It's Tuesday, September 18, 2018; we took a short bus ride to see the Santa Maria de Montserrat it is a Benedictine abbey located on the mountain of Montserrat, in Montserrat, Catalonia, Spain. It is notable for enshrining the image of the Virgin of Montserrat.

Montserrat is 4,055 feet above the valley floor,

There are walking and hiking paths that surround the Royal Basilica; many people hike to the top of the mountain and cross and take in the view.

There have always been 80 monks in residency.

The interior of the Basilica

Whether you are religious or not, visiting the Black Madonna at Montserrat is a spiritual and worthwhile experience. We joined the people in line and waited 35 minutes to touch the statue and say a prayer.

There are two funiculars, one connecting with Santa Cova (a shrine and chapel lower down the mountain) and the other connecting with the upper slopes of the hill.

Back in Barcelona, we stopped by La Flauta II for lunch. We were told to ask for the Menu of the Day. Customarily served between two and three in the afternoon by just about every restaurant in Spain, this is a great way to eat good food at a very reasonable price.
.

Shrimp

Calamari

Fresh salad and pasta

Visited the Picasso Museum this afternoon. No photos are allowed in the Museum, where 4,251 works are exhibited. The Museum has one of the most complete permanent collections of Picasso's works. Here are a few of the highlights.

The Wait (Margot) 1901

Photo provided by Picasso Museum Barcelona

Pablo Picasso

Photo provided by Wikipedia

This is a free poster given out in the Picasso Kitchen Exhibit.

Portrait of Jaume Sabartes with ruff and cap (1939)

Photo provided by Picasso Museum Barcelona

This is a free poster given out in the Picasso Kitchen Exhibit.

The Columbus Monument is a 60 m tall monument to Christopher Columbus at the lower end of La Rambla, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was constructed for the Exposición Universal de Barcelona in honor of Columbus' first voyage to the Americas.

La Rambla

Tapas and Wine

Barcelona, Spain - Gaudi, Gaudi, Gaudi

On Monday, September 16, we arrived in Barcelona for a 15-day tour of Spain. It is our first land tour - we hoped for the best - the trip exceeded our expectations in every way.

We are starting in Barcelona touring the Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926) masterpiece.

Park Guell

The Park Guell is a public park located on Carmel Hill.

Antoni Gaudí, a renowned architect and the face of Catalan modernism, began building the Park between 1900 and 1914 and was officially opened as a public park in 1926.

Colonnaded pathway

Gaudí's Tiled Mosaics on the ceiling.

Curved edges

Planned were 60 villas, but nobody was interested, and only two show houses were completed.

There are animals in the Park

The Salamander is the Symbol of Park Guell

The Snake

Many Unique shapes

Sagrada Familia is a large unfinished Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926). Gaudí's work on the building is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Wikipedia)