Barcelona Bound

I dream of travel, and Europe holds a special place in my imagination. 

To celebrate the achievement of my Ph.D., this year I decided to plan a very special trip with my two best friends and travel buddies, my sister Jess and my husband Renecke. 

We'd like to invite you to come along with us on a tour of Barcelona. 

The Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudí, designed this awe-inspiring Roman Catholic Church, La Sagrada Família. 

When we visited, the day was hot but the sky was filled with white billowing clouds. The sunbeams pierced the cloud cover to backlight the massive stone spires topped with bushels of berries.

Construction began in 1882 and is scheduled to be completed in 2026. This construction worker is one of the many who have helped Gaudí to realize his wildly creative vision over the last century and a half.   

Barcelona has a striking combination of architectural styles. Art Nouveau buildings stand next to Gothic churches and the walls of old Roman forts.  

In the Barrio Gotic we stumbled upon a labyrinth of alleyways that might have looked the way they did in the Middle Ages. 

We ate and drank our way through the city, stopping at inviting restaurants every few blocks for flavorful tapas and cold sangria.

Las Ramblas was bustling with shops selling brightly colored flowers, tourist trinkets, jewelry, gelato, open-faced sandwiches, and fresh squeezed juice.  

The Columbus Monument was a welcome sign that we were close to the beach. 

The three days we spent in Barcelona were the perfect kick-off to our summer travel adventure. 

We look forward to sharing our time with you in Nice, France next week!

~ Nel ~