Mediterranean Odyssey

Mediterranean Odyssey : 

Mediterranean Odyssey Aug 2010

Day 1- Amsterdam, Netherlands : 

Day 1- Amsterdam, Netherlands We had an 8 hour layover at Schipol so we hopped a train from the airport to downtown Amsterdam to poke around and get lunch. The customs officer tried to convince us to eat at the airport…

Slide 3: 

Random guy on the train from Schipol Airport to downtown Amsterdam.

Slide 4: 

The illusive windmill - captured form a speeding train window.

Slide 5: 

Shopping Center Magna Plaza One of the few malls in Amsterdam. It was built in neo-Gothic style by the Dutch architect P.C. Peters at the end of the 19th century.

Slide 6: 

St. Nicolas Church

Slide 7: 

We accidently wandered into the Red Light District- luckily it was early Friday morning. Ticket to Europe: $3000.00 Look on Alex’s face when she saw a dancing hooker in the window: priceless

Slide 8: 

So many of the buildings were leaning out in the street and into each other. Almost all of them had beams, called hijsbalkat, at the front roofline used with a rope and pulley to hoist large, heavy items in and out due their steep, narrow staircases.

Day 2 - Barcelona, Spain : 

Day 2 - Barcelona, Spain We slept in on Friday night at the Barcelona Renaissance Hotel. It was pretty nice with an awesome free breakfast. We had all day Saturday to spend in Barcelona.

Slide 10: 

El Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Christopher Columbus monument built in 1888, this 57m tall monument commemorates the discovery of America. Also famous for having nude dudes walking around it. Look Alex! A nekked man!

Slide 11: 

Close-up of Columbus monument. There is an elevator inside that goes to a small viewing platform but it was not functioning when we were there.

Slide 12: 

Port de Barcelona building just across street from Columbus statue.

Slide 13: 

From the Port Vell/Las Ramblas area, we decided to be full-on tourists and take the hop on/hop off bus tour. It was a great way to see a ton of stuff all over the city in one day.

Slide 14: 

Gas Natural Group headquarters built in 2005—this isn’t even the most interesting side of the building!

Slide 15: 

Buildings from the 1992 summer Olympics athlete's community. The “cross” is in front of the multi-faith worship center.

Slide 16: 

Parc de la Ciutadella entrance. This area contains a zoo and several museums.

Slide 17: 

It was hard to know where to look next. Even the trees were beautiful!

Slide 18: 

We drove through street after street where this was the typical look of buildings in the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter). Some of the buildings date from Medieval times, a few from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona.

Slide 19: 

Just a few of the sculptures in the Placa de Catalunya.

Slide 21: 

These beautiful lamp posts, designed by Gaudi, lined both sides of the Passeig de Gracia. Several of his house designs are on this street. The bus was moving too fast to get better shots…the bases are gorgeous marble benches that wrap around both sides. Check out the little bat at the top!

Slide 22: 

Canto wait to go back and see the inside! While the house is lived in , they do offer tours of the ground floor, 1st floor (the actual residence of the original Batllo family), loft and roof. Batlló House- orignally built in 1877, Gaudi was commissioned to “renew” it in 1904 . He added 2 floors and all of the Catalan Art Nouveau ceramics, iron and stone work he is famous for. Check out the skull balconies.

Slide 23: 

La Pedrera (the Quarry) built between 1906 and 1910. It was designed to be a modern block of apartments and sits on a corner. It looks like a sand castle. The roof line is actually an open area of built-in sculpture gardens. At night they have live music and champagne.

Slide 24: 

La Sagrada Familia (the Sacred Family) Roman Catholic Church, probably Gaudi’s most famous work. He started building in 1882 and it isn’t expected to be complete until 2026. It is completely funded by donations. A portion of it was opened just this year for tours and worship - lines were around the block and took over 2 hours in 90 degree sun to get in…we opted to come back another time.

Slide 25: 

Random downtown castle…

Slide 26: 

Woman with Bird- Joan Miro His surrealist ceramic sculptures are all over town and there is a museum of his works and other like artists at the top of Av. Miramar (View of the Sea). A really beautiful spot that also has walking gardens and a cable tram that runs from the top of the hill over the ocean down to Port Vell.

Slide 27: 

This is a most amazing cemetery that covered an entire hillside outside of Barcelona. We were able to snap a couple of pictures from the hotel van on the way back. Each of the little squares is a glass fronted crypt. There must be thousands of them…