Una semana en España

N&J Take Spain. Jerry and I recently took a trip to Spain. We can't speak or understand the language, but we survived. We split our time between Barcelona, Madrid and Toledo.

BARCELONA - the capital city of Catalunya
La Ramblas - street/pedestrian thoroughfare that runs through the Old City
La Boqueria - large public market off La Ramblas
The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc - lively water show
Picasso Museum - Extensive collection of Pablo Ruiz Picasso. We got in free because Ngan is savvy.
Arc de Trompe - celebrates the removal of the citadel
Citadel Park - houses green space for city dwellers, a zoo, and museums of geology and zoology
Sagrada Familia - Antoni Guadi's most famous and unfinished work.
Parc Güell - Antoni Gaudi's failed 60-residence high-income housing project; now a public park. Cool place.
La Pedrera aka Casa Milà - Antoni Guadi's last major work (1906-1910); Barcelona's quintessential Modernista building.
Passeig de Gràcia - One of the major avenues in Barcelona and is also the most expensive street in Barcelona (real estate and shopping)
Casa Batlló - Another one of Antoni Guadi's Modernista projects (a remodel). Jerry's favorite.
Palau Güell - completed in 1890, is Antoni Guadi's early work and shows his first steps toward what would become his trademark curvy architectural style.
The Cathedral of Santa Eulalia (Barcelona Cathedral) - in the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter); built in the 13th-15th century. Absolutely beautiful.
Montjuïc - "Mount of Jews"

MADRID - the capital city of Spain
Google Madrid office
Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace) - it was closed the day we tried to visit ;( We couldn't go inside, but we went to the gift store and bought stuff
Plaza Mayor - Madrid's city square (public space)
Puerta del Sol - Madrid's town center
Prado Museum - Art gallery housing the world's greatest art collection. We got in free because Ngan is savvy.
Buen Retiro Park - large park
Gran Via - upscale shopping street in Madrid. One of our hotels was on this street.
Casa Botín - the oldest restaurant in the world according to Guinness Book of Records. We had dinner here and ordered the roasted suckling pig.

TOLEDO - the former capital city of Spain before it was moved to Madrid; World Heritage Site
The Alcázar - a former imperial palace at the highest point in Toledo
Plaza de Zocodover - Toledo's main square
Cathedral of Toledo - built between 1226-1493; one of the best cathedrals in the world
Santa Cruz Museum - was once an orphanage and hospital, the building now houses artwork, including 15 El Grecos.

Barcelona Highlights

Jerry at La Boqueria Market (off La Ramblas):


N&J at Parc Güell:






At La Pedrera/Casa Milà:













Adventures at the grocery store (hipermercat):





At Casa Batlló:









Madrid Highlights

Plaza Mayor:


Royal Palace:


Toledo Highlights











Click here for more pics.

Note: By more pics, I mean a LOT more pics. We have 2 cameras and 2 camera phones and ended up with a over a thousand photos. I edited it down to nearly 500 photos.