2. Barcelona, Spain (2021)
The next stop on our virtual trip around the world is…Barcelona, Spain. Sunny Barcelona, with its Catalan and Gaudi influences still very evident throughout the city is a marvelous switch from Reykjavik. But, we still have to get there.
I said earlier that Reykjavik was the gateway to Europe, and that is very much true. Quick flights to the continent can be had for a price. Your goal is to identify the flight with the least time in the air between Reykjavik and Barcelona. Dates don’t matter. Click on the image above to get your research started.
Welcome to Barcelona! First, let’s mosey up to Park Guell. Park Guell is a complex of parks and gardens developed in the early part of the 20th century. It was heavily influenced by Antoni Gaudi, and many of the architectural elements here look like they were made out of melted candy.
There are many mosaic benches on the main terrace of Park Guell. Some need repair or are fading; but others retain a vibrant color.
Find the five differences between the images of the mosaic bench above to advance into Barcelona.
We now stroll to Casa Batllo and Casa Mila, respectively. Both were designed by Antoni Gaudi, and are only blocks apart on the Passeig do Gracia. Both were designed by the same man; but there are some key differences between them. Look at the above photos of the houses (top row is Casa Batllo, the bottom row is Casa Mila) and arrive at your own conclusions. Only one correct answer (or keyword) will suffice.
Ciutadella Park lies in the northeast of Barcelona, and, at 7 acres, it is huge. It is like many parks in one: the Citadel (after which the park was named) was here, a zoo and museums are here; fountains and a lake are here; and, of course, there is greenery.
Getting around Ciutadella Park is like navigating a maze-which is what you must now navigate to move on.
Situated roughly in the center of the city, one finds Barcelona’s main pedestrian boulevard-Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas has been around for a long time, starting as a sewage-filled stream before being converted into a street. There is a lot going on here. Along its 1.2 kilometer length, there are trees, kiosks, eateries, and shops.
About half way down Las Ramblas sits La Boqueria Market. This market has an amazing diversity of goods for sale.
Help us to find what we need by finding the listed words in the word search above.
Perhaps the most popular attraction in Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia. Another Gaudi project, this church was begun in the late 19th century, and the sky was the limit. It was supposed to be the modern equivalent of the Tower of Babel…going on and on forever. It is the tallest church in the world. But the leaders of the Catholic Church finally said enough is enough and concluded that construction would be complete in a few years. I guess they got tired of paying the bills.
The facade of the Sagrada Familia is most famous. Click on the photo of the church facade above and find this picture. It is the icon for this stop on our journey. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t find it quickly; it may be in a link to a link…so keep trying!
We can spend the rest of our time in Barcelona just sightseeing-no more puzzles to solve! We stroll through the city’s Gothic Quarter, visit the Santa Maria del Mar church, tour the Palau de la Musica Orfeo Catala, and take in the “Magic Fountain” along with the impressive views in this area.
But what tops them all, and what we find more or less by accident, is the interactive light exhibit at the Caixa Forum building. Caixa Forum took over this old textile building in about 2002 and, since then, they have been producing innovative displays and artwork. For example, enjoy this immersive light show that they put on!
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- Did you complete the “sliding puzzle” of Lief Erickson?
2. Did you play the “Hot Dog Bush” game and complete one location?
3. These are the five differences in the photos of Ingolfur Anarson
4. This is the Maze solution:
5. Did you play the “Greedy Gulls” game and give it back to them?
Landmark Token: This token can be found in the link about two thirds of the way down under No. 9
