La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
On our honeymoon in Barcelona I decided that we should climb the spiral tower rather than queue with the plebs for the lift "How hard can it be?" I thought. Not very as it turns out, unless like my wife you are petrified of falling down very steep steps. Going up was a doddle, coming down was like trying to persuade an octopus to get in a rucksack. For those of you that haven't had the pleasure of these stairs I attach link to a photo:

tinyurl.com/3f47vxn

If you add in the open parapets leading to the pavement (via a brief plummet) it did not make for a relaxing descent.
( number5 has been fighting tramps and losing., Thu 1 Sep 2011, 15:11, 11 replies)

I properly hated climbing down those
I'd never really known the meaning of the phrase 'my legs were like jelly' until I got to the bottom and had to go and sit down next to a drunk and shouting tramp as it was the only spare seat and was far better than trying to stand up.
( scarpe We Stole Bikes, Thu 1 Sep 2011, 15:13, closed)

trying to persuade an octopus to get in a rucksack
Have you watching me have sex again, you dirty bastard?
(all my scars face forward possesses 2.5% of a hyperalloy combat chassis, Thu 1 Sep 2011, 15:52, closed)

Would that make it a 'scuttlefish'?

( number5 has been fighting tramps and losing., Thu 1 Sep 2011, 17:09, closed)

I saw a most unexpected piece of graffiti in that very stairwell –
"Steve Guttenberg wishes he was here"
( Wet-chinned bag shanker Cannot parse Wogan, Thu 1 Sep 2011, 16:08, closed)

That should have been a story in itself.
I would have clicked it.
( scarpe We Stole Bikes, Thu 1 Sep 2011, 16:32, closed)

Well I've ruined the punchline now, which I misremembered anyway
but fuck it, here you go.
www.b3ta.com/questions/church/post1339936
( Wet-chinned bag shanker Cannot parse Wogan, Fri 2 Sep 2011, 9:54, closed)

I wish I had seen that....!

( number5 has been fighting tramps and losing., Thu 1 Sep 2011, 17:08, closed)

I fucking loved that place
I'm terrified of heights and falling and stuff and am pleased that I amde it all the way up and down.

Most incredible building I've ever seen. Gaudi was a freaking genius.

Shame about the stupid modern, roboty looking statues at one end.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 1 Sep 2011, 16:44, closed)

Agh
Got vertigo from the photos alone! Lovely building, though.
(louveciennes , Volvospotter, Thu 1 Sep 2011, 21:16, closed)

You can get an octopus in a rucksack pretty easily, you just need a shovel - when you wave the shovel over its head pretending to be about to hit it then it wraps its arms (legs) around its head for protection, then - whoosh, shovel under its bum and into the rucksack smartish.
(Benzyl, Sat 3 Sep 2011, 21:28, closed)

Theory or experience?
Either way it sounds like fun. I did once ask our local wildlife preservation trust (a zoo to everyone but them!) if it were possible to fit an adult Black Macaque into your average 65 litre rucksack. To my surprise they responded that whilst the sizes would be about right you would either have to tranquilise it or be prepared to have your face removed in the process.
( number5 has been fighting tramps and losing., Sun 4 Sep 2011, 16:00, closed)