Return to La Sagrada Familia

We got as far as the outside of this place on our brief visit last year. This year I was determined to get inside. So on our last day in the city we got up early, got to the cathedral half an hour before it opened and joined the already-substantial queue for tickets.... Only to discover they were only selling advance tickets, not for immediate entry. So we booked ourselves in for a 5pm visit and headed off to the beach. Unlike the other beaches we'd visited, this one was clean and (perhaps due to the early hour) almost empty. Even I went for a swim and enjoyed it!

I'm glad we bothered to go back to see what the fuss is about. The exterior, as I commented last year, is inordinately ornate and quite overwhelming. The interior, while also ornate and elaborate, feels less hectic. Calm, almost. Despite the crowds. Maybe it's the extreme height, or maybe it's the amazing amount of light inside. I don't know. In any case, it was certainly impressive.