Barcelona - Ciutat Comtal (City of Counts)

I know I've been lazy, but here are some of the photos from my recent European Whirlwind Trip. Since I have a lot (and this is going to become more of a photo blog for this theme), I'm going to post one location a day. However, no fear, if you miss a day and you can't get to the previous day's link, I will post it with the new pictures. I hope you enjoy them.

As I flew into Girona, I caught a glimpse of the clouds out my window. We were over the Mediterranean at the time, but it was pretty amazing to see. Just before this, you could see the sea and this blanket of clouds coming up.

On our way to Parc Güell, we had to go up some steep hills. This was one of the escalators before the steeper walking portion.

The entrance to Parc Güell

Just inside Parc Güell

This park was designed by Antonio Gaudí. In fact, it seems like most of the city is designed by him. It's quite amazing.

Parc Güell

The ceiling of the above pillars was covered with mosaics.

Bird nests in Parc Güell

A random building in Parc Güell

A view of Barcelona and the entrance to Parc Güell from the park

If you look at the left of the picture, you'll see some spires coming up with cranes in between them. That is the Templo de la Sagrada Familia.

Parc Güell

Parc Güell

After we left Parc Güell, we found this sign protesting a road. The ironic part is that it's in German. This seemed to be a recurring theme on my trip. We ran into German everywhere we went. In fact, one our roommates in Barcelona was from southern Germany. It must be a sign that I really do have to learn German.

A random church in Barcelona

I thought it was interesting that it was squished between these two buildings.

The funicular we took up Tibidabo Hill

Temple de Sagrat Cor on Tibidabo

A view of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea from the Temple de Sagrat Cor
On the left of the picture, you'll see Torre Agbar (the bullet-shaped building), and in the center you'll see the Templo de la Sagrada Familia.

Temple de Sagrat Cor

A view from the Temple de Sagrat Cor

This gives you an idea of the landscape: hills, city, and sea.

Camp Nou Stadium
Although I am a Real Madrid fan and this is the FCBarcelona stadium, it's important to scope out the competition.

The Passion Facade of the Templo de la Sagrada Familia
As Rachel pointed out, it's interesting that this side is very angular and sharp.

Stained glass window in the Templo de la Sagrada Familia

Inside the Templo de la Sagrada Familia

Notice the interesting design on the ceiling. This is a very impressive building...not to mention massive!

Torre Agbar as seen from the Templo de la Sagrada Familia

This building is lit up with different colors at night. Unfortunately, we didn't see it.

Spires on the Templo de la Sagrada Familia

Templo de la Sagrada Familia

I really like this picture. Oració is the Catalán version of oración, which means prayer.

The Nativity facade of the Templo de la Sagrada Familia
In contrast to the Passion facade, this side is a lot more rounded and soft.

The Templo de la Sagrada Familia

Since the building is massive, and in the middle of town, it's difficult to get the whole thing in a shot (if you're in the vicinity). This was the best I could do. However, I do like how the trees frame it. Stewart said it looks like one of the shots they show you of Temple Square during General Conference.

A random building in Barcelona

I thought this was an interesting building, so I took a picture. You'll probably see a lot of crooked pictures on here. *shrug* So I'm not a professional photographer.

Casa Mila aka La Pedrera

This is another Gaudí creation.

Casa Batlló

Here we have another Gaudí creation. I have seen this in pictures before, but I had no idea it was colorful! I was pleasantly surprised. For those interested, the balconies are meant to be skulls, and the pillars, bones.

The Olympic Stadium

The Olympic Stadium

The grounds by the Olympic Stadium

The strange structure in the background belongs to the telephone company.

The grounds by the Olympic Stadium

It was such a nice day and we had time, so we thought we'd relax for a while.

One of the many footprints on the Passeig de la Fama by the Olympic Stadium

Castell de Montjuic

While the castle was not exceptional itself, the views were spectacular.

A view of the harbor from Castell de Montjuic

The gardens in front of Castell de Montjuic

We saw a lot of cats at this castle. There was one in this garden, but we counted about 9 in the back gardens.

A view of Barcelona from Castell de Montjuic

In the foreground is the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.

A view of Barcelona from the Castell de Montjuic

This was the best I could do at zooming in the Templo de la Sagrada Familia. Rachel's zoom was much better.

Another view of Barcelona from the Castell de Montjuic

This and the previous picture were taken from the roof. The Templo de la Sagrada Familia is on the far left, partially cut off. In the middle you can see Torre Agbar.

Barceloneta Beach

We sat on the beach for a while, just relaxing. It was windy and the water was definitely too cold for swimming (not that we brought swimsuits).

A windsurfer at Barceloneta Beach

I really like this picture with the jetty.

One of the many seagulls we saw at Barceloneta Beach

A gliding seagull at Barceloneta Beach

Yes, my picture is crooked. I was lucky to get a shot of this guy at all.

Boats near Barceloneta Beach

I really love this picture too! It was hard to see how it had turned out on my camera, but it turned out way better than I thought.

Rachel with the palm trees on the way to Maremagnum mall

A building in Barri Gotic (the Gothic Quarter)

La Seu (Barcelona Cathedral)

Unfortunately, scaffolding was part of our trip. We saw it everywhere!

Inside La Seu

The back of La Seu

Fortunately, the backside was not covered with scaffolding. Unfortunately, it was wedged into small alleys, so it was difficult to get a full shot.

Castell dels tres Dragons (aka the Museu de Zoologia)

This is located right next to Ciutadella Park.

Entrance to Parc de la Ciutadella

The waterfall and el Carro de l'Aurora in Parc de la Ciutadella

Unfortunately, you can't actually see the chariot because I didn't take a picture of it. It was covered with scaffolding at the top of the fountain.

Close up of a statue on the previous fountain

I do have a couple pictures of myself in front of this fountain, but my hair looks like I'm competing in an afro contest.

The stone mammoth in Parc de la Ciutadella

The promenade between Parc de la Ciutadella and the Arc de Triomf

There are wild parrots living in the tops of the palm trees in Barcelona. My camera didn't allow for the proper zoom to get a picture of one, but Rachel got one.

Arc de Triomf

No, we were not in Paris...nor does this have the same color. I have no idea why Barcelona has this, but it was built about 80 years after the one in Paris.

A view of the promenade through the Arc de Triomf

Palau de la Música Catalana

This is on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. It is rather spectacular. Stewart called it rococo, although I'm not sure it's meant to be. Unfortunately, because it is located in narrow alleys, it's difficult to get the entire building in any shot. So, I'm including several shots, just so you get the idea.

Palau de la Música Catalana

Palau de la Música Catalana

Palau de la Música Catalana

Palau de la Música Catalana

After leaving the Palau de la Música Catalana, we turned a corner and found this church (or just interesting building). So, I took a picture.

Plaza de Catalunya

There were a ton of pigeons crowded around a little snack stand there. At one point, something scared them and several flew directly at us. Rachel was terrified because of her experience with the movie "The Birds."

An interesting building on la Rambla

La Rambla is a touristy street with lots of restaurants and stands (that sell anything from chinchillas to lemon trees).

Another random building on la Rambla

Rachel in front of the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria

This market is on la Rambla and sells fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, candy, etc. It is phenomenal! I would eat at the fruit stands every day if I lived nearby. They sell yummy fruit juices for 1 euro and delicious fruit salads for 2 euros. Mmmm!

Inside la Boqueria

Apparently the roof is beautiful, but you can't see it from anywhere accessible.

Chuches (candy) inside la Boqueria

A building at the end of la Rambla

Monument a Colom (Columbus) at the end of la Rambla

A close-up of Columbus

Customs House - Aduana

This is across the street from the Columbus Monument. We sat on the bench across the street from it for a while, just relaxing.

Plaza Reial

A random church in Barcelona

Eat, Drink, & Be Merry, for Tommorrow We...Fast?

On Monday, February 23rd, we went to Mainz to attend Carneval (that is how they spell it in German). This is not something they celebrate in Frankfurt, because it is a Catholic holiday, and Frankfurt is Lutheran. So, we went across the river to Mainz. Basically, for those who may not know, it is the last day before Lent. So, they eat, drink, and are merry that day...but mostly drink. Everyone dresses up (the preferred costume is a clown) and heads out out to the parade. It's a bit like Halloween that way, and you even get candy from the floats. They throw it out to the crowd, along with tissues, confetti, toys, and a bunch of other things. I think the strangest thing we got from a float was a sugar packet. It was very much a Festival of Fools, but we had fun.

I almost forgot...the greeting for the Carneval in Mainz is "Helau!" Apparently it is different for each Carneval location. We are guessing that helau comes from the regional dialect.

So, since our lives are rather uneventful these days, I have decided to include pictures. This is becoming more of a picture blog than anything else. However, I take comfort in the fact that nobody is forced to read or look at more than they want to. :)

In front of the Evangelica Christus Kirche with my Carneval hat.

St. Peter's Church

One side of the Willigis Dom...this thing is huge!

Stewart with his Carneval scarf...we think the colors (red, white, blue, yelllow) are the city colors.

The other side of the Willigis Dom. It was hard to find a place to get a picture of this side because it's built against all the other buildings. It's rather awesome (meant in the archaic sense, not the slang...which seem to be the same anyway)!

A statue decorated for Carneval with the Willigis Dom in the background. They did a really good job decorating this statue. It almost seems natural.

Apparently these guys are famous, although I'm not exactly sure why or what they are. They looked like they would be heavy to carry around through this ridiculously long parade!

This horse was part of the parade. They stopped right in front of us (where we had had front row standing). He didn't seem to want to be hooked up to the rest of these horses. It was pretty hilarious to watch him. He even gets his foot caught up in the ropes while he's stamping his hoof. You are also privileged to hear the Mainz Carneval greeting in the background. :)

Many of the floats had a political theme. I missed taking a picture of the Obama float, but I did get this one.

Some eggs in the Carneval parade. There were a lot of great costumes, but I didn't think you'd want to be subjected to all of them.

The Smurfs were in this parade twice. I was fortunate to get a picture of Smurfette and Papa Smurf in this one. :)

Stewart wanted a picture of this band, but we also happened to get the policeman in it. What's so great about that? Well, as you can see, he had been hit with confetti. So, here he is with the confetti in his hair. I'm not sure why he didn't bother to get it out of his hair.

P.S.
I received a calling in our new ward this last Sunday. They sure don't wait long. I guess the Lord knows I prefer to have a calling. And what is my calling, you ask? Relief Society Pianist...2nd best calling. My dream calling is, of course, Primary Pianist. :) Let me just say that the Lord knows our needs and looks out for us. Otherwise, I can't explain how I've had a piano in both apartments in which I've lived in Germany, as well as the opportunity, in both places, to speak/practice Spanish. (There is a lady in our ward from Spain).

♫For the Beauty of the Earth♫

Last week we took a short walk to the older part of Reichelsheim. We took a few pictures that we'd like to share with you. Also, today, we decided to take a longer walk to the town just north of ours and the town a little further east. There really isn't much else to do in the country. So, here are some of the pictures we took.

Stewart by the Hexenturm (witches tower). This is one of the 3 remaining watchtowers (out of 6) that were part of the wall surrounding the city. During the time of witch trials in the 17th century, it was used as a holding place for those who were accused of being witches. 58 people were killed as witches in Reichelsheim.

Stewart in the older part of Reichelsheim. The church in the background is, of course, Lutheran.

More of the older part of Reichelsheim.

This picture is to show you the vast nothingness in which we live. That town in the background is the next stop on the train from Reichelsheim.

This cute church is in the town just north of ours, Heuchelheim. Actually, it's hard to know where Reichelsheim ends and Heuchelheim begins.

Here's another picture of our vast nothingness. Stewart really wanted to get that puddle in the picture.

Weckesheim is a town about 2 km. east of Reichelsheim. It's amazing that a town as small as this, with a population of 1,077, needs a welcome sign. I especially love that they are welcoming the "rest of the world."

This is one of the houses in Weckesheim. It has very intricate work on the wood, which is why we took the picture.

And now we've come full circle. This is a view of Reichelsheim on the way back from Weckesheim.

There's a lot of "heim" going around in this area. I guess it technically means "home," but I like to think of it as hamlet. These are all little hamlets. If you come from the state of New York, that means something more to you than it would to other people. Leo.org tells me that "Heim" can also mean "asylum," but let's not go there.

The "How to" Guide on Exercising Your Brain

1. Move to Germany. (One could choose a variety of other countries in which to have this experience, but Germany is as good a place as any. The idea is to choose a country where you do not speak the language before arriving there).
2. Ride to church with a German couple. (During the drive, one should not only enjoy the scenery, but also listen and try to understand any conversations along the way).
3. Attend church at a German ward.
4. Sit through 3 hours of church, completely in German. (The point, of course, being to attempt to understand what the lessons and talks are about).
5. Be introduced to a couple dozen people in German (3 of which one may remember their names). (Some of these people may wish to speak to you in English, but rest assured that the woman with whom you rode to church will ask them to speak to you in German. This is, naturally, best since the point is to exercise one's brain).
6. Ride home with the same German couple. (Again, trying to understanding the conversation is part of the trip).
7. Have Mittagessen with that German couple. (Although the purpose is to eat, one should also be attempting to understand everything that goes on in the conversation).
8. Get together with the aforementioned couple, plus another German couple (who will be next week's ride to church) and have tea and cake. (Don't be confused by the food/drink, you are still in Germany, not England). (Once more, one should listen as attentively as possible, despite any tiring of the brain muscles, in order to try to understand the conversation...half of which doesn't even make sense to one's spouse who speaks German almost as well as a native).
9. Repeat.

*Do not be discouraged by the Swiss gentleman who attends the post-Abendbrot get together. As long as he speaks high German, one should be fine.
**One should pay special attention when questions are being directed at him/her. Although one's attention may have a tendency to roam because the exercises are difficult, this one thing is vitally important.
***One should ask his/her spouse to help with any exercises where he/she may have been remiss.

Now that you know the steps, start exercising!

Good Riddance to Merlin

Yesterday we moved out of Berlin. I will not miss that darn cat! Now, we are in a small town called Reichelsheim. It is about 22 miles northeast of Frankfurt and about 15 miles from the Frankfurt Temple in Friedrichsdorf. We had absolutely no idea what to expect from our apartment, but it turned out beautifully! The apartment is gigantic and very light! I'm attaching some photos of our new place.

The stairs to the basement.

The stairs to our landlords' apartment...the Frenkels.

This is the front door to the house and the entryway as viewed from our apartment.

The guest bathroom between the main entrance and our apartment.

The view of the patio/backyard from the living room sliding glass door.

The view of the backyard from our dining room.

The view of the side of the house from our dining room

Our kitchen...with a real stove/oven, lots of counter space, and way more cupboard space than we need.

Our fridge...with no freezer. But hey, we're lucky to have a fridge.

Our laundry room, but the washer isn't hooked up yet.

Our dining room...with the patio table/chairs. We had to eat off of something. This was formerly a terrace, but they enclosed it and made it part of the interior.

Some of the cupboards in our living room.

Our living room...

...complete with lawn chair.

The highlight of the apartment...the living room includes a piano! Maybe this is Heavenly Father's way of telling me I need to keep practicing the piano, despite the circumstances.

Our bathroom with his and her sinks.

We have a shower that you can move around in!

And we have a bathtub...strange how these things can make you happy.

Our hallway

Our luggage room

Our computer room.


Our bedroom...with REAL mattresses! Yay!

Our wardrobes.

This completes our tour. I hope you've had a wonderful time, and we hope to see you here again soon. :)

Gotta Love that Winter Weather...or Do I?

This morning I took my life into my hands as I risked going outside to meet a friend of mine from German class, Pablo. (He spent the Christmas holiday at home in Madrid, so he brought me some turrones and polvorones...mmmm!) Of course, there's always a risk when you get junk food. However, I'm talking of a much different risk. Sometime in the early hours of the morning (or maybe last night), it decided to rain. Unfortunately, that rain turned to ice, so the sidewalks and streets were covered with a layer of ice. It's bad enough that they haven't been cleared of the snow, and the snow has iced over with some of the few days of sun we've had. Now it doesn't matter what kind of traction you have on your shoes. It's just too bad that the Berliners don't have the salt resources they have in Salt Lake. Instead, you find different types of sand or gravel strewn across the sidewalk. It's an interesting idea, but not quite as effective. Now I find myself trying to step on all the dirty spots on the sidewalk, instead of avoiding them, as I used to do. Welcome to an abnormal winter in Berlin.

By the way, have you seen the pictures of snow in Madrid? Yikes! The madrileños haven't seen snow like that in at least 30 years. Weird.

Revamp

As you may have noticed, we have seriously overhauled our blog. This is due to the fact that we were unable to correctly access our information on one of our laptops. Unfortunately, this seems to still be the case. I am formally suggesting to everyone that they download Firefox and STOP USING INTERNET EXPLORER!!! It is horrible and doesn't display half of what you can see on Firefox. It also has a history of booting us from the Internet. I apologize to those of you who continue to use Explorer, but you may not be able to access any links from our blog if that is the case. However, you will be able to see our most recent post. (Small consolation for what you could be doing with Firefox). OK, I'm getting off my soapbox, but consider this a formal plug for Firefox. ;)