We didn’t wait long to start our friendship with Gaudi.  Our first night there, we went straight to Casa Batllo, a short walk from our apartment.  Five stories in height and without a straight line on any surface, Casa Batllo was a wonderful introduction to the works of the man.  The woodwork in the interior was amazing, with a reason for every twist and turn.  At first view, a set of seating near a fireplace was poorly thought out, with so much wavy goodness that only three seats were provided, a bit of a strange number.  Turns out, a couple typically had a chaperon in Gaudi’s time, problem solved!  The blue courtyard was definitely most impressive in Casa Batllo.  Looking like melting ice, curves still flowed with interesting ideas such as the gradual reduction in window size going up to balance the natural light provided to apartments on different levels.  The whole house left us with wonderful impressions of Gaudi and we were looking forward to seeing more.

Our next brush with his work came a few days later when we found ourselves a few blocks from Casa Batllo at the equally well known La Pedrera.  Maybe it was the 45 minute wait to get in, but this one left us a bit less impressed as we walked through the arched, attic level museum.  The dull succession of red brick arches supporting the roof were quite mainstream looking on first appearance.  As we climbed to the roof terrace, our idea of dullness quickly changed.  Upon stepping out of the spiral staircase, we were instantly transported into a real life version of Super Mario Brothers, sans goombas and flying turtles.  The walkways sliced up and down, left and right, never one providing a straight path.  Wavy chimneys dotted into the air like mushrooms on the floor of the jungle.  Wonderful nooks and crannies could be found everywhere.  Touche Mr. Gaudi!

Another creation of Gaudi is well visited and another stop of ours in Barcelona.  The current Park Guell was actually a total failure at the time.  Intended to be a wealthy housing development in the suburban Barcelona hillside, it fell flat when no one wanted to move there.  Only three houses of Gaudi are there, his own and two near the front of the park.  In his true style, these two may have gone further than any Gaudi we had seen so far.  Wave lines and colorful tiles were in abundance.  More like a Disney set than 80′s video games, we still felt like we were in another world.  The place was loaded with people and our group of 8 had great fun irritating the teeny boppers around us as we managed to get a photo of all of us with the famous mosaic lizard at the front of the park.  In general, it is a beautiful park, but definitely disappointing when you think of the unique neighborhood that would have been created if enough others had seen Gaudi’s vision.

Lastly, of course, we could not have left Barcelona without having visited the construction site that is La Sagrada Familia.  In true cathedral form, this behemoth is still being built 130 years after it started and 90 years after the great man’s death.  It is in reality a bit of an ugly thing, with three wildly different facades that are a bit confusing.  But the principles of Gaudi are on full display.  He created complex geometric surfaces that, I know from experience, are nearly impossible to model via computer, even today, without the most complex tools.  Natural influence is in abundance, such as the tree like columns in the sanctuary.  While not our favorite church aesthetically, it was impossible not to be impressed by the grandness of the place.  We can only wonder about the finished product and will definitely be back to see it in its final form…if we are still alive!

Amidst the good company of Gaudi and my family, the week in Barcelona went quickly.  It is certain we have never seen a city quite like it and will hopefully make our way back someday to marvel once again at the beauty of the city and the works of its most famous architect.

First, a visitor will find it essential to wear sunglasses here as the buildings around the main plaza and throughout most of town shine blindingly white in the sun.  The reason for their luminescence is the sillar stone, or white volcanic rock, that were used to build these structures.  The most radiant of these buildings is the cathedral.  Even at night, the lights on the cathedral create a glow parallel to the sun’s.

Second, Arequipa’s buildings provide treasures and evidence of the rich history that shaped the culture of Peru.  One place of interest is the Santa Catalina Monastery.  Expect a visit to this place to be a bit pricey at 30 soles ($10) a person, but it’s well worth it.  This more than 400 year old convent was the private residence of nuns from around the country for centuries.  It grew into it’s own “city within a city” with cobblestone streets and courtyards, but it amazingly remained closed off from the outside world until the 20th century.

While there, we toured historic living quarters, kitchens, bathrooms, medical and laundry facilities.   It was surreal to believe that a fully functioning community walked the same narrow streets hundreds of years before.  Our favorite thing about the monastery was it’s implementation of color on many of the walls.  Bright hues of orange, blue, and red abound and contrast with the white sillar of the buildings.  It gives one an almost euphoric feeling to be amongst such color.

Another historically rich place is the Museo Santuarios Andinos (otherwise labelled as the “Casa de la Cultura, Univesidad Catolica de Santa Maria), which contains  Mummy Juanita, the “Ice Maiden” of the Andes.  ”Juanita” was a young Incan woman who was sacrificed approximately 500 years ago to pacify the mountain gods believed to be causing volcanoes and earthquakes in the region.  Her well-preserved body was accidentally discovered in 1995 when a volcano erupted and melted the snow which allowed her body to be shifted down a mountain.  Scientists are still learning about her life and her death, but what has already been discovered is fascinating.

Apparently, back when Juanita was sacrificed it was an honor to be in her place.  Great rituals and festivities surrounded those who were sacrificed.  Some Incan children were even born and raised with the idea of being given to the gods.  Due to the conditions of her nails and her way of dress, it is possible that Juanita may have been a maiden of royal background.

Before our tour started, we had to surrender our cameras and cell phones to museum security because photos were not allowed.  I was able to take a picture of the worldwide magazine coverage of her discovery before handing my camera in.  The first part of our tour involved watching a National Geographic video to gain an understanding of what we were about to see.  The second part involved going through rooms that contained artifacts of her and other sacrificed children’s burials.  All this stuff preceding our viewing of Juanita only added to our excitement to see her.

When we were finally rewarded with a viewing, we were caught off guard by how small she was.  She was held in a specially made ice box to keep her protected.  The room was dimly lit and it was difficult to see her clearly, but we could not get over how well defined her features still were.  Usually, I am a bit horrified by mummies, but there was nothing grotesque about her.  She really was “lovely”, especially for someone who was half a century old.

Arequipa could have simply been put down as yet another “quaint” South American town, but it’s brilliant, history-filled buildings wouldn’t allow it.  Where else can one walk in the footsteps of 16th century nuns and meet a young maiden frozen in time?

I love Quito!  This love of mine hit me instantaneously as I looked out the plane window and saw the Andes Mountains break through the clouds.  I forgot my fear of flying and stopped clinging to the armrests despite the mountain turbulence.  Those green, rolling hills had worked their magic on me and I was captivated.

When we landed, we took a taxi from airport to the Old Town area in Quito and I knew this was my favorite city.  It was sunny, but not humid.  A cool breeze blew in through the open taxi windows.  There was traffic, but it wasn´t awful.  There were buildings, but not skyscrapers.  There were people and they were smiling.

Our hostel, Hostel Chicago, was located on a quiet side street surrounded by buildings built in the old Spanish colonial style.  The rooms ran at $9.50 per person with free computer access and complimentary breakfast on the rooftop terrace.  With a view of the city and those Andes in the background, nothing could beat this quaint little picturesque South American town.  Additionally, the rooms were brightly painted, beautifully decorated, and pleasantly clean.  My previous experience in hostels had been in London during a college Spring Break trip.  London hostels had not been as cheap or as pleasant and I don´t recall showering with hot water in the middle of a rainy London March.  For the first few days, I was awestruck by the breathtaking mountain backdrop every time we stepped out of Hostel Chicago.

A perk of Old Town is that  it is rare to find anything commercial except for a KFC (of course).  There are cobblestone streets, plazas with flowers and fountains, and children playing everywhere.  There are gorgeous cathedrals and opportunities to climb to the tops of the highest bell towers to view the whole city.

Not only is Quito an architectural paradise, but also it is an economical treasure.  We find that the food is cheap.  An almuerzo or set meal costs $1.50 on average and it includes soup, entree, and drink!  Never mind that the soup includes leftover chicken parts or the drinks are a mixture of juice and local water, we find that we are stuffed at the end of it!

A plus on my list is the cleanliness of the city.  We explore the market, which is always my favorite place in any country, and we find that the stalls are washed and well-labeled.  The greatest evidence of the country´s cleanliness is in their bathrooms.  Most of the bathrooms have toilets with toilet seats, soap, toilet paper, running water, and even paper towels!!

When it comes to the people of Quito, we learn that they are friendly.  Although we don´t speak Spanish and most don´t speak English, Ecuadorians are proof that we can understand each other as long as we work together.  Many have been so kind as to remind us about safety in their city.  ¨Be careful with your bags,” they mime.  We get a sense that they are protecting us.

With all the things working for Quito, it is hard not to believe that it is the jewel of South America.  We are excited to see what the rest of Ecuador and this South American continent have to offer.