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Published: November 28th 2008
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Side of Sagrada Familia
Picture taken from right off the metro. Last night, the temperature dropped twenty degrees, so today, it's cold and rainy.
Nevertheless, I put on my tourista hat and go to see the famous
Sagrada Familia with the twenty-one-year-old Catalonian guy who is staying in the bunk beneath mine. I honestly can't remember his name, and we've been walking around and talking for two hours now, so I'm too embarrassed to ask. Unfortunately, he remembers my name. Since my Spanish is better than his English, all of our communications are in Spanish (Castillano).
We get off the metro at the Sagrada Familia stop. "Where is it?" I ask as we turn a 180 at the top of the stairs, scanning the buildings for the church. It was right behind us, mountainous, massive, almost reaching the clouds. It is (literally) breath-taking. I hear the people around me gasp at the same time I do. I pull out my camera and start workin' it.
This church is the most visited place in the entire country of Spain, and it isn't even FINISHED yet! That's part of why I wanted to see it: it's been a work-in-progress since 1884. Next time I come to Barcelona, this thing will probably
look totally different. The architect, Gaudi, has a distinctive style in that none of his works have right angles or straight edges. Everything is rounded off, and intricately Gothic.
Some chick walks by me, smoking a cigarette. I look around to see if anyone else is noticing that this chick is smoking in a church. No one bats an eye.
I swear to God, everyone in this city smokes, and EVERYWHERE is a smoking place! My companion and I pay the two euros to take the elevator up one of the towers. He's not taking any pictures, just staring at me a lot while I take them. I apologize for stopping every other second to take pictures, although I actually don't care if he likes it or not. If he doesn't like it, he can leave me and my camera alone.
I get some Chinese dude to take a picture of us. I look like a psycho in it.
On the way back, it really starts to rain. I pull out my umbrella and we squeeze under it. My companion puts his arm around me, which is fine because it makes it easier for us to
stay under the umbrella. He doesn't mean anything by it anyway. (Right??) As we walk, he asks me what I want to see next. We had made tentative plans to spend the day together touring the city. I'm like, "Eh, I dunno. I kinda wanna take a nap."
He drops his arm and steps away from me, apologizing for putting his arm around me, obviously worried that he has done something to put me off. I do my best to assure him that I'm just tired and cold and I want to rest. Plus, he's kind of annoying me.
The hostel is warm and dry. I hang around, chat with some people, check my email, etc. My touring companion won't let me out of his sight. I climb onto my top bunk and get under the covers with my novel. I'm trying to be really difficult and boring--changing plans, reading while he sits there. Finally, he says he's going to take a nap. But he stands there, staring at me. Then awkwardly, he swiftly reaches for me, puts a hand on my shoulder and quickly kisses my cheek.
"That was because I'm going to bed," he says
Stone Sculpture of Christ
Jesus tied to a pillar for the scourging. with a nervous laugh. Then he disappears into the bed below.
I'm confused.
After a while, I put my book down and close my eyes. I drift into sleep with the sound of rain falling on the streets of Barcelona.
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