Almost everyone I know who has been to Barcelona has raved about the La Sagrada Familia and after going there myself, I can fully understand why. I am typically a tepid enthusiast of history and architecture but this building captivated both Kingsley and I. I especially recommend getting the audio guide as you go through the church.
Some interesting facts that I learned:
The foundation stone for the cathedral known as La Sagrada Família ("The Holy Family") was laid in 1882. A year after the project started, the original architect resigned because of disagreements with the cathedral's developers, and the commission was given to the renowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, who abandoned the original neo-Gothic design envisioned for the building and set out to create a more monumental and unique work, packed with symbolism, detail and extraordinary artisanal craft.
Gaudí worked on the building until his death in 1926, devoting almost all of his time to the project in the last years of his life. After Gaudí's death, work proceeded under the management of his close associate, Domènec Sugrañes, and would pass through the hands of others who knew the master.
early days of construction
and it is still under construction today
Current estimates suggest that construction will not be complete for another 15 years. Gaudí himself seemed unconcerned about the amount of time it would take to finish his masterpiece. "The master of this work," he once famously said, "Is in no great hurry."
In my opinion, the interior of the church is actually even more beautiful than the exterior. The windows are a focal point of the construction, with some stretching more than two stories high. They are designed to draw the eye upwards and inspire meditation on the divine. The roof is held up by a forest of extraordinary angled pillars. As the pillars soar towards the ceiling, they sprout a web of supporting branches, creating the effect of a beautiful forest canopy which was exactly how Gaudi intended it to look.
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Spain
Kingsley and I just returned from a magical two weeks in Spain, Austria and Germany where we ate great food, drank great wine and visited with some wonderful family and friends. Our first stop was Barcelona which is currently perhaps one of my favorite cities in Europe. The Tapas, the beaches, the shopping, the city vibe...I loved it all.
Even though it was early March and we thought it a bit too chilly to be hanging out in a swim suit there were tons of people walking, running, surfing and even a few brave nudists enjoying the beautiful Barcelona sunshine.
In stark contrast to how we typically feel after flying to the US from Singapore, we felt surprisingly good after our 15 hour (RED EYE) flight from Singapore through Dubai and then on to Barcelona. So instead of just crashing into the hotel we decided to take a walk down La Rumbla (best people watching street in Barcelona) to the beach. We stopped at
Maka Maka a cute little beach Tapas cafe for the hummus trio requesting extra carrots instead of pita bread...
Typically in Singapore asking for extra of anything will not only increase the bill significantly but often you will be given a teeny tiny portion extra...not so in Spain...we got EXTRA carrots! And they tasted amazing...And to the shock and awe of our waitress we polished off every single carrot! Kingsley then dared me to call over the waitress and state that we had specifically asked for extra carrots and inquire into their whereabouts but she looked a little harried so I wasn't sure she would find the same humor in the situation that Kingsley and I did. I think it was the best decision but Kingsley and I giggled about those carrots for the rest of the trip!
Life takeaway...never underestimate how good real food will taste after 15 hours of airplane food and the things you think are funny after sleep deprivation are quite possibly not so funny to the well rested.
We spent the next few hours at the beach wandering around and enjoyed a beautiful sunset and then went off in search of our first Tapas dinner. We were recommended to eat at Cal Pep Tapas but they only opened much later in the evening and Kingsley and I were starting to fade so we enjoyed a quick dinner at Taller Tapas and then slept like babies that night.
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Spain
The Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay was turned into a sea of red, yellow and white on Feb 21st by 50 lions from an award-winning lion dance troupe.
The lion dance performance set a record for the "largest mass cai qing ceremony" - earning an entry into the Singapore Book of Records.
Cai qing, (or picking the greens) in Chinese, is a ritual in which lion dancers overcome obstacles to get a bunch of green vegetables which comes with a red packet. This dance is performed all over the island in the weeks following Chinese new year. Shops and Businesses book the Lion Dancers to perform the Cai qing dance for good luck in the following year.
Living so close to Gardens by the bay it was just a short bike ride for Kingsley and I to arrive at the Super Tree Groove to watch the record breaking Lion Dance. Following the dance we found a shady patch of grass for a Saturday evening picnic dinner in the park. Later we were rewarded with a beautiful sunset over the city as we rode our bikes back home.
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Living in Singapore
The Chinese Lunar Year of the Goat arrived with a bang on Feb 19th. Naturally Kingsley and I were eager to see what our Rat and Rooster horoscopes were going to be for the year.
Thankfully it doesn't look like any major problems are in store for us however, should any obstacles appear we will be able to "surmount them".
In order to ensure a smooth and prosperous year ahead, all Roosters were encouraged to spend more time close to nature and to relax our bodies and minds. For the Rats out there it is important to make use of your network of friends for opportunities and mutual benefits.
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Living in Singapore
Kingsley pulled out all the stops for this Valentines day. Along with a few guy friends, Kingsley chartered a boat for a few hours to take us around Singapore. There were a total of 12 of us on the boat, the six of us ladies were given NO details about the event in order to keep it a surprise. In fact some of the guys even secretly packed clothes and swim suits for their wives which caused quite a bit of shock and horror among the ladies. Evidently, the swim suit that several husbands picked out for their wives was NOT exactly the same swim suit they wold have picked out for themselves! I am eternally thankful that Kingsley is smarter than that and knew to warn me to wear a swim suit (of my choice) on our date rather than picking one out for me!
The guys also packed a picnic style dinner for us. Though a bit haphazard (I lost count of how many bags of Nacho Doritos were brought on board), it was sweet to see how much effort they put in to planning our meal. As the evening progressed there was some serious Bollywood "dance offs" and it ended with a refreshing swim in the ocean. It was SUCH an incredible evening and an unforgettable Valentines day with awesome friends.
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Living in Singapore
We just finished fostering another batch of adorable kittens that we had for about 8 weeks! I wrote up a brief description of our kittens for the SPCA to put on the website for adoption and guess what? They went up for adoption on Friday and were all adopted out by Sat afternoon! Good luck in your new home my little kittens!
Minky - (cream colored male with blue eyes) would love nothing more than to spend the rest of his life purring on his new owners lap starring into their eyes and giving them all his love and devotion. He has a very sweet and quiet meow but will patiently wait at your feet waiting to be noticed and picked up for a cuddle.
Malcolm Inkwell - (all black male) is a little timid of new people and situations. He tries to put on a brave face but once you earn his trust he will be the most loving and devoted pet. He has an adorable chortle sound he makes while he is purring happily on your lap.
Enid the Viking Princess (grey tabby female) is active, playful and fearless. She has never met a person or new situation that she didn't enjoy and she loves to play with lots of kitten toys. After a few hours of play she will happily curl up in your lap for a quick cat nap.
Mini (grey and white female) has a sweet disposition. She was the smallest in the litter when she was born but quickly learned to hold her own with her siblings. Her favorite trick is to sprawl out on top of the food bowl while eating to ensure she gets the lion share of the food.
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Kittens
