A Trip to Spain

I visited Barcelona last year, and really wanted to visit the Unfinished Church (La Sagrada Familia) but did not have time as we were only there for the day and Barcelona is such a huge city it is impossible to see it all in such a short time. I loved my day in Barcelona but was disappointed not to have seen the chuch during my visit.
So we visited again this year and at last were able to visit the Unfinished Church, which I absolutely loved!

I must admit I do like to visit cathedrals and churches and am also a fan of the work of Antoni Gaudi, the Catalan architect who designed the church and whose work can be seen in many places in Barcelona. In Gaudi's works there are the most diverse construction techniques, and great architectural innovation due to his knowledge of geometry.
Unfortunately, Gaudi was run over by a tram and died in 1926, aged 73 and is buried inside the church. He had spent more than 40 years working on the church, and knew anyway that it would never be completed in his lifetime, but had drawn plans so that the church could continue to be built after his death, which is what has happened and continues to this day.
Four architects have continued to work upon the church and despite some of Gaudi's plans being destroyed in the Civil War, they have been able to continue with reconstructed plans.

On arriving at the church, there were hundreds of visitors both inside and out, walking around and taking photographs. We were facing the facade which is known as 'The Passion' and this is the facade you can see on the photograph here.
There are 3 facades in total : The Passion, The Nativity, and The Glory which is not yet completed.
We decided to walk around the perimeter of the church, taking photographs, and I was amazed by the work and detail which has gone into the two facades you can see. We were given a lot of information from our helpful guide, Teresa.

The Passion facade depicts the the story from the Last Supper and betrayal of Jesus, through to his crucifixion, with four spires rising above which represent four of the apostles.
The Nativity facade is the oldest facade and we learned that this facade is the favourite of many visitors because it was completed before building work was interrupted due to the Civil War in 1936, and it is also the facade which depicts the most Gaudi influence.
I found the detail amazing and very beautiful, and again there are four spires representing another four apostles.
When the Glory facade is completed, it will depict the Resurrection of Christ, and will include another four spires, making twelve in total to represent all the apostles. We were told there will then be a further group of four spires built to represent the four evangelists, and two further spires to represent Mary, mother of Christ, and Jesus Christ himself, making 18 spires in total!

We were told by our guide that various dates have been mentioned for completion of the church, but it is envisaged that the church will be completed by 2026, which will mark 100 years since Gaudi's death. No exact date can be given as the building of the church is funded entirely by charity and from the admission fees to visit the inside of the church.
Also, there are a block of apartments facing the Glory facade which is currently under construction, and our guide explained these have to be knocked down to allow the work to continue, and negotiations are ongoing with people who live in the apartments to agree compensation.

We were shown the crypt, the wall of the apse and facade of the Nativity, which were all parts carried out by Gaudi himself, and the susequent works which have been and are still being carried out by the architects, who were left the task of interpreting the complicated sketches and models which Gaudi left after his death.
The crypt , apse and Nativity begin in a neo gothic style and develop into an ornamental style based on natural and animal forms worked in stone.
What becomes apparent, when we walked from the Nativity facade round to the Passion facade is the differences between the two. Not only in the colour of the stone, which is dark with age on the Nativity facade and lighter on the newer Passion facade, but also differences due to the use of modern techniques and equipment which have been implemented over the years.

It felt to me like it is three buildings combined into one, as it is three very different styles, but somehow it works and fits together, making it probably the most unique building I have ever seen.

There is a small souvenir shop which sells small ornamental replica's of the church, as well as photographs and books, along with the usual bookmarks, fridge magnets, pens etc. I bought a few items and like to think I have contributed a tiny amount to the building of the church!

It really is a beautiful and very striking building, and I would recommend a visit if you are in Barcelona.
Our guide told us that some people have said that the work should be brought to a halt, and the church left as 'Unfinished' as a mark of respect to Gaudi, but most people want to see the church completed. I can see both points of view and I did think when walking around, that maybe it should have been left unfinished, but then the work which has been completed since Gaudi's death is also amazing, and I realised I would like to see what it will look like when it is eventually completed.

I only hope it happens in my lifetime, so I can visit the 'Finished Church'.

No visit to Barcelona is complete without a visit to the fabulous spectacle which is the Magic Fountain.
I had first seen the Magic Fountain on TV back in 1992 when Barcelona hosted the Olympics. It is situated not far from the outdoor Olympic Pool and stadium. I can remember being quite impressed by the fountain and thinking it would be nice to actually visit and watch the show.
Sixteen years on my wish came true, as myself and my partner were on holiday in Spain and having longed to visit Barcelona, we booked a day trip to the city. We liked it so much we returned again this year.

The fountain stands at the foot of the steps leading up to the impressive National Palace, situated high up on Montjuic, and performances take place in the evenings - four times a week in the summer and twice a week in winter. There are around five shows an evening, and they usually begin around 9pm and then every half hour until 11pm.

We visited the fountain on a hot summer evening, as part of an organised trip which had seen us sightseeing and spending the day in Barcelona, and then on to the fountain show in the evening. We were taken to witness the 10pm show as by then it would be getting dark, and you can then witness the full effect of the changing coloured lights, which accompany the music.

On arriving at the fountain I was surprised at just how many people were there. I had noticed all the coach parties arriving, along with ours, but actually seeing the thousands of people gathering in the Palace grounds and on the steps leading up to the Palace, was a pretty amazing sight!

The first performance of the fountain was back in 1929 during the Great Universal Exhibition. The designer Carles Buigas commissioned 3000 workers to work on the project, and many felt his plans for the fountain were too ambitious, but after one year, the fountain was complete.
We were told by our guide that there are 4730 coloured light bulbs in the fountain, and the central stream reaches 50 metres high.
Around the base of the fountain are smaller fountains, and there are also other smaller fountains at the foot of the steps up to the Palace.

The show is a spectacular display of water acrobatics and colour, set in time to music, and we sat on a small wall at the foot of the Palace steps in front of the fountain to wait for the show to begin.

At 10pm, as the sky began to darken, a classical piece of music began, and the fountain came to life, sending streams of water up to 50 metres into the air, almost dancing in time to the music, while the colours changed.
Actually being there is an amazing experience, and one which I will never forget, as you cannot fail to be moved by the whole display.

After the classical piece finished, the song 'Apologise' by One Republic began and this was amazing also. Whenever I hear that song now, my mind drifts back to the fountain show.
Finally, the song 'Barcelona' the theme tune to the 1992 Olympics was played, sung by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe, and this literally made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, watching the dancing water streams and colour changes . Also at this point, nine beams of lights were cast up into the sky from behind the Palace. Each beam represents one of the letters of 'Barcelona' and combines perfectly with the forms and colours of the magic fountain in front of it. It was absolutely breathtaking, and a magnificent end to a great show!

Admission to the fountains is free, and there are various burger vans etc near the entrance as well as toilets.
As I said earlier, our visit was part of an organised tour of Barcelona with Thomsons, but if in Barcelona, it is possible to reach the fountain by taking the Metro to Placa Espanya.

The fountain show takes place on Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun evenings from May - September, at 21.00, 21.30. 22.00. 22.30 and 23.00.

From October - April the fountain show takes place on Fri and Sat only at the earlier times of 19.00, 19.30, 20.00, and 20.30.
The Magic Fountain show never operates on Mon, Tues or Weds.

In my opinion, no visit to Barcelona is complete without taking in the Magic Fountain show. I would recommend you visit for one of the later shows, as the full effect of the display is better when it is getting dark.
Once witnessed, it will remain with you forever. A truly amazing spectacle, that won't cost you a penny!

We booked a trip to Barcelona via our tour operator - I know, I know, these are expensive and you pay over the odds, but I thought that at least this way, we won't get lost and also have a tour guide on the coach. I just wanted a hassle-free day without the stress of catching trains or local transport!

We were taken to Port Vell, which is the old port, not far from The Ramblas. Our guide on the coach journey was very informative and gave us a lot of information about Spain's culture, and pointed out various landmarks and places on the way.
She was very knowledgeable and quite humorous, and although Spanish, she had spent some time in London, and made comparisons between the two countries. She pointed out how the Spanish cannot understand why we put vinegar on our chips, and explained how shocked she was to discover this, as the thought of it was repulsive!

Our coach parked at the Aquarium, which opened in 1995, and is considered to be one of the most advanced in the world. We didn't go inside, but were told it comprised 21 main tanks, which are home to thousands of specimens, some very rare. There is also a miniature Mediterranean Sea with two tunnels flanking it. One of these tunnels is the largest in the world, and visitors can walk along to view the fish and sharks.

Next to the Aquarium is The Imax Movie Theatre, where you can watch 3D movies. Again we didn't visit this as there was so much we wanted to see, and it would take too much of our precious time.

There was also an indoor shopping mall, of two floors, which we did visit and found a variety of shops and boutiques. We visited Starbucks for a coffee which also had an outside seating area, where we enjoyed a lovely view of the port and could watch the chairlift going back and forth across over the water and city. (Not something I would like to try!)

We then crossed the wooden pier bridge, on our way for a stroll up Las Ramblas. Before reaching the Ramblas there is a very high column, a statue of Christopher Columbus presides on the top with his arm out-stretched, pointing to what many believe is directly to the America. In fact, if you followed the direction of his arm it would be necessary to completely go round the earth to arrive in America!
An elevator takes you to a viewpoint under the feet of the statue, and provides you with an impressive view of the port and city.

We strolled up Las Ramblas and it was very busy, with shops and cafe bars, stalls and artists. There were many artists drawing from photographs and it was quite impressive to watch them. It seemed quite popular, as many tourists were having sketches done, to take home for gifts and souvenirs.

There were also a lot of 'living statues' which I found very entertaining. How they stand still like that for so long I don't know! One of them, an Indian Chief suddenly reached down and pulled me up onto the platform he was standing on, whilst I had been taking a photograph! I got quite a shock and everyone found this very funny, including my partner who was snapping away whilst I aimed a bow and arrow alongside the Indian!

We continued up Las Ramblas and couldn't believe how many side streets, lined with more shops, cafe's and bars there were. It would take ages to explore them all. We visited the Hard Rock Cafe, which was really good, and enjoyed looking at the music memorabilia, before walking back down Las Ramblas.

I stayed at the Golden Donaire Hotel in La Pineda last year with my partner , and enjoyed it so much we booked again for this year shortly after we got home!
This is a modern, clean and good value for money hotel with 8 floors and 400+ rooms, located in La Pineda on the Costa Dorada, which is much quieter than its busier neighbour, Salou.

Check in was fast and the staff poilte and welcoming. and we were given our key and leaflets explaining information about the hotel and services.

Our room contained a double bed and a single bed, built in wardrobe, dressing table & chair, TV, and a spacious bathroom with bath, overhead shower, toilet, sink and bidet. The room was very clean.
Patio doors opened out onto a spacious balcony containing table and chairs ( the sea view is highly recommended).

The cleanliness of this hotel I cannot rate highly enough as it was spotless! The cleaners worked around the clock - still working hard at 11pm at night! The rooms were cleaned every day, towels changed if you left them on the floor, and bed lined changed twice a week. Nothing was too much trouble - we asked for extra pillows and the maid brought them right away.

The meals were fantastic,something for everyone and always a large selection of hot and cold food, and also an Italian Corner. Beware you will put on weight as the desserts were to die for!
We never had to queue for the restaurant, all you had to do was wait a little for the initial opening rush to die down, then you could go in and get a table right away. The night we arrived,our flight had been delayed and the restaurant was closing but the manager kindly let us in to have a meal . All the hotel staff were courteous and friendly we had no problems.

The bar staff again were very friendly, and there were two happy hours every day. There are 3 bars at the hotel.

There is a swimming pool, sun terrace with outdoor bar, paddling pool and also an outdoor jacuzzi. A lifeguard was present all the time.

The best thing about the hotel is its location - right on the beach! Just walking out the door and right on to the beach was heaven! The beach is very long and plenty of space for everyone.

The Aquopolis water park is 5 mins walk from the hotel, a small supermarket right opposite the hotel and local shops and bars also a 5 min walk.

The hotel entertainment wasn't bad either, a different show every night or you could walk along to the local bars if you fancied a change.
If you have children, the kids entertainment team were fantastic, and there is also a Thomson's kidzone club.

All in all this was a wonderful hotel and great location for a holiday and I would recommend it to anyone.
You can book this hotel via Thomsons.

La Pineda is around a 15-20 minute drive away from Reus airport, and is only a few minutes drive from Salou, which is the largest and most popular resort on the Costa Dorada.
Salou, Cap Salou, La Pineda and Cambrils are all situated close together, so it is easy to visit any of these places while staying on the Costa Dorada.

THE RESORT :

La Pineda is much quieter than Salou, and has became very popular with families and couples, or those who just prefer a more relaxing holiday. As I mentioned above, Salou is within easy reach if you wished to visit, or have a night out there. Salou has far more nightlife than La Pineda, hence it is more popular with younger people.

I chose La Pineda as did not fancy a lively resort such as Salou, for a holiday with my partner, but still wanted somewhere with some bars and cafe's, and a nice beach. Somewhere quiet, but not too quiet!
La Pineda fitted my requirements perfectly. It has a beautiful 3km sandy beach, the best on the Costa Dorada, with a promenade running alongside lined with palm trees, and water features. There is also a huge pine tree sculpture (Pines de Mariscal) created out of metal which is quite amazing to look at.

The beach here is somewhere both myself and my partner spend a lot of time. It is very clean and the water is lovely and usually calm. It is quite shallow for quite a way out, so safe for children (and adults!) playing on their inflatables!. Pedalos are available to hire, as are sunbeds and shades. The beach is manned by lifeguards and also has a first aid area, beach bars, showers and toilets.
The only downside to spending time on the beach here is being pestered by the hair braiders, and folk selling sunglasses etc or offering a massage. This can be quite annoying at times and getting ridiculous! However, I am pleased to say that on my last visit here last month, the police were regularly patrolling the beach each day, which made a huge difference as the traders kept away while they were around. I hope they keep this up.

SHOPS, BARS AND NIGHTLIFE :

Along the promenade is the Pineda Drink Boulevard, which is both a day and night-time entertainment area with bars, tapas bars, cafes and restaurants, which all include shady terraces. There are plenty of places to go for a meal or snack.
For those of you who like to visit a 'British' bar, there is 'The Waterfront' which serves traditional English food such as Roast Beef & Yorkshire Pud.
There is also an Irish Bar in La Pineda called 'The Dubliner' where we received a very warm welcome from the owners!
As I mentioned before, La Pineda is much quiter than Salou, so you won't find many youngsters here, mainly couples and families. It does, however, have a nightclub 'Pacha' which is very popular, and some visit there from Salou.

There is a selection of shops along the promenade selling the usual beach items, gifts, souvenirs and t-shirts etc. There are also some small supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and cash points.
Outdoor markets are also held each week in La Pineda.

HOTELS :

There are many hotels in La Pineda. The Golden Donaire Beach is a good hotel built right on the beach, and is where we stayed. You step outside the door and you are straight onto the beach! It really is in a fantastic location, with stunning views over the resort.
The food at this hotel was excellent, the staff very helpful and friendly. The hotel has a swimming pool and entertainment programme, and can be booked via Thomsons.
There are many other hotels and self-catering apartments a few minutes walk from the beach.
The newest hotel to be built is the 'Gran Palas' a 5 star hotel, which has just opened recently, and is only a couple of minutes walk from the beach. The rear of the hotel was visible from our hotel and it looked very nice, with the rooms at the rear overlooking the beach and the gardens of the hotel. I noticed it has beautifully landscaped gardens, swimming pools, tennis court and children's park.

ATTRACTIONS:

Located in La Pineda itself along the promenade is the 'Aquopolis' Water Park. This is very popular with families, and again a lot of people visit here from Salou.
The park contains pools, water rides, rapids, flumes and chutes. A great day out for the kids. There are mini versions of all the big water rides for younger children . There is also a Dolphinarium where there are daily shows with Dolphins and Sea lions.

The largest attraction and most popular is 'Port Aventura' theme park. La Pineda is the closest resort to the park on the Costa Dorada, and it literally is only a few mins drive away, or a short bus-ride.
Children and adults alike will have a great day out here. The park is split up into themed areas, each containing its own rides, and over 100 shows, including Wild West and Chinese acrobats, as well as plenty of places to eat and drink.

Adrenaline junkies will love the white-knuckle rides such as Dragon Khan, a large roller coaster with 8 loop-the-loops, and Furius Baco, a hydraulically launched steel roller coaster, which is said to be the fastest in Europe as it reaches 83.9mph in just 3.5 seconds! (described by one of the Thomson reps on our holiday as 'a cheap face-lift!)
Another big attraction here is the free-faller Hurakan Condor, where you are taken to a height of 320 feet before being dropped free-fall at over 70mph!

Queues for rides can be very long, particularly at weekends and peak times, so a useful tip is to visit on an evening when it is a little quieter.
Our Thomsons rep had a special offer available for guests where you buy a day pass for Port Aventura and get the next day free. This is a good idea, as it is impossible to see all the park in one visit.

La Pineda is a great place for a holiday, and is also quite popular with Spanish holidaymakers who spend weekends here, and longer holidays after the children have broke up from school towards the end of June, so you will notice it becomes busier at these times.
St John's day is celebrated on 23rd June and firework displays are held on the beach, which go on late into the night. I really loved this and there was a fantastic atmosphere.

While staying in La Pineda, a visit to Barcelona is a must. It is only a 1 hour 30 min drive away and well-worth a visit. Many trips are available to book and local buses run there regularly.

Overall La Pineda is an excellent place for a family holiday or for couples. I can highly recommend it, and it is a great base to explore the Costa Dorada as everything close to hand. I will be returning again.