We had heard it a thousand times…you HAVE to see La Sagrada Familia. And I didn’t intend to miss it, I just didn’t think I wanted to take the kids to see it with me. Tim and I woke early on our second day in Barcelona to visit the church (became a basilica in 2010) and drink in Gaudi’s masterpiece. We didn’t buy tickets ahead of time, though you can do so easily at most La Caixa ATM machines in the city. We simply arrived 30 minutes prior to opening time and waited with the other tourists eager to get a glimpse of this 100 year creation that is still unfinished. We felt a bit like medieval city dwellers who sometimes waited hundreds of years and had no idea what their cathedral was going to look like. This one, at least, has Gaudi’s whimsical fingerprints all over it and it does not disappoint. When begun in 1882 (Gothic revival style) Gaudi knew he would never see it to completion and instead of leaving exact specifications for the church, he wanted to encourage future architects to add their design elements to the construction. Nature and the natural world play a big part in the overall presentation with helixes, honeycomb and spirals taking center stage. The huge gothic columns are represented as trees with numerous branches taking flight from the trunk. The stained glass windows magically collect the sun and spread it out in rainbows of colors throughout the church. Although admission to the church with audioguide is 18 euros, we considered ourselves as investors in the building project. It is the most spectacular church I’ve ever seen. And, considering the amount of construction still covering the exterior along with the large interior, we’re happy we didn’t take the kids. Lauren asked, “Did you at least get pictures?” Here are a few of our favorites.