Montserrat

Yesterday we visited a popular tourist destination near Barcelona called Montserrat.  It is a monastery that is located on a mountain called Montserrat.  We drove a curvy road that took us close to the top of the mountain.  When we got close, we ended up waiting in a line of cars to get through the parking gate.  Apparently we weren't the only ones who wanted to go there and enjoy the beautiful spring day.  We joked that we hoped it was worth waiting 15-20 minutes to get to the parking gate.  After we finally found a parking spot, we ate our picnic lunch in the back of the car and then headed up to where the monastery and other shops & restaurants were located.  It was definitely worth the wait to get in.  It was beautiful.  We didn't go into the museum because we had the kids along and a 5 year old & 3 year old are not too interested in museums.  :)  We enjoyed walking around and we noticed lots of trails that wound around the mountain.  We decided that we need to return there to check out some of the trails and go through the museum.

Here are some pictures from our adventure:

View of Montserrat from the highway

 View from the top of the mountain

 Walking from the car up to the monastery

 Tram going down the mountain

 Robin, Josiah & Miriam

 Walking towards the little waterfall/statue area

 statue of someone (did not stop to read it)

 Miriam

Josiah

 Enjoying our picnic lunch in the back of the car.  The kids thought it was so fun to eat in the back of the car.  :)

 Walking up to the monastery from the car

 waterfall/statue area

 Josiah taking some pictures with the big camera

 Miriam breaking the rules of not touching the area behind the fence

 Miriam getting ready to take a picture of Josiah

 Our wild boy

 Mommy & Miriam

 Josiah & Mommy

 Josiah's photography

 Miriam's photography

 Monastery

 Josiah enjoying his ice cream cone

 Miriam enjoying her ice cream cone

 Mountain climbers 

 Mountain climbers

 Square in front of the monastery

 Josiah ran some energy off

 We want to figure out how to hike up to wear this cross was.  It was on a nearby peak across from where the monastery was.

 Tibidabo Mountain in Barcelona (we haven't gotten there yet, but we can see it well from where we live)

Barcelona in the distance

 After we got home, Neal & Josiah put together our new patio table & chairs

We had fun eating supper out on the balcony.  We lowered the shades & the kids thought it was like being in a tent.  :)