Gaudi day! I was so excited to finally see the interior of Sagrada Familia in person! I had heard many people say that it was not worth the 12 euros to see the inside, that it was boring, etc. Wow, were they ever wrong!
The whole experience was fascinating. Seeing the façades up close was wonderful as much of the detail is not able to be seen from the street. Most people around me were so overwhelmed that they sat wherever they could to look. Visually there is so much to be seen on both façades from whimsical elements to narrative detail to patterns from nature. The Nativity façade is especially overwhelming and after three separate times of sitting and looking, I was still finding more storylines, animals and fanciful touches.
On the side of the Nativity façade, there is an exhibit called Gaudi and Nature which details Gaudi's intense study of geometry in nature and how it influenced his design. I had no idea how much complex geometry was involved in his designs. Really cool.
The best part, however, was the interior. I have been in most of the major cathedrals in Europe and I have never been so stunned. Even partially finished, the interior is unlike anything I'd every experienced.
First is the design itself. The towering tree-like columns literally gives you the feeling of being in a forest. It is pure beauty to see the curves,angles, flowering ceiling and bud-like protrusions from the columns. This is not even to mention the stained glass windows; the spiral, snail-like staircases; and the molded, undulating choir lofts.
Second is the fact that you are watching a historical construction in action. There are cranes meticulously maneuvering around delicate columns, welders dangling from the ceiling with sprays of sparks raining down, and other craftsmen hard at work. When I was there, a whole group of us watched as an artisan suspended high in the air used a sandblaster to sculpt one of the main columns. I was very glad I brought my earplugs because then I could sit and watch the construction for much longer than people just walking through.
After over an hour there, I decided to walk to Casa Mila, another Gaudi project...yeah, it looked a lot closer on the map! Almost an hour later, I got there only to be extremely hungry. I decided to just get a chocolate croissant somewhere and then get in line. The croissant was wonderful...the line, not so much.
If you do end up going to Barcelona, my recommendation is go to Casa Mila before La Sagrada Familia. It was a bit underwhelming after seeing an intricate cathedral to go into an apartment that had curvy lines. Afterwards, I visited a small museum that I could get into with my museum pass...way too avant-garde for me. Latex and fiberglass with bits of string as art...yeah, not exactly illuminating.
That evening Christine and I decided to go local and visit the Chinese restaurant around the corner that everyone was raving about. We came at almost Spanish time, 9PM, and when we left about an hour and a half later that was when most families were coming to eat. I was super excited since they had dim sum and Christine had crunchy, sweet lemon chicken.
Only a few more days in Barcelona: I can't believe how fast the time has flown!
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