reel us into his shop. We sat on a bench covered in hand woven carpet while we were served apple tea. We were shown carpet after carpet after carpet. More tea came and more carpets shown. Each had a story of who and why they were woven - many were dowries for brides. Finally we found one we liked. Our host, a Jewish Kurd named Hasan asked where we lived. We told him Hawaii. He said he wanted to take his wife there in a couple of months. We told him we would give him a place to stay and if he  brought the carpet we would pay him for it. He began to call us Mommy and Daddy and said he would come and bring the carpet and it would be a gift. We’ll see if this ever happens, but he was very nice and we had a good experience.

We visited the Blue Mosque next. Very beautiful and peaceful. Learned a little  about Islam and wondered at the architecture. Next to the Blue Mosque was the Haige Sophia (Aye-ah Sofia), a Christian church later turned Mosque now a museum dating back to the time of Constantine. It was fabulous. Finally, we ended our Istanbul visit with the underground cisterns. Truly a wonder and every bit as mysterious as the rest of the city, the cisterns were huge underground water storage that had a feeling of a temple.

                             

 Day 7 Lesbos, Greece

We were scheduled to spend a day on Lesbos in Mytilene but due to high winds and rough seas, our visit was cancelled and we continued on to Kusadasi, Turkey.

Day 8 Kusudasi, Turkey

Just as clean and modern as Istanbul, Kusudasi was a wonderful port. Our gateway to Ephesus, we took an excursion from our cruise ship. Our first stop was the House of the Virgin Mary, a beautiful little church built on the foundation of the home that Mary was said to have “retired” to with John the Revelator. It had a sweet reverence about it . 

We then went to Ephesus which at first glance seemed to be just another ruin site. But the farther we went in the more spectacular it became. The city was huge and grand even in it’s ruined state. All the streets were marble (and frighteningly hazardous to walk on because they were so slippery) and the crowning jewel had to be the library, fashioned after Petra. 

These were the streets that John, Paul and Mary all walked. The city that Paul wrote his letter to. Our tour included the Terrace Houses - an ancient condominium complex where the walls and floors still have the frescos and incredible mosaics depicting people, lions, gods and philosophers of the day. Colors could still be seen even in the subtle shading of the mosaics. We then went to the ruins of St. John’s basilicas, where the tomb of John the Revelator is. Of course his sarcophagus and bones have been since taken away to museums, the tomb remains.

We then went and had a lunch at a beautiful 5 star hotel and then - TO A CARPET DEMONSTRATION. 

It seemed interesting to begin with as we saw how they harvested silk strands from silk worm cocoons. Then they brought drinks - the tea and Raqa (a vile Turkish liquor) and then a HERD of salesmen stormed the doors and only by a great effort were you able to escape through a jewelry store where they ambushed you again into the bazaar where it was easier to dodge sales without walls to confine you. 

Day 9 Athens, Greece

Alas, I was struck by a stomach ailment and rendered bedridden for the day. Robert went to Athens and hiked up to the Acropolis but I can only look at his pictures and imagine.

Day 10 Cephalonia, Greece

Feeling at least somewhat human again and with the aid of vast amounts of Imodium in my system, we took a taxi at the port of Argostoli and for 10 euro each way, we were taken to a beautiful sandy beach on the opposite side of the island. Being a Saturday and with 2 cruise ships in port, it was packed but for 6 euro we got two sun beds, a table and an umbrella which was a lifesaver because it was probably over 90 degrees there. 

Hardly any swell in the sea, I sat along the shore line in crystal clear, warm Aegean water while Robert swam about a mile to a rock island and back. The Mediterranean is beautiful - not a lot of interesting fish but full of tiny, smooth white rocks. Definitely a wonderful experience.

Day 11 At Sea en route to Venice

Robert now has the dreaded stomach bug. Quiet day at sea. Better timing than I had. I’m doing better. I am now the courier for bread sticks and iced tea. We keep our illness a secret to avoid mandatory quarantine.  

Day 12 & 13  Venice

Returning to Venice was comfortable and familiar. Robert was still under the weather so in hopes of finding a wifi spot and a pharmacy I headed on my own into Venice. Although we had docked a million miles from the port entrance, I braved the summer heat of Italy and easily caught the People Mover. With hardly a hesitation, I found my way to the area of Santa Croce we had stayed in before and sat at a little cafe with a cold Coke and wifi password. Caught up on some email, FB and tried to call the kids. At the pharmacy, I got a probiotic that the pharmacist insisted would help with the Imodium and headed back to the ship. Robert was feeling well enough to dine in the dining room with our new friends, George and Mary Barnett.

The following day, many passengers were leaving and many were joining us so the ship was abuzz  with preparations for the new guests. Robert and I went into Venice and walked from Piazzale Roma to San Marco to the Rialto, finally catching the vaporetto back to P. Roma. It was a really warm summer day and so stopping in a shady plaza or sitting on the cool marble steps of a museum was a welcome oasis, as were the running fountain taps of cold water claimed to have come all the way from the Alps.

We finally left Venice around 8pm and though we weren’t able to enjoy a last sweeping view of the city, we marveled at a spectacular lightning show far off in the distant Alps. I hope to return to Venice one day. 

Day 14 At Sea

Pretty uneventful. Good time to rest up.

Day 15 Dubrovnik, Croatia

Arrived in Dubrovnik and disembarked around 8:30 am. Found a couple from Houston who we shared a cab with to the Old Town. Bought tickets to walk the city walls and it was good we did it early because, man, it was hot up there! Fabulous views, incredibly built, it was inspiring that they have rebuilt so much after the war of 1991-1992. We walked around the entire city (about a mile and a half) and were  dripping with sweat by the time we finished. 

Where's Waldo?? 

Our next objective was to take the tram to the top of the mountain. Walked up the hill to the tram and arrived at a breathtaking vista of the whole city. Had a little snack and enjoyed the view for awhile before we headed down again. We walked down the side of the wall to a little “beach”. We went to a little beach club where we changed into suits in a little cubicle (you had to pay to use the inside changing room which was guarded by a Croate that I’m fairly certain was part ogre), paid an extreme amount of money for two terrible sun beds and a teeny umbrella so we could brave walking over torturous stones to get into the sea. The ocean was refreshing but there were no fresh water showers so we now were sweaty and salty. 

We walked into the Old Town and enjoyed poking around the shops for a short time. The fountain in the town had cold, clean water that we washed our faces and arms with. Very refreshing. Shared a cab back to the ship and that was our day in Dubrovnik. It’s a beautiful area and I would come back to spend some time. 

Day 16 Kotor, Montenegro

Robert and I got up at 5:00am to watch us enter the bay of Kotor. Kotor is nestled far back in the only fjord in the Mediterranean Ocean. It’s dramatic and beautiful. We came through a very narrow strait to arrive in Kotor Bay. Kotor was a tender port so we   caught the tender for a very short, placid ride to the port. We took a hop-on/hop-off bus tour out to the town of Risan and Perast. 

Not much to see but very pretty. Got back and walked all around the old walled town of Kotor. Small shops and alleyways reminiscent of Venice. We had pizza and ice cream and enjoyed sitting outside the town church. Afterward, Robert was determined to swim so we changed in a bathroom and walked down to the “beach”. Again, the rocks were unbelievable miserable to walk on and I opted for sitting on a wall waiting for him to finish swimming. Took the tender back to the ship and settled in on the Observation Deck to watch as we pulled out through the fjords just about sunset.

Day 17 Corfu, Greece

In all honesty, I really wasn't looking forward to visiting yet another Greek island. Corfu, however, completely redeemed Greece for me. It’s a beautiful city with an Old Town nestled between two ancient forts. We found a couple from Australia to share a cab up to Achillean Palace and then to Old Town. The Achillean Palace was beautiful and a real delight to visit. It had been the home of the Empress of Austria Elisabeth who loved the Greek people. It was beautiful with stunning views. 

We then took our cab into the pedestrianized Old Town and found it to be clean and again, much like Venice with shops and cafes along narrow alleyways. We had a delicious lunch of gyros and met up with the  Australians to share a cab back to the ship. I would come back to Corfu - which   I can’t really say the same for any of the other parts of Greece we visited. Our sail away included going by the island of Stromboli - an active volcano that spews steam from the top. 

Day 18 Naples, Italy

We arrived in Naples (Napoli) just before 7:30am. The captain docked the boat with his usual amazing finesse. Got off around 8:30 and after no success finding the tram for the train, we opted to hire an older Italian taxi driver named “Jimmy” (Vincenzia). For 70 euro, he drove us to Pompeii, waited the two hours we took to tour the site and took us back for a short, albeit frightening, tour of Naples. Naples is a very busy city, the third largest in Italy after Rome and Milan. People drive like maniacs here and their horn seems to be their mightiest weapon.

Pompeii is a huge site - yet another ancient ruin, but surprisingly well preserved. The bodies that were preserved in the ash made me feel a little sad. A mother with her child next to her and her baby, a person crouching, two people spooned together. These poor people suffocated from the hot ash and apparently had no warning it was going to happen.

After Pompeii, we had pizza at a restaurant downtown. Naples is the birthplace of pizza, so we simply had to eat it here. It was delicious. We ate a lot of it. 

Tomorrow we have a huge day in Rome.

Day 19 Civatevecchia, Italy - Rome

Oh my…Rome…I don’t even know where to begin. It was a long day. We got up around 6am, quick breakfast and out the ship at 7:15. Our bus took us about an hour ride to Rome where we picked up Alessandra, our guide for the day. We took a walking   tour around the Imperial part of Rome - we saw Circus Maximus, the Arch of Constantine and the Colosseum. 

We then walked to the Trevi Fountain, which had no water but was still really cool to see. 

We went to lunch across from the Vatican walls and then on to Vatican City. The Vatican Museum defies any description - it is vast, so full of treasures, statues, tapestries, mosaics, it boggles the mind. We were told that if you were to spend 40 sec. looking at each piece of art, it would take 10 years to see the whole thing. It has 4 miles of  galleries stuffed with fabulous artwork.  

Our next stop was the Sistine Chapel which was beautiful, but the experience was a little weird. They stuff everyone in it (it’s actually fairly small) and then SHOUT over a microphone for SILENCE! It does nothing to sustain a reverent feeling. It was  impressive to see Michelangelo's paintings firsthand, but I can’t say that it was my favorite part of the tour. 
St. Peter’s Basilica was next and it is fabulous! Huge, magnificent and glorious. The dome is tall enough to allow the statue of Liberty to stand under it. The body of Peter (as in deny-me-three-times Peter) is buried there - as are a bunch of Popes, some of which are in glass coffins so you can view them- ew. Every piece of artwork that looks like a painting is actually mosaic which is even more astounding. All in all, it was an incredible experience to be there and see the things we saw. Tomorrow- Florence.

Day 20 Florence, Italy.

Booked a last minute bus transport through the ship to Florence. Florence was about an hour and 20 min. away from Livorno where our port was. A huge port and unattractive part of Italy, it made sense to get to Florence any way we could. 

Driving through the Tuscan country side was very much like Sonoma County. Lots of agriculture - hay, corn, vineyards, olives, etc. with rolling hills extending to mountains in the distance. Much greener than what we’ve seen in Italy with small rivers running through it. It was a pleasant drive to Florence. Florence is a big city with an older imperial section. It has lots of sycamore, poplar and birch trees throughout. We arrived in Santa Croce square and were set loose. The city is beautiful - statues and churches and museums are EVERYWHERE. The buildings are taller than in Venice, but there are the same narrow alleyways and stone streets. A little car traffic but mostly pedestrians, bicycles and horse drawn carriages. Many cafes line the streets. 

We saw the replica of Michelangelo’s “David” and that was satisfactory as going to view the real thing would have cost us 70 euro. In the same square where David is there are many, many statues equally impressive. We saw Hercules and the Centaur, the Rape of the Sabine Woman, and lots more. Very emotionally provoking. The squares are packed with people. Sometimes we just had to sit and soak it all in. So many clock towers and the Duoma cathedral is immense!

 

Florence is a city that prides itself on fine leather and gold, however, I can’t say that the prices were that good. Since leather is problematic in Maui, I didn’t splurge on any fine leather goods.

We had pizza (twice) and it was good, but not as good as Naples or even Venice. We also had gelato which I will truly miss.

We walked a good portion of the city and along the Arno river and had a very nice day. Easy, lots of walking. I would like to go back and spend a week or two in Tuscany. It’s beautiful. 

 
 

Day 21 Monte Carlo, Monaco

It was an easy, relaxed day - even if it involved some walking. We had a leisurely breakfast and then packed for the beach and walked into town. The beach is located just past the Casino about a mile and a half from the ship. There was a nice public area with a shower and a few little beach clubs further down. We rented sun beds and an umbrella which also allowed us use of the bathrooms, changing area and indoor showers. Monte Carlo is VERY rich. VERY, VERY rich. It’s spotless, no beggars, no one hawking their food or goods. Lots of banks, realtors, and high end stores. They bring in “sand” (fine, soft gravel) to their beach and the water is very clear and clean. It’s a fish preserve so there are lots of fish - though none as pretty as in Hawaii. Robert got some swimming in and I lounged for a few hours. The water is very salty - much more than Maui. It was Classic Yacht week in Monaco so they were having regattas and it was beautiful and fun to watch both from the shore and our stateroom. 

We walked back part way to the boat and caught the Bateau Bus, a shuttle boat that cuts off about a 1/2 hour of the walk around the pier. We had some lunch, took a nap and dressed to go to the Casino. Took the Bateau Bus and still walked a ways up the hill to the Casino. Lots of fancy cars, lots of men in impeccable suits, lots of high end shops. Paid 10 euro each to get in the Casino. It’s beautiful inside, but very low key. Only a few slot machines, two or three blackjack tables and a roulette wheel. You can’t even go near the private salon where the Baccarat tables are. Side note: used the bathroom and frankly, I’ve seen better at a gas station.

Left a few dollars at the casino, walked back (finally finding the shortest route) had dinner on the ship and that was our day in Monte Carlo.

 

 

Day 22 St. Tropez, France

St. Tropez was a little bit of a surprise. Cute little village - very French. It was a tender port so we went into town, had a croissant and beverage and walked the streets enjoying the many yachts and even did a bit of shopping - summer sales, don't you know.

Did a sightseeing boat tour of the rich and famous homes along the French Riviera. Very pretty. Of course there was no way that Robert was going to leave St. Tropez without hitting the beach. We found a decent public beach near the port - it actually had sand which was a first for the Mediterranean. Robert found the water to be pretty shallow, but lots of fish and sea grass. 

Day 23, 24, 25, 26  Barcelona, Spain

Oh my gosh!!! Barcelona is a fabulous city! Progressive, clean and a real mixture of classic and modern. The public transit system is amazing, although we opted for the double decker hop-on-hop-off tour busses. 

We stayed on the boat for the last night, saying goodbye to all the staff we've come to love and appreciate. We had done one loop of the "Redline" on the bus which took about 2 1/2 hours and gave us a real overview of Barcelona. Took a cab to our hotel the next day which was in the Barri Gotic (old part of the city). Very charming and right in the midst of many great sites. Only a few blocks from La Rambla (not really my favorite), walking distance to the Picasso Museum and smack dab in the middle of many charming alleyways, loads of shopping and tapas cafes.

The Picasso Museum was interesting - it had several pieces from his early works which were very fine portraits to his weirder stuff as he got older. Makes you wonder if he was just rebelling with his impressionism or he really wanted to express himself that way. 

We had a nice dinner at the hotel across the alleyway and then walked to the alley near the Barcelona Cathedral where street performers were doing opera. It was great fun and actually pretty good. Even others in the audience (with some real talent) would join in. Kind of opera karaoke.

The following day we went to the Sagrada Familia - Gaudi's masterpiece cathedral which was started in 1866 and is still being worked on today. It was a very powerful experience - Gaudi's architecture draws the eye upward in gentle curves and lines inspired by nature. The pillars are like trees and the ceiling a canopy of leaves and flowers. Some people don't like the modern feel, but I found it to be very spiritual and really spoke to me. It required quite a bus ride and a long wait, but it was worth every moment.

 

 

 

 

 

We opted to walk from the Sagrada Familia back to our hotel (about 2 miles) and had a nice time walking, eating and getting a feel for the city. Stopped for some gelato and just enjoyed the pulse.

On our last night in Barcelona, we shopped a bit, listened to street musicians and had a delightful dinner on an upper terrace overlooking the pedestrian part of the Barri Gotic. The food was delicious, the atmosphere enchanting - the perfect end to our trip.