A perfect day. Gaudi surrounds. Gaudi abounds in the city. You see it. You smell it. You almost taste it. Casa Batlló, Casa Mila, Parc Güell, Sagrada Familia. There’s more. A Gaudi overload.
Rooftop. Casa Batllo. Barcelona.
Parc Guell. Barcelona.
It should have been a perfect day for my girls. Barcelona does not disappoint. Gaudi overwhelms, but you can break the sensory overload with a visit to the Black Madonna. Such a trip to Montserrat is both a pilgrimage and a bonus adventure.
Interior Shot. Montserrat Basilica.
Montserrat.
My girls must have been so carried away with the “serrated” (thus MontSERRAT) mountain scene that they’ve lost track of time. The line to see the Black Madonna up close, the aisle view from the top, the lighted candles in varied colors, the cold breeze — all these add to the spirituality of the shrine.
The Black Madonna.
Lost in time. Wrapped in their thermals. The last funicular just left and my girls must be lighting more candles, whispering their prayers.
Twilight in Montserrat.
Just one option left to return to the city. A downhill hike. An hour in the cold with only the serrated mountains as company. Stony buddies.
Well, they got back well before dinner. Huffing and Puffing. And darn COLD. 🙂
lifeisacelebration 
Good thing they were able to come back safely! They’ll be telling that story to friends and relatives for years to come. I guess that’s a bit of the beauty of travel – all the unexpected moments that become fond memories. 🙂
Oh yeah, I have yet to hear the end of it! :))