We spent three days in Barcelona, visiting friends from Santa Barbara who are living there for two years. We had been walking and touring museums and cathedrals and sights in Florence and Rome, and I was looking forward to some down time with our friends. But it was not to be! Janis had us moving from the moment we arrived until we left on the train for Madrid three days later.

On the day we visited Gaudi’s spectacular basilica, Sagrada Familia (Holy Family), we were lucky to be there to see a demonstration/competition unique to Catalon called Castells, or human towers. Dozens of people create a human tower by building a base and then climbing up on top of each other. It was fascinating, and also terrifying. One of the towers collapsed as the top people were descending, which was heart-stopping.

Castelleers climb on top of each other to build a human tower

Almost there!

Sagrada Familia

A photo of the stunning interior of Sagrada Familia, which doesn’t come close to doing it justice

Stairs in one of the basilica towers

On the Passion side of the basilica

Gaudi’s Parque Guell