Ramsgate & Deal

May Bank Holiday weekend in North Kent: windy but sunny, good walking weather. The stained glass window in st George's Church includes the Dunkirk Window, showing scenes of the evacuation and commemorating the 1st great escape of WWII in 1940. Over 300,00 British & French soldiers escaped on warships and small boats. From the the church we took the coast path from our hotel in Ramsgate (picture 1) to Broadstairs and visited Charles Dickens' house, a place full of fascinating objects and artefacts pertaining to the writer's life and works.
Next day it was the historic town of Deal, here's Trish on the pier.

Barcelona, Gaudi & Miro

Barcelona is definitely a place that we shall return to and be happy to visit some of his exquisitely beautiful buildings once again. The photo below was taken on the roof of Casa Batlo, an extraordinary house finished in 1907.

The Sagrada Familia, begun in 1882, has yet to be finished. The latest estimate is 2017. It might look strange without the cranes! Its sheer sheer size is astonishing, its beauty breathtaking. Words cannot do it justice, go there!

From our hotel on Gran Via De Les Corts, we walked down Las Ramblas through the marina to catch the cable car to Montjuic. Great views of the city and Mediterranean and then a relaxing drink before walking up to the 1992 Olympic Stadium.

Joan Miro, another great Catalan, has sculptures aroubnd the city. This one is in the Parc Joan Miro. Behind is former bull ring, now a shopping centre with a multiplex cinema. We had a lovely meal in one of the rooftop restaurants.

 Can it be possible for an apartment to surpass Casa Batlo? The answer is yes once you visit La Pedrera. There's hardly a straight line to be seen, the light and colours are spectacular.