Sunday part dos

After lunch, we were determined to go to Casa Canals. Steph wanted to see one of the old mansions and I was totally fine with it. We knew it closed at 3 and it was already 2:30 so we were hurrying. We accidentally wound up outside the city walls, which had neat arches to get back in.

As we arrived, the woman inside was just closing the door. Apparently, she was done for the day. The building was a nice blue color and had one of the silly little doors inside of big doors that I like.
We decided to wander the streets and see some of the things that we’d circled that were just landmarks—that wouldn’t close.

We passed a cute little orange church and I saw Roman walls on the other side of a piece of a brick university building.

We went to check it out and see if it was another random hunk or the side of a building or what. It turned out to be an older version of the city walls. I was shocked by how even in modern times, the division between the sides was very clear. On the outside, it seemed rather run down and dumpy. I was glad to go back in the city walls to safety and cuteness!
We walked by the side of the orange church with orange trees out front and had a little photoshoot by its wall.


Then we rounded the corner and found the main attraction: the Cathedral. It’s closed on Sundays, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still poke around it!

All around Barcelona and Tarragona and… everywhere I’ve been so far! The orange trees are full of fruit. I really wish I was a little taller or carried a step stool around with me. They look delicious and I’m not convinced that any one is going to climb up to get them!


We had come upon the back side of the Cathedral first so we had to wander around through a bit of neighborhood to find its front. It was enormous.
The front turned out to be very impressive.

It had a bunch of men maybe 7 feet up. They were all carved out of stone. There were square columns on either side of the main face with arcs above and below the men. The center had a HUGE arch with smaller and smaller arcs inside down to the HUGE iron doors and the stained glass window above it.


Above all that, there was a huge circular stained glass window. It was probably the highlight of the front for me. It was so delicate and yet enormous.

It’s amazing how all of the bits come together. I wasn’t sure I liked the squareness of the top of the cathedral. There’s so much detail on so many parts and then that bit is so stark in contrast. Hello! The very top! The absolute shape of the thing? Let’s make it nice!
We wandered further around the other side and peeked into the cloister.


It had a mossy little birdbath? Fountain? In it with plants around the edge. The whole area was a square with strangely rounded edges that made it seem like it was its own shape.
Then we walked back by the front. It was still amazing, straight roof and all.

We looked at the medieval marketplace next. It was a covered area with gothic arches above it. They were pretty neat.

Then we wandered off in another direction. There was a passageway between buildings above the street. I always feel like that’s a love story or an escape adventure in the making.


We accidentally shot ourselves out of the walled bit of the city again. This time we were in a sort of garden area. I didn’t feel as much like a city outcast over here.
Also, we knew we were going out because we could see the wall.

There was a cute arch to go through as well.

We plunked down for a bit to rest and then take on more walking. It was a serene area with a very manicured feel.


Back inside the walls, we saw more old Romany architecture. It was almost starting to passé. We could tell we were dragging and decided to start to make our way back. Step one, where is back?
We went down a street we thought we wanted and then had to back track. We ended up in a random square with the FC Barca bus in it!

We made our way back to the street we’d started on, Rambla Nova, and wanted a dessert-y snack. Most of the shops were closed since it was Sunday but we did find a MacDonald’s. We got Toblerone MacFlurries. EXCEPT how can it be a MacFlurry if they don’t mix it up for you?! We were upset. I don’t WANT to do the labor of mixing it!! We sat outside under the trees and watched as some dogs played on their leashes. They’d clearly become fast friends because they both looked back to see if the other one was really leaving. It was very cute.
Then we walked to the train station. We found out our schedule was wrong and had to wait longer than expected. We sat on the platform. The first train to Barcelona that came was special and wouldn’t let most passengers on. The next one was 20 minutes late. All in all, we sat on the platform for an hour!!
We slept on the ride back and parted ways at Passeig de Gracia. I went to the Foccaceria on the way home for dinner and crumbled onto my bed when I got in.


Here's a photo Steph took of me looking at the maps: