Wednesday - Part 2

First of all, I forgot to post this picture of a beautiful olive tree that was in a small park across the street from the Nativity facade of La Sagrada so here it is.

After we parted with Heather, Chris and I headed up a pleasant, pedestrianized thoroughfare to the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, a fully functioning hospital until 2009, at which time it closed and is not being restored and refurbished to be a museum and cultural center.

I thought this was a great lamp post - I'm just so impressed with the practice of making necessities into beautiful art objects.

The main building (that's it at the end of the walkway) is a beautiful and impressive entry to a complex of 8 smaller buildings all designed the same plus two or three other smaller buildings surrounding a lovely courtyard with trees, shrubs, grassy areas and pleasant walkways.

When we arrived there was hardly anyone there and to walk into that courtyard after having left the very crowded and fairly chaotic Sagrada was  wonderful.    As usual, I have plenty of pictures to share -

My feet were pretty much killing me and since we were pretty much alone, I took off my shoes and socks for a brief spell and walked around on the cool tile walkways - very nice. :)

Beautiful staircase ceiling in the main building

And the staircase (and I just noticed Chris up there taking a picture).

Second story window looking out on the courtyard.

 Another gorgeous ceiling...

 and another.

 Very full trees and so pretty....

If anyone knows what this plant is, I'd like to know.  I've never seen so many berries on any of the berry plants I'm familiar with.

 This lamppost is a drinking fountain too!

 And another nice fountain right around the corner...

 Walking home, we took in the street which includes "the block of discord" - three houses designed by three different architects, one of whom was Gaudi - see if you can guess which one.

If you guessed this one, hoopla! cause you're right. :)

So, that was Wednesday and this is the end of a kind of measly report - I've let myself get behind by two days and want to catch up if I can before I get to Italy and being with Chris and Heather has kept me busy, happy, and not quite as concentrated on noticing everything going on around me.  But since I decided on this journal to serve as a memory book of my trips, it will do for me. :)