Tibidabo

Today we ventured up to the highest peak around Barcelona (500m) to Tibidabo.  At the peak is a 100-year-old amusement park, but half the fun was getting there.  We took Metro to a 100-year-old blue streetcar/ tram, the Tramvia Blau, which took us up the Avinguda Tibidabo, a street lined with elegant modernista houses.  From the top of the tram line, we took the (guess how old?) funicular up to the park.   The views were stunning.  The kids enjoyed the rides, including the red airplane ride dating back to 1928 that is modeled after the first plane to fly from Barcelona to Marid.   Nik and I took turns touring the Sagrat Cor church, which is a landmark on the Barcelona skyline.  We each made it up to the top, just below Jesus’ feet in the photo below, which felt very lofty and made me a little weak in the knees.

Madeleine was grousing because the thrill ride section of the park was closed today, and the rest was “boring”.  Then she and her brothers discovered the Museu d’Automats, a museum of automatons made from 1901 to 1954, including models of the amusement park.  They spent a lot of time there and also at the fun house/ hall of mirrors next door.  In fact they wanted to spend so much time that Nik and I retreated to the café next to the church and got mildly sloshed on sangria.  After the kids had their fill of automatons and wacky mirrors and had their final rides on the carousel, we took the funicular back down the hill, but missed the last tram from there.  It was ok, as the walk down was really nice. 

Boarding the funicular for the ride up the hill.

Sagrat Cor church and hills beyond, viewed from the 50-meter high rotating tower ride.

View of the amusement park and the Mediterranean beyond (a bit lost in the clouds), from the top of Sagrat Cor.
 Our kids were in the red airplane when Nik took this picture.  The plane flies around in a big circle.

One of the statues keeping watch from Sagrat Cor.

Henry and Sully boarding the plane for another ride.  The propeller in front is actually what propels the ride.

On the way back down the hill on the funicular.

Tomorrow morning I will meet my mom at the airport here in Barcelona, as she is joining us for 5 days before she heads off on her own adventure to Germany, Denmark and Ireland.  Tomorrow is also her birthday!  Madeleine and Henry were very busy tonight preparing her room for her, including decorations that were recycled from Henry's recent birthday.  Sweet.

- E