It Is More Worthwhile to Study Nature Directly

The inside of the Casa Batlló was just as bizarrely art nouveau as the outside.  Gaudi continued the skeletal details throughout, mixed with some stained glass and more tiling.  There are very few, if any, straight lines in the entire house.

Instead of having little plaques around giving information about the house, they provided guests with big headphones and little phone screens that would tell the information while showing little videos on the screen.  Taylor and I decided that would distract from the experience, so we opted out.  Apparently we were the first people to ever turn them down because the worker ladies didn't know what to do.  "Are you sure?  There isn't any information in the house.  They come with the price of a ticket.  You really should take them."  

We did not.  Instead, we had the joy of people constantly bumping into us because they were too busy looking at their screens to pay attention to what was actually around them.  Like these chandeliers, for example.  Both so different, but both fitting in with the house seamlessly.

There was an atrium at the center of the house with a grand staircase for going up and down.  The middle few floors house a law firm or some kind of business so those rooms were closed off.  We hiked all the way up to the top though, stopping off at the back patio for a few minutes.  It's quite a bit different than the front.

The top floor was much more subdued in its style, but continued the curving, spine-like look.

You could also go out on the roof!  There was a beautiful skyline view, and it was cool to see the roof tiles and mosaics up close.  The house kindof reminded me of Frank Lloyd Wright, in that he had such dedication to certain looks in all of his houses, exterior and interior.  I would never want to live in a house like that; you wouldn't be able to add your own style!  Very cool to see though.

(photos by e.hunt, and t.hunt)