La Sagrada Familia: Home of Gargoyles

La Sagrada Familia at Barcelona

 The last time before this trip I visited La Sagrada Familia was in 2009 at 8am. I can't remember if I bought my ticket ahead of time or not. I don't think I did, but there was no line. A few people arrived as I was walking through. It is a sight to see and I missed it the last two times I was in Barcelona, so I decided to go back again. I heard in the metro that the lines were forever long, so I opted to just take some photos from the outside.

Cleaning of La Sagrada Familia

Even though the Church is not completed, restoration work is going on now to clean it. From the photo above, you can see what has been cleaned and a part that remains. It is still as magnificent as ever. This time though there were hundreds of people waiting to get in and a line of people waiting to buy tickets that wrapped around the front and both sides.

Getting there was half the fun. I decided to use the metro as I had a T-10, a ticket for 10 passes and had only used 2 yesterday. I could have walked but after my excursion to the MNAC yesterday, I realize how out of shape my legs really are. So I walked to the Passeig de Gracia station and tried to get on the L2 to the Sagrada Familia exit. Just as I went to board the train, an announcement was made that the L2 was down. So I was lost in underground hell for about half an hour. In the end, I took a round about way but finally made it to my destination. When I walked out of the metro, there I was, right in front of one of my favorite places on earth - La Sagrada Familia (the Sacred Family.)

Another view of La Sagrada Familia

Man speaking French and waving in front of La Sagrada Familia

As I took photos of the front, a man speaking in French said something to me and waved for the camera. The crowds were everywhere. I especially loved seeing all the young people around.

Young people in front of La Sagrada Familia

More information on this wonderful Gaudi creation can be found here. It really is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and a great home for gargoyles. 

Lunenburg

my friend Susan McClung taking a photo of Lunenburg

I could probably do a hundred posts of the town of Lunenburg. That is how impressed I was with the place. Combine it with Mahone Bay down the road, and it is Heaven on Earth. We were there before season started, and it was quite chilly. Sometimes I had to stomp my foot up and down to shake off the cold before snapping a photo. Susan was braver than me. When she was taking this photo, I was on the bus where the heat was on.

Lunenburg on the water

Lunenburg is a town of sherbert color houses that are 200 years old and not only still standing, but meticulously kept up. It is a hilly town with friendly folks and a wonderful, calm ambience. We weren't there in the summer, but I have to believe it livens up a lot.

One of my favorite photos of Lunenburg

The photo above is engineering at its best. This appears to be a handmade boat ramp.

Another wonderful building is the old Lunenburg Academy, which used to be a school. Definitely a gargoyle-inspired building, I think it would be a great place to film a horror movie. Next to the Academy is the Lunenburg Cemetery.

Lunenburg Cemetery

Lucca: Everything I Thought It Would Be and More

Outer walls of the city of Lucca

The cruise I took on the Holland America Westerdam last month had its first stop in Livorno, which is the gateway for Florence and Pisa. I have been to Florence a few times, and even though I really love it, I wanted to explore and see something new. Pisa just didn't interest me. I am glad I decided on Lucca.

Column detail from St. Michael's in Lucca

We went to both a Church and the Cathedral when in Lucca. Our guide was great. She was born in Southern Italy, but had moved to the United States as a girl and returned to Italy with her son as an adult. Therefore, her English was perfect. 

More detail from St. Michael's Church

St. Michael's was absolutely beautiful, and we visted it from the outside. More information about this beautiful Basilica can be found here.

Lucca is an amazing place and the only town we went to on the entire cruise that I could actually picture myself living there. If only, right?

Photo of our Holland America tour group on our walking tour

This was definitely a gargoyle inspired tour.

Dali Museum Disappointment and One Highlight

Crowds at Dali Museum at Figueres

Not being a fan of crowds, I really did not like the amount of people I had to contend with at the Dali Museum at Figueres, Spain. The old theater, which is the location of the Museum, is not a nice place. It is old and run-down and based on the number of people that go through there, why can't they close for a few weeks and spiff the place up? I posted a review on TripAdvisor called "Dali Museum is Not for Everybody." You can read it here, and it pretty much sums up how I felt about the place. The day also was rainy, windy and chilly. I bought an umbrella along the way and put up with the tour, but like another TripAdvisor member advises, stay in Barcelona where there is a million wonderful things to do and see.

There was one real highlight ... the jewelry museum portion. Now money was spent here and then some. It is a real jewel! Pun intended. I especially loved the following pieces.

The Honeycomb Heart, 1949

The Living Flower, 1959

Necklace of Entwined Limbs, 1964

Thank you to the wonderful security guy who pointed me in the direction of the Jewelry Museum after I had abandoned the tour I was on. 

From Sex Shops to Spirtuality in Gdansk, Poland

Welcome marching band in Gdynia, Poland

Street along the way to Gdansk

We were met by a marching band when we arrived in the port of Gdynia, Poland on our Baltic cruise. We left the port for our excursion to Gdansk. Along the way, we saw McDonald's hamburger shops, lots of traffic and a peep show and sex shop. Our tour guide gave a running commentary all the way to Gdansk and back, explaining to us about the "exploding balls" (cannon fire) during the war, and a few other things that made us chuckle.

Traffic and our guide going to Gdansk, Poland

We arrived in Gdansk and bus loads of people got off. It had a Disneyland feel and doing further research when I got back home, I found out that Gdansk was mostly destroyed by the Second World War and rebuilt after. It was definitely rebuilt for tourists as every imaginable flavor of ice cream, type of souvenir and amber jewelry was available here. The amber is especially nice though and reasonably priced.

I found the tourists of particular interest and even more astonishing, there was a woman who sat in a cotton candy booth in the hot sun all day. She was barely visible behind the spun confection.

Tourist in front of fountain in Gdansk

Cotton candy lady

But by far, the best part of our tour in Gdansk was St. Mary's Church. Touted as the largest brick Church in the world by our guide, I was not that impressed by the size. Supposedly 25,000 people fit in this Church at one time, but I would have hated to be in the crowd on the day that many were there. What I loved about the Church was the gargoyle effect. It is loaded with both spirituality and medieval touches.

Also inside St. Mary's Church is the tomb of Maciej Plazynski, a revered leader of Poland.

Taormina: a Beautiful Slice of Sicily

Fountain in Taormina

Overlook near Taormina

This is definitely a gargoyle post. On our Roman Empire cruise, my niece and I took an excursion to Taormina, Sicily. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. Set up on a hill and overlooking the sea and mountainous terrain with beautiful greenery thrown in, it is truly a gorgeous slice of Sicily.

What appears to be an abandoned night club with a Cross above

Stairway by souvenir shops

On that particular day, it happened to be the day after an election of some sort. It was so wonderful to observe all the local Italians standing in groups in the streets, conversing in whispers in corners and gesticulating wildly about the outcome. We had no idea who had run and won or lost, but it was great fun just being part of such a lovely place.

Behind the Greek Theater

Taormina is small and friendly. It is oozing with charm and lovely restaurants and hotels. It has a Greek theater, which to me was kind of the low point of the tour. I preferred the cappuccino and desserts and the stroll around town. I adored watching the children play. I even loved our group that day.

Greek Theater

Another view from the overlook

Walking around Taormina

Skip Messina. It is just another port town. Make your way instead to Taormina. More information can be found here. And if you ever do make it, please go in and check out Hotel Timeo. I really wanted to stay there but I was on a cruise. A good reason for me to go back! If you would like more info on the luxury hotel Timeo, please click here. It is located right in front of the Greek Theater. Enjoy!

Palma de Mallorca: A Magnificent Place

Cathedral at Palma de Mallorca

Detail of the Cathedral

Palma de Mallorca was everything I expected and more. The day was hot in the sun and cool in the shade. We took a taxi from the Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam to the Cathedral before it opened and waited. The first few hours were sheer bliss. As the day wore on, it got hotter and way more crowded, so we actually returned to the ship early. That is the blessing of doing your own thing and not going on an organized tour. It was the last stop of our cruise, and I think we were all pretty tired.

Nieuw Amsterdam docked at Palma de Mallorca

The day was short but wonderful. My favorite place at Palma de Mallorca was the Basilica of Saint Francis from the 13th century. La Seu is also very impressive, the Cathedral, but I found the Basilica more spiritual. I will report on both Churches in other posts.

More information on Palma de Mallorca can be found here on wikipedia. Here is is a photo below of people returning to the ship.

Bye bye Palma de Mallorca

Palermo Cathedral: Holiness in the Midst of Chaos

Palermo Cathedral

The Cathedral in Palermo is not only impressive, but a Holy Place. It just feels so wonderful to walk in. The guide books say the most impressive part is the outside of the building, but I loved the inside too. Information on the history of the Cathedral can be found on Wikipedia here

It is a jumble of Norman, Renaissance and Gothic elements. Tour groups were everywhere and we made our way in to the Cathedral with a group from the Holland America Eurodam. I couldn't have been happier with the Cathedral. It just felt right. We were on a tour that took us to Monreale, but we stopped first here and I am so glad we did. I loved the Palermo Cathedral so much more than the one in Monreale. I also loved Palermo more. Monreale is a quaint, lovely town but it doesn't have the vibrant nature nor the pandemonium or joy of life of Palermo. 

Palermo Cathedral

Closeup of statue at Palermo Cathedral

Closeup of floor design - interior Palermo Cathedral

Interior Palermo Cathedral

You decide but my vote will be for Palermo! Photos of the Cathedral at Monreale coming tomorrow. 

I was again on a cruise, this time from Rome to Rome, Western Med, traveling solo. I have to admit. I missed my husband a lot this trip, probably because even though I did meet some great people and had a few dinners with them ... it was not like 2011, where I had a group of 2 couples I did almost everything with. I missed you this trip ... Yvette, Ray, Neal and Tiara!

Remembering Taormina: Gargoyles Wanted

Gentlemen in Taormina

It has been four years since I went on the Roman Empire cruise with my niece, Sarah. There were so many wonderful things about that cruise - great ports, the perfect amount of days on the cruise (10) and a fabulous traveling companion. Since that year, I have traveled solo on most of my trips. In 2009, I went to Barcelona and Athens for 5 days each by myself. In 2010, Moises and I went to the Baltic to celebrate our ten year anniversary. In 2011 and 2012, I cruised solo. I have decided after these last two cruises that I definitely like traveling alone. It's not perfect as there are a few lonely moments, but I also get to do what I want when I want. And cruising is a perfect venue for a single middle-aged woman (eeh gads, did I actually say it out loud ... middle-aged.)

Taormina street

I will be 57 this month, so I guess I must admit it, but what is it about getting older that feels the same? Now I understand when a group of 80 year old women out to lunch call each other girls. I just don't feel old. Everybody else just looks way too young. I catch myself in awe when a young person drives by and I think they must be 12. Instead of me being old, the world just looks too youthful!

Moped in Taormina

In celebration of my upcoming birthday, I want to revisit Italy, starting with Taormina. There is something ageless about Rome with its crowds and crumbling ruins, graffiti and traffic, smog and confusion. It is somewhat sad but mostly hopeful. But one of my favorite places in Italy is Taormina, Sicily. It is a wonderful, quaint and friendly small town. Where Palermo, Sicily's capital, is like a loud belch, Taormina is a quiet whisper. 

Greek Theater at Taormina

Taormina is a place that beckons one of my favorite things ... gargoyles. I need to go back to try to find them. I am sure they are hidden there somewhere. If any of you readers have photos of gargoyles in Taormina or other parts of Sicily, I would love to post them here!

Almost gargoyles

Cinque Terre Once Again

Beautiful photo of Cinque Terre

I read recently that the number of guests that are allowed to enter the villages of the Cinque Terre are going to be limited. Crowds enter these villages during the summer months from the cruise ships.

Vernazza of the Cinque Terre

I did see the villages of the Cinque Terre once from far away when on a tour to Santa Maria Ligure and Portofino. The sherbert colored buildings could be seen atop the mountain cliffs from the highway. I look forward to an actual visit there next year!