One day in Barcelona

Just one day in Barcelona, between flying up from Granada and heading off to Stuttgart tomorrow middle of the day. I will be sad, leaving Spain, it's been an amazing few months here and I have been very lucky. Lucky to be here, lucky with the weather, the people I've met, and the places I've been able to visit. 

So I only visited a couple of places today, the castle on one of the hills on the edge of Barcelona, built in the early 1800's, and a couple of Gaudi houses. Again, I got a beautiful sunny day, I'm sure late October isn't normally this good. 

The moat ( never actually used as a water-filled moat) between the outer road, and the castle. Beautiful though this place looks now, and it has been softened by the vegetation and flowers here,this castle was used for much of it's short history to hold political prisoners, and the executions held in the moat. It has some particularly nasty Franco era stories. 

The view of Barcelona from the castle. Just reminded me how huge Barcelona actually is, after I've been in much smaller places for a while. 

Nice statue just outside the castle 

Viva Espagna ! I shall be sad to leave, although happy to be going home. 

The art gallery, just down through some parks from the castle. I didn't go in, but it looked fantastic. Damn, just means we will have to get back to Barcelona some day. 

The art gallery has a great entry, including this very stylish fountain and stairs on either side. 

And now for something completely different .... the hotel I'm in was chosen as it's very close to some of the Gaudi houses. I didn't fancy revisiting La Sagrada Familia or Parc Guell, fantastic though they both are, but these beauties satisfied my need for some Modernist whimsy. 

La Pedrera, and Castlo Bastlo, who needs straight lines anyway ?