BARCELONA....If there were a contest for a city that has sensory overload for magnificent architecture, Barcelona and Prague would fight for top honors in my book. There is so much to see in the downtown area! Much of it centers around the boulevard called La Rambla. Within walking distance or an easy metro hop, you can find the Palau (Palace) Güell, the Cathedral, the market, the Casa Milà (La Pedrera), the Palau de la Musica Catalana, la Sagrada Familia, the Park Güell, the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sanot Pau, the Casa Batlló and museums for Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Joan Miró (if you don't make the mistake I did and try to visit when they are closed on Mondays.)

After a while, I just stopped taking photos. It was Modernisma sensory overload, but what a way to overload! And, as always, there were delightful surprises.

MARTIN