Sunshine in Barcelona

Our first trip of the new year. We were lucky to leave freezing Munich just before the snow arrived and step straight into warm sunshine in Barcelona. Five days, but plenty to remember.

Sagrada Família

Sagrada Família barely needs an introduction. Gaudí's life work, still pulling in crowds from every corner of the world. We happened to be there on the day it was officially topped out. 144 years in the making, now the tallest church in the world. The mayor and the archbishop both spoke in the square outside, the crowd was enormous, and the whole thing felt genuinely historic. Just got lucky.

From Park Güell up on the hill, we could see the whole city spread out below. Sagrada Família rose above everything else, unmistakable against the low rooftops.

Casa Batlló & Casa Milà

Casa Batlló and Casa Milà both are essential Gaudí, the kind of thing you feel obligated to see in Barcelona.

I'll be honest, I'm not really an architecture person, but Casa Batlló's facade stopped me in my tracks. The mosaic tiles are intricate and colorful, almost alive in the sunlight. Casa Milà feels grander. Different vibes, both worth a visit.

Street Walking

Some of the best moments on any trip are when you're not really doing anything, just wandering. Barcelona's winter sun is generous, and walking around without a plan felt cozy.

The pigeons at Plaça de Catalunya were something else. Hundreds of them, completely unbothered by people, waddling around like they owned the place. I'd never seen that many birds packed into one square.

We'd just gotten home and I was already looking at flights again. Maybe March, when everything starts waking up. Feels like a good time to go somewhere.