Barcelona - Sunday

February 23, 2014 -

View from our balcony of the Torre Agbar (Agbar Tower), 38 stories, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel.  The owners, the Agbar Group, a holding company that includes the Barcelona water company.  Opened in June 2005 at a cost of 130 million Euro.  The design is described as the shape of a geyser rising into the air...  but it's phallic shape as earned it the nickname 'el supositori' (the suppository) among others.  Most notable is its lighting at night with 4,500 LED lights which is capable of creating millions of variations of colors to celebrate noteworthy events. 

soaking up a little sun before heading out for the day

Audra requested we go to the beach today so we headed to Platja de la Barceloneta.  We didn't tell the girls about the 2.7 km walk.  We explored along the way and most importantly discovered micro donuts and croissants. 

beautiful building details

Santa Caterina Market - food market open since 1845

Amazingly we bought sunglasses because we needed them for the first time in roughly FIVE months!!  Unfortunately, Gabby has already lost hers. 

We spent a lazy afternoon walking along the beach, looking for shells, rocks and sea glass.  Walking bare foot in the sand and feeling the warm sun on our faces was wonderful!  Eventually we let the girls pick a restaurant (bad choice) for a late lunch. 

sign in a surf shop

L'Estel Ferit (The Wounded Shooting Star), four twisted, stacked cubes. pays tribute to Barcelona's fishing district, the Barceloneta - by German artist Rebecca Horn, 1992 - created around the time of the refurbishment of the area neighborhood.

our first gelato in Barcelona... as Gabby noted, there was a long line so it must be good!  At least she has learned something worthwhile! 

On the way back to the apartment we wandered through le Born neighborhood, looks very cool and worth more exploring.

Arc de Triomf - built as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair (architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas).  The wide promenade (Passeig de Lluis Companys) leads to Ciutadella Park.

It was Txapela for dinner... eating with the old people at 9pm.  When we left the restaurant was just starting to fill up. 

beautiful iron work on the way to dinner

Also on the way to dinner we walked by Casa Batlló, one of Antoni Gaudi's masterpieces in Barcelona (more on him later)

dinner at Txapela

two tired girls waiting for their tapas

Torre Agbar at night