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Published: October 22nd 2008
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The 11-14th of October were epic days spent traveling and enjoying the indescribable world of art that is Barcelona. We left extremely early on Saturday morning and had some mishaps trying to find the airport of Granada as it was 5:30 in the morning and we ended up splitting two taxis between 8 of us. Our flight went to Girona, which is a small town about an hour and a half (by train) from Barcelona. In Girona we went to the Museum of Salvador Dali. This was totally awesome as Dali designed this museum and the audience really gets to see what he intended with his art. I enjoyed it very much as his art is very modern (if you don't know Dali, think melting clocks... there you are!) and unique. After the museum we walked around town, which is very cute, until we had to catch the bus to Barcelona.
We got there kind of late in the evening and after we were all checked into our hostal- which was awesome btw- we decided to walk over to the Sagrada Familia. Funny story about arriving in Barcelona. There are all of these geniously arquitectured buildings that you grow up
Park in Girona
Fundraiser against cancer! hearing about and seeing on tv, but it really didn't dawn on me that I was going to see any of these buildings till we were walking along the street and BAM, there's Casa de Bastllo, The House of Bones! Crap, man! I've always wanted to see the House of Bones and there it was, right in front of me! My friends thought I had lost my mind as excited as I got! After explaining the significance of the house to them though, they got pumped about everything too 😊
It was amazing to see the Sagrada Familia at night. I had read a bit about it growing up and seeing it was quite fantastic! And they truly are working on it hardcore even now because they are only constructing with money given by the people, rather than government funding. The art is amazing as it follows the story of Jesus Christ.
Early the next morning we walked to the National Museum of Catalunian Art. This museum was seriously one of the most amazing places I've ever been. The renaissance art was spectacularly restored and moved to the museum and the colors and tecnique is now one of
my favorite styles. I also got to walk through and enjoy all of the modern art and roman art in the museum. Wow. Being able to see so many paintings and statues was very awe inspiring. I really wish I could have stayed longer but we were pressed for time as it's Barcelona and we learned that there was a festival going on!
Unfortunately, we didn't make it in time for the festival (sad, but the museum was totally worth it!) so we walked around La Rumbla (most popular street in Barcelona) and checked out a really cool open book market and art market. Funny side story: on La Rumbla there are lots of people dressed up and acting like statues for the tourists. I thought one of them was pretty cool and took a picture. Because I took a pic I gave him some money (cause thats what you should do!) and then he called me out in front of everyone to come back up and get a picture! Funny!
Later, we went to look at the Cathedral and then a group of girls went to the Museum of Picasso while three of us decided we wanted
to go to the Parc de la Ciutadella and the beach, La Barceloneta. Coincidentally, we also made it over to the Arc de Triomf of Barcelona and a park next to the train station. It was really fun walking around and exploring as there really is so much to see randomly throughout the city. There is never a dull moment. The beach was interesting because surfing is pretty popular in Barcelona. Definately aren't any wicked waves to be found, but they have a lot of fun regardless. Also, Barcelona has the coolest toy set ever! Its like our jungle gyms (you know, those metal things) but its made of strings and looks like something monkeys would play on- which is probably why I loved it so much! I got to climb around like a monkey on a toy in Barcelona!
Moving on.... After all of that fun, we went back to the Cathedral and met up with the other girls for Mass. This is the first Catholic service I have ever been to and it was definately interesting. I talked to a couple of friends of mine who are or were once Catholic and learned that Catholic services are
the same universally every week. They said that this was a very good thing because every Catholic could go to service anywhere in the world and not miss the sermon. I however looked at it as being just like the course guidelines in the public school system. It seemed to take away from any sort of individuality and personality. It was a very beautiful ceremony, but it didn't feel like anything more than that. It was very refreshing for me to be in a church, but I really can't wait to get back into my home church where I can have some fun and worship!
After the service we walked back to our hostal and I slepted as much as I could as I was sick 😊 Early the next day I got to tour the inside of the House of Bones! SOOO cool. It is a little more expensive than anything else I've done in my travels, it was 13,20Euro for students. But there's no way I was not going to walk around in that house- Gaudi was a little on the loopy side but genius (as most geniuses must be in order to be genius, follow?). After
touring the house, which was as amazing as I thought it would be, we went to the park and house-museum of Gaudi. That was really neat as everything is quite obviously Gaudi. And I love parks. So you can't go wrong with that combination. Here we all just kind of separated and I walked around the park left with my own thoughts and amusements. The park is just so bright with the natural environment and colorful arquitecture. Its an environment that will pick anyone up.
Finally, to end our Barcelona excursion, we went inside the Sagrada Familia. As it was Monday, we were there during construction, which was fascinating to see. I walked through the Cathedral multiple times because it's very simple but captivating. It's made out of 15 different types of stone and so you are just surrounded by an enormous stone sculpted church. It was very immense, I don't know how else I can describe it.
At the end of the day, we made our way over to the airport in Girona, where we enjoyed a "peaceful" nights sleep and left early Tuesday morning. Fun adventure as I had class about an hour after I got
back to the apartment!
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