brads adventure return to spain, return home
DESCRIPTION
This is the seventh slideshow in a 7-part presentation. It's about Brad and Adam's final day in Spain.TRANSCRIPT
Our trip ended with Malta, and our cruise was over. After one day at sea, Adam and I got off the boat and into a cab.
We sped away from the Norwegian Jade with memories of the elderly and endless buffets dancing in our heads.
Back in the streets of Barcelona, everything was just as it was when we left.
Vespas were still choking the streets.
Citizens were still vaguely celebrating Christmas.
Adam and I had a full day and a half left in Barcelona.What would we do?
Adam and I thought for a long time.
We decided that we should check out a Gaudi building first.This is the Casa Milà.
It was built by Antoni Gaudi, Spain’s most famous architect.
Gaudi was commissioned to build the place for a wealthy Spanish couple. Now it’s an apartment building.
“This place looks like it was made for bee people!”
Behind that tree is another Gaudi building.It’s the Casa Batlló.
Here is a giant, bronze naked woman.In Spain they call this “art.”
Adam stopped at a pharmacy for sweet, sweet relief. All Spanish pharmacies are marked with the Harley Davidson symbol.
Adam and I had lunch at a Spanish chain restaurant.
I got tapas de champiñón, and Adam got more tapas bravas.Adam treated me!
When we got out, we started off toward the Gothic Quarter.
There were a lot of street performers along the way.This band featured a cello, wind chimes, and a didgeridoo.
Spain’s Gothic Quarter is the “medieval” part of Barcelona.It has a lot of buildings from the Middle Ages in it.
It also has a lot of art galleries in it.It’s like Royal Street in New Orleans.
Because so many artistic types are in the Quarter,there’s a ton of graffiti on the walls there.
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Some of it is adorable.
Most of it is trying really hard to blow your mind.
In some cases, a little too hard.
Adam and I stopped in one gallery run by a man from San Francisco. It specialized in graffiti artists and pop art.
Adam actually bought some lithographs.These were the start of his soon-to-be mythic art collection.
After that, Adam and I went to the Pablo Picasso museum.It’s free on Sundays, and it has loads of rare Picasso pieces.
This large stone head stared out at me from across the street as I stood in line.
We spent the rest of the afternoon at the museum.We spent 5 to 6 trying to get out of the Gothic Quarter.
Along the way, I bought this sandwich for three Euros!
Adam and I attempted to exit the Quarter by way of a nearby park.
Like the Quarter, it had a lot of ridiculous art throughout.
I loved it.
The park also had some more traditional, overblown art.If you’re into that stuff, it was pretty rad.
On our walk home, Adam and I found a Spanish comics shop.It was full of Spanish man-children.
Here is Adam next to the shop’s life-size “Space Hulk” doll.He had no idea what it was, and I’m ashamed that I do.
After that, we accidentally happened upon Antonin Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Cathedral, the most famous building in Spain.
Gaudi started building it in 1882 at the bequest of the Catholic Church.
It’s still under construction today, and it’s projectedthat it won’t be done until 2026.
It gave me nightmares. It looks like the Outworld buildings in Mortal Kombat II.
Adam and I went back the next day so we could get pictures of the construction during daytime hours.
It’s really hard to capture all of the absurd detailscarved into this gargantuan house of God.
This is not my picture, but hopefully it conveys some of the majesty of the Sagrada Familia.
After we stumbled upon the Church for the first time, we walked back to our hostel.
Our walk showed us that not everyone in Spain likes visitors.“This tag is talking about us!” I thought.
Barcelona makes great use of the night.I don’t recommend it if you have epilepsy, though.
Remember the Casa Milà?We also went back to check that out.
The next day Adam and I walked past the Barcelona stadium...
...And past the Palau Nacional, an international art museum…
And we got on a bus!Where were we going?
Montjuic, the famed “Hill of the Jews!”Specifically, we went to the “Castell de Montjuic.”
This fort was set up in 1649 as a prison and execution grounds for anarchists and political prisoners.
Cannons are on all sides of the fort.
Judging by their positions, it looks like they’re set up to shell the city and the port. Hmm.
Everything’s still kept up pretty well at the castle, since it’s such a big tourist attraction.
Adam and I went to the top of the fort and checked out the lookout posts.
Adam looks depressed in this picture.It’s probably because the lookout posts are ineffective.
See? There’s no way to spot opposing armies through this.It’s like using a keyhole for missile defense.
I am terrible at metaphors.
Once we ran out of things to do in the castle, Adam and I exited through the main doors...
…And gawked at WWII (?) figurines outside the castle.
I like to think that caution signhas to do with the lady on the pedestal.
I want to say this unguarded artillery was real,but I’m not certain it was.
If it was, that bridge would not have been there by the time I got to the castle.
Adam and I went underground to see if there was anything else on the castle’s grounds.
We went right.
At the end of the tunnel was an amazing courtyard.
That courtyard contained a portal to the realm of the Druids.But that is a story for another time.
We left Montjuic by way of gondola.
It was raining too hard for me to get any good pictures from the Gondola.
Here is Adam falling asleep while taking a picture of a rain-soaked gondola window.
It was late by the time we got back to Las Ramblas.
Adam and I spent our remaining time in Barcelonaby doing a little window shopping.
We looked at a lot of merchandise that we – and you – would never, ever buy.
I will give credit where it’s due, though: this window display actually made me consider going inside.
Adam and I had some cigars before we said goodbye.
I am not wearing a novelty mask.Those are my real nose, eyebrows, and glasses.
Spain was an excellent place to spend the Christmas season.
We even had the pleasure of hearing carolers before we left.
Afterward, I said goodbye to Adam, and thanked him for an amazing trip. He’s a great friend.
I got to the airport at 5 a.m. the following morning…
...And had one last Spanish delicacy before I left.
A great surprise was waiting for me back in New Orleans.My girlfriend Erin was there to greet me as I got off the plane!
I had a great trip, but I was glad to be home.
The Next Day……Back at work.