Barcelona 2: Sagrada Família

After our first lovely, sunny day in Barcelona, the rain has caught up to us. Don't get me wrong, this is better than the frozen slush that has been inundating Paris and apparently ruining the Christmas break plans of thousands. But wet weather does somewhat hamper our usual touristic adventures: exploring neighborhoods and wandering for hours without any particular destination, hitting up the food markets for snacks or dinner supplies, and checking out the parks. We try to stroll romantically under an umbrella, but I think that only works in movies or for couples around the same height.

So we've been checking out some of the quite impressive indoor offerings here. One of them is the Sagrada Família, quite possibly the coolest church you're likely to see. Sure, Notre Dame de Paris is incredible, but to me, it feels very much like something from the past, like something that meant a lot to people a few hundred years ago. But a contemporary design, still under construction, being built now, relevant now - that's far more engaging and interesting. You get a sense of what it takes to build something so huge, the money and man power involved, the dedication necessary.

I hope I'll get to see it when it's done, when it should have a whole nother facade and a giant main tower, taller than the rest by about a third. I read they're hoping to complete it by 2026 for the anniversary of the original architect's death.

Here's some of our pictures:

They just got the organ in this year, in time for consecration by the Pope in November.

The roof of the nave, just totally enclosed this year.

The altar and the crucifix.

Turtles: at the basis of everything. 

What's underneath the turtle? Another turtle. Obviously.