N: Sunday seemed an appropriate day to visit the Sagrada Familia, the masterpiece cathedral still under construction, designed by modernista architect Antoni Gaudi. The project was started over a century ago, and predates the modern art movement, but in many ways Gaudi defines it—being way ahead of his time. The cathedral is all color and shape and light and still has 30 years to go before its expected completion. Gaudi had to have had a mind that competes with other historical geniuses, to have conceived of it all at the time when the horse and buggy was still the major form of transportation.

In the evening we went to Mikel Etxea, whose tapas in the window caught our eye two nights before. Another fun place, full of good food and character (though it gets a lot of bad reviews on the Internet). It specialized in Basque cuisine. We chatted with some Germans at the table next to us, who were globe trotting on business.

B: Sagrada Familia is magnificent! A contemporary, spacious, light-filled cathedral! What a concept. We went to the top and looked down on the gorgeous city. We had Spanish pizza for an early lunch that day. The national food of Spain seems to be ham; our pizza had ham on top. The ham is similar to prosciutto, but less salty.

We were getting into a pattern of exploring a little, eating a little, and then going back to our hotel for a siesta. Nick, who has taken a nap every day of his life, absolutely adored this!

If we had one more day in Barcelona, Nick would have liked to see more of Gaudi's works. I would have loved a side trip to Montserrat, a monastery in the mountains an hour away.