Delwyn's Birthday & Conference

On Delwyn's birthday, Hermana Hinckley and President bought Chocolate Neapolitanos for his birthday. After she had them in the office Hermana remembered he didn't care for Chocolate. She felt really bad. He was very gracious though. The rest of us really enjoyed them. I made a Carrot Cake for his birthday that we had after lunch that day. He ate the Carrot Cake.

Danette wanted me to take a picture of one of the pictures in a folder we got from Lleida of the tapestry the they had hanging on the wall. This is a picture of one of them. There were about 18 of them. They were about 10' x 18'. They were really huge. This was in an old Cathedral that they took over and made a fort for the army. They really ruined a lot of the Cathedral.

Our piso clean in Tarragona. We had the Elders take a picdture of one of the statues in the end of a street. It is a stature of a human ladder.

The two Elders that were in the City. Elder Close and Elder Mettice. Elder Close is Hermana Hinckley's nephew. He is the really tall one. We had cleaned their old piso and we helped them move into their new one. When the landlord checked out the piso after we had cleaned it, he said it was cleaner than when they moved in. One of the very few pisos that we got the deposit back.

When Elder Teixeira was in town, we had 3 Zones in town. The couple on the right is Elder and Hermana Thompson. They live in Manacor which is an island in the Mediterranean. We think President should let all the married couple have a retreat weekend on the island.

Valencia

While we were in Valencia, we went to se Lladro. What a beautiful place. It was so interesting to go on the tour. After seeing the work that goes into these pieces, you can understand why they are so expensive.

This is the Christus on the left and the one on the right is one of 2 Elders with the Book of Mormon. Good advertisement! They even have their name tags.

Here is Cleopatra's ship. This was only 120,000 Euros. So we didn't get it this time. The picture doesn't do it justice. It is about 4ft. long and about 2 feet high. You need to make it larger to appreciate the work.

Here is Cinderellas Pumpkin. It wasn't quite as much as the ship, but not much less.

As we were driving, this was a good look at the Sea. The gard rails were in the way. We don't thing they want us to see the views off the road, because there are either rails or trees in the way.

This is a picture that was just across the road from the view up above. All the houses point to the sea. I guess if I was there that is what I'd want also.

We visited the la llotja de mercaders (Commodity Exchange Building) while we were there. This is considered the most emblematic building of the Valencian civil-Gothic period. This building has 3 parts to it. The Contract Hall, Tower and the Pavilion of the Consolate de Mar. This picture is of the front door. It is the original. Looks like Delwyn is tired.

Here is the roof of the Pavilion of the Consulate built in 15th Century. I believe this is where they must have had their meetings or other business. It is remarkable.

This is the Contract Hall where they did their selling of goods. The top is the prettiest so that is why I took the top. The floor was just a plain floor. I couldn't get a picture of the tower because it was closed. It was way old and not in good repair. We could just look in it.

We visited another Cathedral and a Basilica. They were right next to each other. There was also the Bell tower in the Cathedral. This is over looking Valencia from the tower.

This is overlooking the Cathedral and the Basilica. We had to pay 2 Euros each to climb to the top. It was 207 steps up. This one was a little bigger than the one in Lleida, but not much.

Just a little more of Valencia from the tower. I took this so you could see the Sea, but you can't really see it.

We are in the Cathedral. It was very interesting. They were having a mass or some other meeting while there were many people just milling around and looking at things. It is so different than our Temples.

One of the walls in one of the rooms in the Cathedral.

Here you can see the opening door of the Cathedral where we had to go around to get in. On the left you can see a store where you can buy just about anything that pertains to the Church.

This is a picture of the mass that was going on. I didn't have my flash on, so they didn't know I took a picture.

This is the bell tower. While we were up there, they rang the bell. I was right next to the bell and it liked to have blown me off the top. It was fun to watch though.

One of the many fountains. This was right out side by the Basilica.

This is the Basilica de los Desamparados. It is right next to the Cathedral.

We are facing the front of the Cathedral. We had to go around to the right to get into the building.

At night, I took a picture of the city from one of the towers on the entrance gate.

This is the entrance gate. You have to go around the left to climb to the top. It was dark and the stairs were really dark and hard to see where you were stepping. We made it safe and sound. It was a bit scary in places because it was so dark.

Parc del Laberint

We are going through the Garden Romantic in the Park. So I thought I should have a picture of my darling. Delwyn is standing above the creek. Some of these pictures you need to make larger to get the detail of things.

A nice little pool in the garden. This place was incredible. Everything was lush and green. The season for the flowers was mostly over. But it was still very pretty.

This is a long view of the garden romantic. This is just one section of this huge park. I wish I could have been here when it was all in bloom. There are many sections like this along the walk. On the right side is the little creek flowing down.

Here is some of the few flowers that were still in bloom. They are some of the last ones to die in Arizona too.

There was this statue above a water fall that we wanted to be in. We had to climb up in the back. Just a fun picture.

They have this huge maze. We went in thinking we might not get out, but some how we found the middle and then after some wondering around we some how came to the end. It was really fun.

This is a picture of us in the maze. It was high so we couldn't see over it. There were many different ways to go.

This is in the very middle. You can see a couple of the mazes trails.

Hermana Handly and myself with Delwyn in front of a cute statue. There were many of these different statues through out the park.

This is just a close up of the one above.

Another pretty veiw of the greenery in the park.

This vine was covering this building most of the way down.

Another view of the park. It was such a beautiful day. We couldn't have picked a better day to walk all around a park. Cool, but not cold.

This is moss growing on this statue. There is water dripping from the moss.
There was a pond around the statue.

As we were leaving the park we had to have our picture. Elder Hadley takes most of the pictures. We try to get him in but he likes taking the pictures.

Anniversary

We went to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (Musium of National Arts of Catalunya). This was a huge place and it had Romantic, Gothic, Renaisssance and Baroque, & Modern Art. It was here that I found I was very unknowlegeable in the Arts. It would have been much more enjoyable had I have known anything. This is in the very beginning of the building.

I did love the top of the ceiling.

Here is a huge auditorium in the building. I'm not sure what they use it for. They must have concerts there.

Here is one of the pictures. I thought that many of them really looked alike, that is why I would have loved to understand art more.

This is one of the rooms. There was over a 1000 pieces in this building.

On the outside it had a beautiful view of the city.

Elder Southwick loves this and said it is a cool arch. I can't remember what it is.

Another building by Gaudi. Intesting, isn't it.

This is a beautiful building. I'm not sure which one.

This is a picture of the Rombla down town. Later you will see some mimes that are on this street. This street is about 1/2 mile long.

One of the many fountains here in Spain.

A statue that is in the middle of a round about here. Notice the water coming out of the animals mouths.

All along this street there are these decorations. Spain is very famous for their arts. Another area that I don't understand. I took this picture from the Tour Bus that we were on. We could get off and back on when ever we wanted. We could stay off as long as we wanted also. It was great because if we didn't want to see something, we could just go on.

Look down this street. This is a famous building around here. It is know as the bullet building
among us Americans. It is a great land mark.

A picture of the sea.

A picture of the Columbis statue down by the Sea. This is the Christopher Columbis we know. He is very famous here in Spain.

I tried to get this picture sooner, but I couldn't. It is a elephant standing on his trunk. I wanted to get the whole picture but I was to late.

Another statue in a round about.

One of my favorate places is Tibidabo. It is a famous Cathedral and you can see it very well from our piso. When we are lost, when we see Tibidabo we know at least what area we are in.
This is taken inside the Cathedral.

I am outside looking at the front of Tibidabo.

It was very cloudy when we were up there, but this is the best I could get. Most of the time it was in the clouds and I couldn't get a picture of it.

We are looking down on the city from Tibidablo.

We are now in Park Guell. Another of Gaudi's famous places. You can see from the lizard some of Gaudi's art.

From a hill looking down on a house in Park Guell.

All along the park were people playing and hoping for contributions. Most of them are really good.

This is made from rock. You can see the steps going up. There were a lot of people up there so when we were up there, you had to be careful not to fall off.

If I remember right, Park Guell is about 20 acres.

My baby over looking the big city.

Another entertainer. I loved his music. I've never seen this instrument before, but it has a really pretty sound. It is similar to the Xylophone. But the music is much finer or more delicate. I wish I would have bought a CD he had.

More of Gaudi's work.