Ammonites Everywhere!

Ruth and I like to find images and souvenirs of sheep and of ammonites when we are away from the shop.  My contribution this time is this picture.  It may look like an ammonite but it is a somewhat vertiginous view down the spiral staircase of the Belfry of the Prioral Sant Pere in Reus, Catalonia.  The family and I climbed the tower during our holiday there this Summer and I took the photo looking down the centre of the staircase.  Although it was very hot, it wasn't too bad walking up the stairs as there was a landing every 30 steps.  Even so 130 steps was quite a lot -- you can't climb right to the top so don't get to enjoy climbing the total 214.  The Priory of Sant Pere, built in the fifteenth century over a Romanesque church was consecrated in 1569 and the belfry tower is visible for a kilometre around. The view from the top is stunning although you need to be careful not to be there when the bells ring as it is a bit startling (there was a group of unsuspecting teenagers standing by the bell when it rang while I was up there and their feet very nearly left the ground!).  

Reus is the birthplace of the architect Antonio Gaudi who was baptised in the church and whose influence can be seen all around the town and is celebrated in the Gaudi (visitor) Centre.  As we flew in and out of Barcelona we took the opportunity to visit Gaudis's breathtaking tour de force, the Sagrado Familia.  The picture here is of the light show caused by the sun coming through the stained glass windows -- I may have to start dyeing yarn so that I can reproduce some of stunning colours.

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