Parc del Labyrint and Miscellaneous Observations

Yesterday, feeling fully recuperated from my stomach bug, I finally emerged from my bed (after three days!!) and Sarah and I headed out to Parc del Labyrint.  This park was built in the 18th century and is the oldest park in all of Barcelona.

Here are some fashionista photos... Sarah in her new jacket and new scarf!

Me in my new jacket and new boots.  Or perhaps I should rephrase that: one of my new jackets.  (The other is more springy; it is khaki and also super cute.  Wore it today, as a matter of fact!)

So this is the garden house, I suppose.  It is really gorgeous, as you can see.  Stone with ivy and blue shutters.  I think the building is pretty much abandoned now since the windows are all completely open aside from the ones which are shuttered.

 

The absolute epitome of the road less traveled: the left side is unpaved!

(Total dork, I know.)

Now for some miscellaneous photos accompanied by observations.

The babies here are pretty pampered.  State of the line strollers, matching accessories (this baby is wearing a blanket but mini sleeping bags seem to be the prevailing fashion here).

The Sagrada Familia.  Now, I promise you, this is the REAL DEAL.  I know I said in one of my earliest posts that I had stumbled upon La Sagrada Familia.  I was sorely mistaken.  This is a "stumbled upon it" photo or its equivalent.  (I knew I would be walking by it.)

  Now this one is really crazy.  This is a bullfighting arena.  Just an overview on bullfighting here.  It has never been part of Barcelona's culture and was imposed on the city during Franco's dictatorship as a sort of punishment to Catalunya for being Catalan.  (Franco hated the Catalan culture.)  So he built two arenas here (I'm pretty sure that's right) and forced bullfighting on the people.  It never caught on except for with tourists.  Now, there are only bullfights when tourists are here and Barcelona is actually in the process of banning bullfighting entirely.  The thing about this arena, though, is that the city wanted to make this arena into a shopping center and decided that they wanted to put another level underneath the arena.  Soooo they did the only logical thing and lifted the entire arena up and built another level underneath it.  ha!  Told you it was crazy!

Now, finally, the last picture for this entry.  The One.  The Only.  THE BOSS!!  (That's right, Bruce, flaunt it if you've got it!!)