Day 12: Barcelona

We fittingly began our day within a stone's throw of Gaudi's Casa Batlló, which is just a block away from where we've been staying. (The Casa Batlló is in the distance, in the right of the photograph.)

Then we were on to the Sagrada Familia!

But! Before we went into the cathedral, we learned about the little 3 room schoolhouse that Gaudi had built on the grounds for the children of the workers. Pretty incredible.

The cathedral has a lot going on and the facade is crazy and very "more is more" and it's impressive, but the moment I stepped inside I paused. ... The scale and all of his design elements with the colored light streaming in and the tree like columns... wow.

And below the cathedral is a museum where the plaster studio is and many of Gaudi's original plaster models have been recreated after they were damaged in the Spanish Civil War. There are also lots of models showing the complex geometry he worked with.

And afterword, we made our way to the Gracia, where Caleb got a haircut, we visiting some lovely shops, we got donuts from an ex-advertising creative from Greece and ate dinner.

When we walked up the steps from the Metro on our way home, there was Casa Batlló, lit so beautifully.

Before bed, Luke read the kids a book about Gaudi we picked up at the Sagrada Familia shop.