El Escorial

One more cloudy weekend, but I don't feel like staying at the apartment, therefore I decide to go to another historical royal residence, that functions as a monastery and musuem, San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
The Pantheon consists of 26 marble sepulchers containing the remains of the kings and queens regnant of the Habsburg and Bourbon dinasties, and the library includes many important illuminated manuscripts

Barcelona

Bon dia!

I am leaving Spain for the weekend (at least that's what a large number of Catalans would say...), direction Catalonia and Barcelona, a certain number of years after my last trip there. Let's see if they still pretend not to speak Spanish.

The weather is perfect, and the first day is spend wandering in the different parts of the city, from the Gothic quarter, built during the Middle Age, to the architectural works of Gaudi, awesome examples of the modernista / Art Nouveau period of Catalonia.
The construction of the Sagrada Familia basilic was started in 1882, and is due to be completed in 2027. It has changed a lot, since my last visit. I will have to come back again, in about 15 years, to see it finished.

The Hospital de Sant Pau and Park Güell are also part of the symbols of the city

On Sunday, I head to Montjuic mountain, in order to get a different view on the city, and visit the Archeological Museum and the Olympic Stadium

Back to the lowest part of Barcelona, for a Japanese lunch, and a last walk to the cathedral and to the Palace of the Catalan Music

Bernabeu Stadium

Home of the famous Real Madrid, perfect place to spend a rainy Saturday, going down to the pitch and the presidential box, visiting the changing rooms, seating on the benches in the coaching area

After so many emotions, it is brunch time ;)