Clemmys guttata: The spotted turtle: de maig 2014

I palpated the female 15 days ago and I felt it carried eggs. When this females carries eggs, the skin in the inguinal area protudes as you can see in the picture. This could also mean obesity, but this time it meant eggs.

Since then we have had rainy days with cool temperatures, specially at night, below 10ºC. I guess she won't lay the eggs until the weather gets warmer.

I use this post to show the pictures of two other chelonians I saw in a well known building from Barcelona some weeks ago. Each of them carries one column on its back.

The tortoise in the mountain side of the building

And the sea turtle in the sea side of the building

The building is the Sagrada Família , an architectural marvel designed by Antoni Gaudí i Cornet.
I had visited it 30 years ago, when there were just two sides build. Since they finished the inside I was looking forward to visit is again. Gaudí used nature as an inspiration for his architecture. He said nature chooses the more fuctional and economical solutions to a problem. He designed a catedral full of light with plenty of architectural innovations, such as columns that branch out like trees .

The outside of the building is full of religious scenes sculptured in the stone. There are gargoyles inspired in different native animals: Tarentolas, lizards, salamanders, chamaleons, snails...

http://www.sagradafamiliagaudi.com/Vista%20General/Fachada%20Abside/Abside/Gargolas/Dragon.html

But in my opinion, when it becomes extraordinary is when you get inside. You get into a enormous space full of light and color, with columns that brach out and a ceiling full of light. There is no need to know the architecture behind it, that is also impressive, to understand that Gaudí was a genius

I attach some pictures and links. As soon as the turtle lays the eggs I will come back to the blog thematic