[Picking up where we left off in Part 1, this is the last of the four featured houses on the Block of Discord – Casa Batllo Passeig de Gracia 43 designed by Antoni Gaudi . . . ]
[And the view from the other side of Passeig de Gracia Avenue . . . ]
[Reminding that Gaudi is totally unique . . . ]
[And another look back down the block of Illa de la Discordia (Block of Discord) . . .
[And this is where we’ll spend the rest of the day. The informational pamphlet for La Pedrera was posted in Part 1 . . . ]
[Casa Milà, popularly known as ‘La Pedrera’ or “The stone quarry”, a reference to its unconventional rough-hewn appearance, is a modernist building. It was the last private residence designed by architect Antoni Gaudi and was built between 1906 and 1912. The building was commissioned in 1906. At the time, it was controversial because of its undulating stone facade, twisting wrought iron balconies. Several structural innovations include a self-supporting stone façade, and a free-plan floor, underground garage and the spectacular terrace on the roof. In 1984, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (Wikipedia).]
[Patricio! Our Sandemans tour guide who’s led us since lunch . . . ]
Patrick
In 2010, Patrick decided to spend one year in Barcelona. Six years later, he is still here playing basketball, learning more about the city’s history, and eating patatas bravas. Although Patrick was born in Italy, he grew up in Illinois. He speaks English, Spanish and Catalan. As un undergrad he studied History and has continued his studies here trying to learn all he can about the city. In his free time he loves to read, travel, and explore Barcelona. Becoming a tour guide gives him the opportunity to share his love of the city with others. (http://www.neweuropetours.eu/Barcelona/en/Guides/Details/c3pCnp/patrick)
[He grew up in Chicago but has now lived in Barcelona for 8 years. As noted, he came here to play basketball. I should have got his last name – he’s 6’4″ and must be a player of some note?]
[Enthusiastic and good tour guide – his English is obviously bueno . . . ]
[First, you cross the street to enter the building . . . ]
[Go immediately to the elevators for a trip to the roof . . . ]
[As you can see, the rooftop is quite a place. The Super pauses to take it all in . . . ]
[It’s almost like an obstacle course to traverse for all the views . . . ]
[But that’s the fun of it all . . . ]
[And of course everybody’s doing the same thing – stopping, posing, shooting pictures, blocking all avenues of egress . . . ]
[Ye old shooting pictures of people shooting pictures . . . ]
[The Super, trying to figure out where to pose next . . . ]
[Up and down and over and around . . . ]
[As I recall, we were six stories up . . . ]
[Hey, there’s the Sagrada Familia . . . ]
[Yup, still there with my eyes open . . . ]
[A photo op paradise . . . ]
[So let’s get Bill and Anne . . . ]
[Despite what it appears here, they do limit the number of people up on the roof at any one time . . . ]
[A panoramic view of the city . . . ]
[And the Block of Discord . . . ]
[A 3D roof map . . . ]
[One day later I would not be able to lift my left arm this high . . . ]
[Looks like a DQ swirl with something on top . . . ]
[Now we go inside, this top floor (the attic?) is where the action is . . . ]
[A 7th inning sit . . . ]
[La Pedrera model . . . ]
[This was an interesting place . . . ]
[Both in terms of the floor’s architecture . . . ]
[And the displays . . . ]
[The Super and her reflection . . . ]
[And the one photo I took on a lower floor that was a residence . . . ]
[A final adios from La Pedrera. The next day would be our last in Barcelona.]
Two great talkers will not travel far together. ~ Spanish Proverb
The Journey Begins
Thanks for joining me! This is the follow-up to the original, “alexandriacardinals.wordpress.com,” which overwhelmed the system’s ability to handle it any more. Thus, this is “Part 2.” As the original was initially described:
10-26-07-4
“It all began in a 5,000 watt radio station in Fresno, California” . . . wait a minute, that was Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show! Let’s see . . . oh yeah, it all began in 2003 when retirees, i.e., old people, in Alexandria, Minnesota, who had no desire to become snow birds, went looking for mid-winter entertainment here in the frozen tundra of West Central Minnesota. We discovered girls’ high school hockey, fell in love immediately, and it remains our favorite spectator sport to this day. Initially, and for several years, reports on these games were e-mailed to those who were actually snowbirds but wanted to keep abreast of things “back home.” It was ultimately decided a blog would be more efficient, and it evolved into a personal diary of many things that attracts tens of readers on occasion. It remains a source of personal mental therapy and has yet to elicit any lawsuits.
~ The Editor, May 9, 2014
p.s. The photo border around the blog is the Cardinal girls’ hockey team after just beating Breck for the state championship in 2008. It’s of the all-tournament team. The visible Breck player on the left is Milica McMillen, then an 8th-grader – she is now an All-American for the Gophers. The Roseau player in the stocking cap I believe is Mary Loken, who went on to play for UND; and the Cardinal player on the right, No. 3, is Abby Williams, the player we blame most for making us girls’ hockey fans who went on to play for Bemidji State.
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Photos contained herein are available for personal use. All you have to do is double click on any of the photos and they will become full screen size. You can then save them into your personal “My Pictures” file. They make lovely parting or hostess gifts, or holiday gifts for such as Uncle Ernie who wants to see how his grand niece is doing on the hockey team. If any are sold for personal profit, however, to, for example, the Audubon Society, National Geographic, Sven’s Home Workshop Monthly, Curling By The Numbers, or the World Wrestling Federation, I only request that you make a donation to the charitable organization of your choice. You have two hours and fifteen minutes. Pencils ready? Begin!
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