**While I was working on this post a terrorist drove a van into the crowd on Las Ramblas in Barcelona killing 16 and injuring many. I feel sick thinking about it.**
Looking back now I’m not sure how we did it but we somehow coaxed the girls to visit the original Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. It was an easy walk from La Sagrada Familia.
The Hospital was absolutely gorgeous architecturally and reminded me of “A Cure for Wellness” which I haven’t seen. Lol.
the cool basement provided refuge from the heat
Another underground tunnel.
Everywhere we turned there were gorgeous details to admire. Everything is so new in the United States and seems to be constructed with much less thought/design due to the pace of modern life.
There is a new Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau now but we didn’t visit that one as it’s a working hospital.
After wandering we took a cab over to Park Guell which sits atop Carmel Hill in Barcelona and was designed by Antoni Gaudi. Read more about its origins here.
NOTE: access to most of Park Guell is free but if you want to visit the Monumental Zone you need to buy tickets. We bought ours a day or two prior via the website.
Park Guell Monumental Zone tickets
You will want the tickets for sure!
Gift shop
People who know me know I hate driving. The more you don’t drive, the less you want to drive. Also, I think my eyesight is going and I’m dreading that puff-of-air-on-the-eyeball test at the optometrist. Regardless of my first world (non)issues, I heard about the Noah’s Ark Exhibit at the Skirball Center from loads of people and decided that, since M might be in school full time next year, I’d better get her over there while I still could.
You need to make a reservation ahead of time. This can be done online and is great as it keeps it from being too crowded.
Here’s the link to the ticket info ($5 for kids over 2, $10 for adults).
Thursdays are free but since Thursday didn’t work out for us that week, we went on Friday after M’s Spanish class.
I was worried about braving the 405 only to find a crowded, hot & sweaty indoor playground covered with whatever the kids had for lunch. I also dreaded the parking situation which is a rational fear when you live in LA. All my fears were for naught!
It was a Friday afternoon around 12:45PM. When we pulled up, ours was the only car. There were plenty of parking spots. Parking is FREE!!! Parking is easy. You won’t lose your car here!
We shared a quick sandwich on the patio.
M is wearing her Aunt Charlotte’s vintage dress. How cute is that?
What is Noah’s Ark, you ask? Just what it sounds like – a massive wooden ark in the basement of the Skirball Center. It’s amazing!
Kids can rotate, slide, turn, pull levers, gears, wheels and stuffed animals (though not necessarily in that order!)
There’s a mini ark inside the big ark!
Comfy walrus chairs to rest on.
On the other side of the ark, children can make crafts. Today they were weaving.
Sometimes the animals …ahem…poop.
They have little brooms & dustpans to clean it up.
You can climb the ladder to the second floor.
And head back down on the walkway.
The tickets are for 2 hours. Which is perfect.
Noah’s Ark Exhibit
Skirball Cultural Center
$10 General
$7 Seniors
$5 Children 2-12
Free to all visitors on Thursdays
(Be sure to read the website for more info – for example: tickets much be purchased ahead of time online for Thursdays and other days.)
There’s a cafe and sandwich/salad cart. Parking is free!!
