0 Barcelona: Museums and Palau de la Música Catalan

The sky above as we waiting in the line to get into Museu Picasso.  Totally worth going, but buy your tickets in advance.  The line was very long each time we passed, and once when we went by during the open hours the doors were inexplicably locked.  We went first thing in the morning one day, arrive about 9:15, about 45 minutes before the museum opened, and the line was moderate, so we got in without too much of a wait.  Given that we were there in January, though, and not high-tourist season, I'd recommend buying your tickets in advance.  The museum displays quite a bit of Picasso's early work along with a few pieces from later in his career.  A few rooms display some of his pottery, and there is a detailed exhibit on his versions of Velázquez's Las Meninas.

Gargoyle thingy near Museu Picasso.  Of course, I now want one.  My pretend house is chock full of really high arches and creepy-looking stone figures... I really do want to live in a medieval abbey.

A dude at the Pre-Colombian Art Museum, across the street from Museu Picasso.   It was a small museum, but free with our Barcelona Cards, so worth it.  I gave this guy the staredown until I got nervous I was going to get a prehistoric witchdoctor curse put on me, and so I captured his soul with my camera.

Pre-Colombian owls?

A seriously creepy cat.

This is a nose-ring; if you look at my reflection you may see that I was trying to "wear" it for you. 

I'm not very good at jewelry.

The Palau de la Música Catalan is amazing.  One of my friends recommended it to me, and I will pass that on to you, but less kindly: GO.  It is also a modernisme building, but was designed and built by Lluís Doménech i Montaner, an older generation architect than Gaudí but a professor of architecture and a great influence on the modernisme movement.  

The Palau was built in less than twenty years, mostly because it was funded and is still owned privately- by the Orfeó Catalá, a choral society wanting a venue to host and appreciate the musical arts.

That little hole is the original ticket office.

Like many sites, the Palau doesn't allow interior pictures- but I recommend you look at the links above if you don't get a chance to see it in person- the building is gorgeous.  It sits in a city block, but was designed for optimizing both acoustics and natural light.

St. George with the Catalan people.  He is the patron saint of Catalunya, as well as England.  I have mixed feelings on him, because I'm a big fan of (friendly) dragons.