the daily view from Thru Other Eyes

See The Light

 September 6, 2009; Tibidabo and Placa d'Espanya, Barcelona, Spain

Today's theme, our last full day in Barcelona, ended up being about 'seeing the light' if you will. In the early afternoon we went to see another one of Barcelona's beautiful churches - the Sagrat Cor - on Barcelona's highest peak called Tibidabo. In the evening we caught the fantastic light and music show at the Magic Fountain of Montjuic.

  The Sagrat Cor sits 575 meters (1900 feet) above Barcelona giving 360 degree panoramic views in every direction. The inside of the church has lovely stained glass windows and lovely scenes painted in the alcoves and on the ceiling. What I really  liked were the statues of the 12 apostles adorning four towers with each statue looking into the distance keeping watch on the residents of Barcelona.

The Magic Fountain of Montjuic is set at the end of a nearly kilometer long boulevard starting at Placa d'Espanya. The boulevard is lined with dozens of small fountains leading to the large Magic Fountain at the other end. Evenings there are several sound and light shows that really are magic.

You can see the full albums as one picture just isn't enough to do either source of light justice.

Magic Fountain of Montjuic

Sagrat Cor on Tibidabo, Barcelona

Excerpt show from Magic Fountain of Montjuic

Gaudi, Gaudy or Goddy

September 4, 2009; La Sagrada Familia, Barcelon, Spain @ 15.00 - 16.00

What can one say about the famous Gaudi cathedral La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona? When I last visited it three years ago I saw it as an incredibly beautiful and eccentric piece of architecture. But today for some reason I had more appreciation for it as one of the great Catholic cathedrals wondering what people would say about in several hundred years. Will it have a place as a wondrous piece of religious architecture along such cathedrals as Notre Dame in Paris or the Cologne Cathedral?

What it already shares with those great cathedrals is the time it is taking to construct. La Sagrada Família is now in its 127th year of construction. Notre Dame took 185 years to complete and the Cologne Cathedral a whopping 632 years.

In any case, Gaudi's design is characterized by some totally off-beat features, in particular the tops of the many towers. But besides that, the hundreds of figures and figurines present an incredible range of religious and religio-historic imagery. They are incredible to see.

(click below to see entire album)

Gaudi, Gaudy or Goddy