C'est fini

Sunday morning, 6th. Left the apartment with our packed bags and headed for the airport in a taxi (€35). We checked in and made our way through customs and immigration to look for something to eat. We could only find Macca's - at least they make an almost decent coffee. Got called to line up for the plane at 9:30 and finally boarded at 10:20.
Immediately after take off we got served breakfast (our second) and settled in for a long flight. We landed in Singapore at 5:30 am local time, but not before we were served another breakfast (that's three). Unfortunately, our next leg didn't take off for another seventeen!!! hours.
We tried to stay awake with coffee, more food, walking around the terminal, even a free bus tour of the city. We survived until 4:00 pm when we were able to get into the room we had booked in the terminal hotel and crashed until 10:00 pm giving us time to get refreshed and a quick bite before our final flight that left at 00:45 am.
Pretty soon after take off, we got served another meal!
Landed in Brisbane at about 10:30 where Myka picked us up. Spent the night in Brisbane and drove home on Wednesday morning.
Beautiful Kingscliff - ahhh!

Barça update

It was an early start and we joined the queue for the Sagrada Familia, we usually don't bother with audio guides but found this one very helpful. It is a truly amazing building with an incredible history. Gaudi's understanding of nature and mathematics helped him create his masterpiece, though it's not to everyone's taste it would be impossible not to be in awe of its creator. Inside the columns soared to the distant roof, spreading like the trunks of trees.

The glass, the light, the detail were all truly amazing. We have wondered why each of the hundreds of tour groups happen to stop outside our window and continue their spiel but until today have only overheard many languages we couldn't understand but today we snuck into the back of an English group and found out that when the cathedral is completed (supposedly in 2026 - no way I say) the front door will be just across the road and where we are sitting will be demolished to create a new square and appropriately majestic entrance. I don't think the people living here should be worried about moving anytime soon though. Once the building is finished there will be no entry fee and it will be a regular church. Guess they are in no hurry to finish - just saying. We then headed 2 metro stops away to find some other Gaudi buildings. Casa Milà and Casa Batllo are other examples of this man's extravagant imagination.

La Ramblas

Another day walking around this amazing city. We started later than usual. Paella and sangria for dinner last night and a late stroll around the local area meant a bit of a sleep-in this morning.
We decided to join a walking tour of the old city, our guide Juan Carlos, actually a New Yorker (the name gave it away didn't it) did a great job of explaining the history of the city that had its foundations in Roman times. We walked around the old castle, passed the steps that Columbus trod - how great is that - when he returned from the new world.

 Juan Carlos pointed out things that we would have easily missed and he was enthusiastic and knowledgeable about all sorts of things from medieval history to the civil war (This is a church facade that was bombed during the civil war. The scars from the blast have been left as a sort of memorial.)

and the great artists who have lived here.

We walked past the Barcelona Cathedral (that we only got to see from the outside) and heard about the various local patron saints and their gruesome deaths. A visit back here and to the local museum will be on the cards if we can fit it in. The tour lasted nearly 3 hours and we enjoyed every moment of it.

A quick drink (beer for Chris and Sangria for me) with all the tour group was a fun way to end, good company and lots of travel stories. We then had a late (very late - close to 4 o'clock) lunch with an American couple who we met on the walk. History, new friends, good food and exercise all rolled into one great experience. What more could we ask for.
We did intend to stay on La Ramblas but foot weary we decided to head back to the apartment.
We hope to make an early start and get in line at the Sagrada Familia before the tour groups descend in their hundreds. I reckon we have a good chance as the queue starts only a hundred yards from our front door, but some of those tour guides are very determined so it may be every man for himself!

Weary

Started the day by catching the Metro (easy to follow directions, clean and never have had to wait more than 2 minutes -hear that Sydney!) to Parc Güell (also known as Gaudi Park). We found the street of escalators, so heading up to it was reasonably easy. Unfortunately no escalators going down.
The park is amazing - the man obviously thought differently from the rest of us. The shapes and mosaics scattered throughout are extraordinary.  From the gingerbread style gatehouses to the columns and mosaic benches it is hard to take it all in.

To sit and let your mind wander would have been great but near impossible because of the crowds and the many photo opportunities.
Let's play "Where's Wally?"

Also watched the illegal souvenir sellers playing cat and mouse with the police, these guys had to be fit as they kept having to run away uphill. A few hours roaming was very enjoyable.
This afternoon we headed into La Rambla, a wide pedestrian boulevard Barcelona's answer to the Champs Élysées, though it doesn't take itself quite so seriously. We walked the length, detouring into narrow streets, an old plaça and a colourful street market.
This covered market was filled with the most amazing sights and smells. Wonderful fresh fruit, lots of delicious fruit salad and juices, and vegetables - whole stalls just selling different kinds of mushrooms, fresh and dried. Meat, fish and cheeses everywhere. Sweets made from marzipan, chocolates and candy -a sweet-tooth's paradise. Couldn't go past the fresh fruit salad though (think I overloaded on sweet stuff in France).

We walked as far as the harbour, took pictures of Columbus on his column (very impressive) and walked back up past the human statues (more photo opportunities),

the artists and flower stalls and souvenir stands all selling the same things including Barcelona FC rip-off gear.
Headed back via the Metro (crowded this time). I'm sitting looking out the window at the huge number of weary looking tourists, trudging behind tour leaders (umbrellas held high), happy to wait in line for ages to go into the Sagrada Familia. We haven't ventured inside. I'm very, very impressed just by the exterior. Still so much work going on. I tell you, that man was a genius.

Adieu la belle France - Hola España!

For our last day in France, we walked a section of the pilgrims' trail, the Camino de Santiago de Composela. If you have seen the film, "The Way", you would know that this ancient pilgrims' route has various starting points in France and Spain; there are a couple of ways across the Pyrenees and the trails converge on the cathedral in Santiago de Campostela. I'm not saying how much of the trail we walked but we did locate a number (two is a number) of the trail markers,

saw many other pilgrims (or joggers) on the path and we were back to the apartment in time for lunch.The trail follows l'Aude river through Carcassonne which has a number of crossings and a weir.

We later decided to take a restful trip down the Canal du Midi on one of the many canal boats catering to tourists like us. The canal begins in Toulouse, heads south-east through Carcassonne and down to sea level at Narbonne. You can actually travel from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic along this and other canals and links through a number of rivers. There are quite a few locks on the canal, some multi-stage ones, but we only travelled through two single ones.

And so to Spain ...
We had a very early start, train at 7:30 and still dark (summer time is still operating). Change of trains at Narbonne and on to Barcelona. The trip along the coast had some nice scenery particularly through areas similar to the Camargue marshes. We arrived at the central station which had a direct link to the Metro line we wanted, which exits at the Sagrada Familia cathedral - in fact our apartment is straight across the road from it.
This cathedral has been under construction since 1882 and the design is by Antoni Gaudi. Unfortunately, this means it's still a building site as there is a lot more construction to do, including four more towers; but the sheer size and design are phenomenal. We've already done a lap around the block to check it out from all angles.