Barcelona

Our two days in Barcelona were well spent. In contrast to Madrid, Barcelona seemed lively and had many sites to explore. Our first day, we toured Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. There is no good way to describe it other than it is more spectacular than any church or place of worship I have ever seen, both inside and out. The inside is really bright and nature-inspired. It seems happy inside, not cold and intimidating as many Cathedrals and Basilicas can be. It really made my jaw drop.

Next, we headed for Gaudi's Park Guell. Let's just say it took us a while to get there. When we finally arrived, we entered at the very top! What a view we had! There were people of all ages at the park, including avid runners and dog lovers. At the park's entrance is a ton of mosaic-tiled structures, including what looks like a gingerbread house and a lizard fountain. Well, it looks like a lizard.

The next day, we walked along the busy Las Ramblas shopping street and entered the Mercat de Sant Josep. The market had the most fresh anything and everything you can imagine. From fresh fruits to nuts from olives to squids from pig's heads to legs- this place had it all.

Afterwards, we headed to the marina and walked along the water. While there, I stumbled upon some artisans making and selling jewelry. I bought a bracelet for myself and some gifts for others.