Cinque Fotografies-Barcelona Day 4

Today we enjoyed a beautiful sunny day in the 60's which was a lovely surprise and perfect for a our trip to Park Güell.

According to the park website, the relationship between the industrialist  Eusebi Güell and the architect  Antoni Gaudi began when Güell saw a showcase that Gaudí had designed at the 1878 Paris World Fair for the glove merchant Esteve Comella.

Güell commissioned Gaudi to design his home and many other structures including this Park. You can see many features of Gaudi's work around the park matched by beautiful vistas of the sea. We also enjoyed the foliage and blooming plants as well as several green parakeets scattered throughout the park.

The trek to the Park was a bit daunting as there was a steep climb from the metro to the park Despite the challenge of the climb we enjoyed the narrow streets and architecture. I was grateful for the unusual stops in the neighborhood as we were making the climb.

I'm feeling more confident in practicing Spanish with the different establishments in the city. I made a reservation by phone for a popular tapas restaurant, and I ordered a nice late lunch after our visit to the park.

Later this evening we went out for pizza with a man from Austin,TX, who we struck up a conversation with at the park. During dinner, we also talked with the restaurant owner. It was fun to learn the he is Nepalese, and we learned about his moves from a variety of countries before landing in Barcelona. During the meal his two children were playing in a back room near their mother. We talked about raising children, and I told him about our "nieta" Olive. As I'm prone to do, I shared a photo of her.

Invariably, we have found the people of Barcelona to be helpful and friendly. It has really helped us ease into this amazing vacation launch. I'm reminded the the locals don't fault me for my stumbling Spanish; they note and encourage my effort to respect and appreciate their culture.Læs mere