This week, Robbie and Gina Johnson share their trip to Spain with visits to Barcelona, Bilbao, San Sebastian and Madrid.

Let’s start in Barcelona,  the capital of Catalonia, a vibrant city located on the northeastern coast of Spain along the Mediterranean Sea. Barcelona is famous for its architectural style, particularly the works of Antoni Gaudí, a renowned architect, best known for his unique and imaginative designs that have become symbols of Barcelona architecture. His most famous work is the Sagrada Família, a monumental basilica that embodies his vision and artistic genius.

Construction of the Sagrada Família began in 1882, and Gaudí took over the project in 1883, dedicating the remainder of his life to its design and construction. He envisioned it as a grand expression of faith and an architectural masterpiece.

The Sagrada Família is designed to have 18 towers, representing the Twelve Apostles, the Virgin Mary, the four Evangelists and Jesus Christ. As of now, several towers have been completed, with ongoing work to finish the project by 2033.

Gina says, “We were amazed at Anthony Gaudi’s creativity and his use of the stained-glass windows designed to have sunset colors in the west side and sunrise in the east side.”

After Barcelona, Robbie and Gina headed to Bilboa, located in the Basque Country of northern Spain, where their grandson, Hunter, had been studying for a semester. A drop in visit by their son and granddaughter for a few days added to the special visit.

Bilboa is known for its its tapas (locally called “pintxos”).  Gina said “We loved the pintxos.”

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao treated with a puppy in front of the museum constructed of a wire frame and live flowering plants.

After Barcelona, Robbie and Gina headed to San Sebastián, known as Donostia, a beautiful coastal city located in the Basque Country of northern Spain.

The next venture was to Madrid, the capital of Spain since the 16th century. A vibrant city known for its rich cultural heritage and lively atmosphere, Madrid features a mix of architectural styles, from historic buildings like the Royal Palace to lively cultural flamingo dances. The Johnsons took advantage of both. Of Flamenco dancing, Gina shares, “Famenco dancing was not what I thought it was. The dance holds a lot of history and influence from the Gitanos (Gypsies) and the hand and foot movements closely resemble Hindu dancing style.” See videos:

 

I will return next week as the Johnson continued to their favorite part of the trip: Portugal.

 Knox the Fox loves to share your trips so share yours with knoxthefox24@gmail.com