Our first proper day in Barcelona (and also our actual anniversary) is also the day we’ve been able to book Park Guell, which is a delight, as it’s one of Alasdair’s overriding memories of Barcelona from when he was a young boy.
It’s easy to see why it stood out to him, and why he doubted his memories of this weird park. There are columns that look like women with fruit hats; rows of columns that look like a wave crashing to shore; the constant interplay of man and nature.
We have a charming tour guide, Alex. Is his English very good? No. Do we learn much in detail? No. But he’s engaging and it’s fun to see him almost improvise the route - there are so many things to be seen and so little time, so he’s almost picking and choosing as he goes.
I love the mosaic bench, deliberately sculpted to be maximally ergonomic, and my god it works. Plus a remarkable view of the skyline and the rest of the park. To imagine that just being part of where you live, incredible.
At the end of the guided tour, we’re allowed to stay and continue looking around. Alasdair wants to find the sculpture of the salamander he remembers. We realise that it’s right behind us in the one way system, and so round the park we go again.