"Samantha Brown: Passport to Europe" on The Travel Channel

Take a trip around the world while seated in your living room. By watching the show "Samantha Brown: Passport to Europe" on The Travel Channel (Channel 88 on Time Warner Cable), viewers can see spectacular sites in this educational and entertaining travelogue.

Brown, 39, is the witty American-born host of the 30 minute program which showcases the gems of Europe. The show won an Emmy award on 06-14-07 at the 34th Annual Creative Arts and Entertainment Daytime Emmy awards ceremony in the category of Outstanding Lifestyle Directing.

In a recent episode, Brown visited Barcelona, Spain, which is known for its culture, history, and architecture. The emphasis was on the architecture of Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926), who was ahead of his time. The visionary architect's unfinished Gothic masterpiece is "La Sagrada Familia," which is The Cathedral of Barcelona. Although Gaudi's work is classified as part of the Spanish Art Nouveau movement, he developed his own style.

The original plans for the Cathedral called for 18 towers. Biblical scenes are carved into stone. Visitors can see the life of Jesus portrayed in the three main facades. It is truly a structure unlike any other in the world. At present, the completion date of the Cathedral is projected for the year 2026.

Another site that was showcased in the Barcelona episode was Gaudi's "Casa Batllo'," which is also known by the moniker "The House of Bones." Batllo was a wealthy textile owner who commissioned Gaudi to renovate his house. Gaudi transformed the residence into an amazing reptilian-like structure.

The facade shows the slaying of the dragon by St. George, who is the patron saint of Barcelona. It also has colored glass panels and stone columns that resemble bones. Additionally, the scaled roof of the house was intended to resemble a dragon's back.

Once inside the home, the interior gives the sensation of being inside of a dragon. The wooden staircase takes the form of vertebrae, and makes a ghoulish impression. Even the light fixtures resemble reptile's eyes.

Clearly, Gaudi's revolutionary architecture would inspire viewers to take a trip to Barcelona.

The next upcoming episodes of "Samantha Brown: Passport to Europe" will be aired on Friday, April 4, 2008 at 8 P.M. and 8:30 P.M., where Brown will travel to Copenhagen, Denmark and Geneva, Switzerland,respectively.